Tag: being free

A New Life

On September 4, 2017

(The Kimberly Joy Show: God Says, “You Are FREE!!!” Part 4)

HOW CAN YOU HAVE A NEW LIFE IN GOD?
God wants you to KNOW who you are in Him. He wants you to BE true to the person He has created you to be, and He wants you to LOVE yourself wholeheartedly. And that CAN happen if you have an intimate relationship with Him. II Corinthians 5:17-18 (New Living Translation) say:

“17…..Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ…..”

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they brought sin into the world which caused a rift between God and man. Fortunately, Jesus came to this earth as a man and sacrificed His life on the cross on our behalf. So, now when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, He reunites us with God the Father. As we grow in our relationship with God, He shows us who we really are in Him.

WHO ARE WE?
As believers in Christ, we are people who are now free! For one, we are now free from sin. Romans 6:23 (King James Version) says:

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

According to the verse, when we accept God’s gift, sin no longer has control over us. Therefore, once we leave this life, we won’t suffer eternally. Instead, we will reign with God forever. Ultimately, as believers, that is what we should look forward to. So, it’s very important we stay focused.

As children of God, we have also been set free from sickness and disease. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, He took on the sin of all humanity. As He took on our sin, He also took on everything attached to it, including sickness and disease. Isaiah prophesied about Jesus’s crucifixion. Isaiah 53:4 (New International Version) says:

“4 Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering….”

This verse is not just referring to mental, emotional, and spiritual pain and suffering, but PHYSICAL! Verse 5 then says:

5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

So, again, not only are we set free or healed spiritually, but we are healed physically.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DON’T BELIEVE?
We must believe we are free, healed, and made whole. When we don’t believe God’s Word, we suffer from fear, worry, and stress. Worrying and being afraid can really take a toll on a person’s mental and physical health. Fear can stifle you. You’re less willing to take risks and to move when God says move or speak when God says speak, because you’re more worried about the outcome. You may say to yourself:

“Ah no, I’m not going to do that!”

“Something will go wrong!”

“The people won’t like me!”

Any of those statements sound familiar? How about the last statement?

“THE PEOPLE WON’T LIKE ME!”

What have you been reluctant to do because you’ve been afraid of what others will think or say? Well, no need to fret any further! I have good news for you! God has also set you free from the opinions of others!

Sometimes we make choices, and some of us even live our lives based on what other people think, including family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and society, in general.

There’s nothing wrong with receiving advice or getting ideas from others. That’s why we need each other. However, it becomes a problem when you can never seem to think for yourself. It is definitely a problem when you’re not being true to the person God has created YOU to be. You’re too busy trying to look like someone else, act like someone else, or worse………BE someone else!

My personal motto is “KNOW YOURSELF. BE YOURSELF. LOVE YOURSELF.” Why do I make that declaration? Several years ago, God began speaking two words to me: “BE YOURSELF!” Initially, I didn’t understand why God was saying this to me because I thought I was being myself. However, as time went on, I got a clearer understanding. Although I was living my life, I wasn’t living it with full confidence and joy. In my mind, I was always comparing myself to someone else. I still didn’t think I was good enough. This negative thinking caused me to be very sensitive and get offended more easily. Therefore, God had to begin teaching me how to embrace the woman He has created me to be and to not worry if others approve or not.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRUTH AND OPINION?
It doesn’t matter what others think or say about you. Honestly, there will be some people who just won’t like you no matter what you do or say. You can try moving Heaven and Earth to please them, but they still won’t be satisfied! We waste valuable time making decisions based on other people’s opinions. An opinion is not the truth, facts or the Word of God. The dictionary defines an opinion as “a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.” It is simply what someone THINKS.

(“In My Honest Opinion”)

You can receive sound advice from an individual, especially if he or she is an expert in a particular area or field. However, don’t allow his or her advice to replace the mind God has given you, and definitely don’t allow that person’s advice to replace the voice of God. For example, in I Samuel 16, God instructed Samuel to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king. Needless to say, Samuel had his own idea or OPINION of how a king should look. Therefore, God had to correct Samuel’s thinking. In I Samuel 16:7 (NIV) God said to Samuel:

“Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Ultimately, when it’s all said and done, what matters is what GOD knows and says. God says you have been set free, you are His child and He loves you with an everlasting love!

THE PRAYER OF SALVATION
If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can do so right now. I then encourage you to find a good Bible-believing church that will help you grow in your relationship with the Lord.

Romans 10:9 (NIV) says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Please pray the following prayer:

Dear Jesus, I come to You confessing I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe You shed Your blood on the cross and died for my sins, were buried and rose again so I could be free! Please forgive me for my sins and the life I have lived. I confess You Jesus as Lord and accept You as my own personal Savior. According to the Word of God, I am now saved! Hallelujah! I AM FREE!

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF GOD!!!!!

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Be Set FREE!!!

