Chapter One

Freedom In Christ

The leading of the Lord has taken me to the darkest areas of city streets. I am amazed as I push deeper into the worst areas of inner cities. Although the areas are so spiritually dark, I feel like a spectator as the Lord delivers freedom to His people. How can God flow so freely and so gracefully in areas of poverty, addictions, danger, and evil? Seeing Him work in these areas has brought such brokeness in my life.

Psalms 51
17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

As I have led others to Christ, the Lord has led me closer to Him. He continually establishes my relationship closer to Him. It seems that the Lord is more interested in me than what I do for Him, just as He is more interested in you than what you do for Him.

We must be convinced that God can save and deliver any life and that He is able to keep it. It is through the work of the Cross and the Mercy of God that the Lord touches a life. We are in a world that is lost in sin and there are so many lives in bondage. As I have witnessed along the sidewalks and streets I have led people to Christ and entrusted them in the hands of God to keep them. Oftentimes, I receive words of encouragement from someone that had become established in their faith and was enjoying their freedom. These testimonies thrill my heart. I can see that God is able to direct the paths of new converts and establish them in Him. As my ministry has matured, I have oftentimes seen lives saved and delivered simultaneously. As we prayed deliverance over lives, we were amazed to see the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit on the sidewalks and streets.

Many have been delivered from heroin and crack and have found their way to churches and have become established in the Body of Christ. It is so fulfilling to see the worst addicts become delivered. We are in a time that the Holy Spirit is no longer just using mighty warriors of faith but those willing to loose themselves that others may be loosed. Are you willing to allow the Holy Spirit to use you to set others free? The Holy Spirit uses people to minister to people. Let's prepare our hearts that others may be touched for God's Glory. We must be free to minister freedom to others.

It seems that God in His mercy is ministering freedom to His people. I have seen more freedom and miracles in the streets of the night than I have seen in most churches. This is not a negative comment about the church but a challenge that we must take the message and our ministry wherever the people are. The church is the people, and today it is mobile and moving in the streets of communities. I have seen such a Holy presence of God in the streets. When we see people delivered, they are overwhelmed with the holiness and love of God as He touches their lives in the midst of sin and bondages.

His anointing is being released into lives of people that will take this message to the lost and hurting. It is the forgiveness of God for sin that allows the worst sinners to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to them. When we are praying for others in the street, we are aware that the person who is really doing the ministering is the Holy Spirit. We must come to this realization and allow Him to receive all the Glory and Honor as lives are changed. I have often wondered why people in the street are so honest with us as we witness to them. The Holy Spirit touches their hearts and prepares the way for the witness. What an exciting experience to see lives being changed and to find friends everywhere we go!

We must know the magnitude of the freedom we have through the Blood of Jesus. We fight battles that try to rob our lives and our souls everyday. We must have a deeper understanding of our relationship in Christ. Many of us wait until we experience tragedy or are in the midst of a storm to begin to prepare for war against the enemy. The enemy of our freedom is given too much authority and opportunity in our lives. If we really knew the magnitude of our freedom in Christ, we would never find ourselves trying to reestablish our relationship with Him daily. It is impossible to win a war by being in a defensive posture rather than an offensive one! Let's begin a walk that will lead us further into freedom than we have ever been before. God has chosen to flow through you!

Colossians 1
13 "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"

We are free through the work of the Cross. The Blood of Jesus is to be trusted! The Lord has impressed on me so many times that He wants His people free. It was the cry of my heart for so long to see lives immediately changed as we led them to Christ. Now we are in that time that God is changing lives and removing bondages. It is not only the people of the night that are in bondage. So many Christians have situations in their lives that can become a stronghold that will ultimately lead to defeat. We need to maintain our relationship with the Lord. The Bible says in Romans 10:17, "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." So then the likewise is true—Faith goeth by not hearing. Let's prepare to minister to others and take back all of the ground that the enemy has stolen.

If we had a home on a 100 acre estate and it was fenced and electrified with a gate, it would seem as though we were safe. Then we could have an alarm on the home and double locks to secure us even more. What if one day we forgot to lock the doors, close the gate, and alarm the systems? It is through this open door that the enemy would seek to come in. You see, God has a spiritual fortress that He wants to encircle about you. All promises in the Bible are conditional. We must follow Him and walk with Him. All Christians are to put on spiritual armor against the enemy of their souls. Provision for our protection has been provided in the Word of God.

Ephesians 6
10 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

Romans 8
15 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Zechariah 4
6 "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."

I have come to realize that Jesus wants us to trust Him and His completed work. Trust and serve the One who created you. Always remember that God is there through all of life's struggles. If we simply present our lives to Him and trust Him, we will find the relationship that we are looking for. If we cannot find this relationship we are in search of, then we must pursue a deeper relationship with God. The Holy Spirit is wanting to do so much in our lives and in the lives of others through us.

I remember that before the Lord called me to the streets, He began to change my life through a process of steps. Each time I thought that I had given the Lord all of my heart, my life, and my emotions, He wanted more of me. Then He would begin to show me another area of my life that He wanted to change. I have now discovered that the change I have felt has become part of my heart. As our lives are changed, He will place more of His nature in us.

John 3
30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."

2 Corinthians 3
17 "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

2 Corinthians 4
5 "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake."
6 "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
7 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

Enjoy your relationship in Christ and seek more of Him daily as you enjoy your journey through this life and pursue freedom in Him.