By Kimberly Joy

On August 28, 2017

In Jesus

(The Kimberly Joy Show: God Says, “You Are FREE!!!” Part 3)

HOW CAN YOU BE SET FREE?
God wants you to KNOW who you are in Him. He wants you to BE true to the person He has created you to be, and He wants you to LOVE yourself wholeheartedly. However, before any of that can happen, you have to be set free from your sins and made new. I John 1:9 (King James Version) says:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Once you are cleansed, II Corinthians 5:17 says you become a new person. Inwardly you are not the same. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, whether you were a liar, a cheater, an adulterer, a fornicator, a thief, or even a murderer! Once you confess your sins and receive Jesus into your heart, He forgives you, and God now sees you as His child.

Although you may have to suffer some consequences for your past sins, while doing so, you can still develop a strong relationship with the Lord and allow Him to get the glory out of your life. For example, if you committed murder before you got saved, you will still have to pay for that crime. After all, someone lost his or her life at your hands. Nevertheless, while serving your sentence, you can be a beacon of light to others, especially other prisoners. Consider the apostle Paul in the Bible. Before he surrendered to Jesus, he was responsible for the deaths of some who had professed the name of Jesus Christ. Despite all that, God was still willing to forgive, save, and use him. And God did just that. Paul was set free and, as a result, many souls were saved!

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT HEALING?
If you have already accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you are free. You are now free from sin, and as I discussed in my previous article, “Child of God, You Are FREE!!!”, you are also free from sickness and disease. In fact, as a child of God, you don’t have to settle for being sick. You don’t have to view the doctor’s report or even how you feel in your body as the final outcome. Whose report will you believe? God’s report or man’s report? I hope your answer is God’s report!

Throughout the Bible, God lets us know that healing is ours.

Psalms 103:2-3 (KJV), “2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;”

Jeremiah 17:14 (KJV), “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise.”

I Peter 2:24 (New Living Translation), “He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed.”

That’s the Word of God! We only need to believe what GOD says!

I’m reminded of my uncle and his wife. Several years ago, they each were dealing with life-threatening illnesses. First, my aunt flat-lined three times. In other words, her heart stopped beating. Then later my uncle wound up in a coma on life support. Nonetheless, despite their conditions and what the doctors were saying, their daughters never gave up! They prayed and prayed and prayed some more! They even had a conference call line so friends and family from all over could come together and pray for their healing. I was even blessed to be a part of that prayer line. As a result of their constant prayers and never-ending faith, their parents are both alive and well today!!!

(Uncle James and Aunt Polly enjoying life!)

WHAT DO MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY ABOUT HEALING?
Medical experts say there is a correlation between positive thinking (faith) and healing. According to author Donald Cole of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto, Canada, “Across a wide range of clinical conditions, from lower back pain to heart surgery, patients who felt they would do well in recovery did. Patients who were scared or pessimistic (who lacked faith) about their recovery did not recover as quickly as the optimists or as well,” (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117317&page=1). If people in the secular arena understand that a person must BELIEVE in order to be healed, then we as children of God should definitely have faith. We should serve as prime examples of what it means to have faith.

If we were to be honest, unfortunately, sometimes we as believers walk in fear, instead of in faith. Although we claim to believe God, we yet worry and stress. However, faith and fear can’t co-exist. I can’t say I have faith in God, but still live in terror. I can’t pray to God about a particular situation and then, after I say “AMEN!”, continue worrying about the very thing I had just prayed about. Prayer and worry can’t co-exist. I either believe God or I don’t! Personally speaking, I’ve discovered that the prayers which tend to get answered more quickly are the ones I don’t ponder over once I’ve prayed. I don’t think about those particular issues anymore. I give it to God and move on!

Did you know that fear, worry, and stress can make you ill? I wouldn’t be surprised if many of our illnesses are directly related to our thoughts, emotions and words. For instance, you may notice you have a sore throat. Instead of praying against that soreness and declaring your healing, you say, “Uh oh! I hear the flu is going around! I must have the flu!” Consequently, you wind up with the flu. Now, it could have gone the other way. However, you chose to believe the worst instead of the best.

As believers, God doesn’t want us entertaining such thoughts. He wants us to know we are saved, healed and delivered! So, I encourage you to change the way you think and speak, and move forward in God. Live your life knowing you are free in Christ Jesus!

THE PRAYER OF SALVATION
If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can do so right now. I then encourage you to find a good Bible-believing church that will help you grow in your relationship with the Lord.

Romans 10:9 (NIV) says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Please pray the following prayer:

Dear Jesus, I come to You confessing I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe You shed Your blood on the cross and died for my sins, were buried and rose again so I could be free! Please forgive me for my sins and the life I have lived. I confess You Jesus as Lord and accept You as my own personal Savior. According to the Word of God, I am now saved! Hallelujah! I AM FREE!

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF GOD!!!!!

If you find value in this article, please share.

To subscribe to The Kimberly Joy Blog and receive new articles by email, please leave your email address in the box marked SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL provided at the end of this article.

For daily inspiration, please follow The Kimberly Joy Show on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Child of God, You Are FREE!!!

By Kimberly Joy

On August 21, 2017

In Jesus

(The Kimberly Joy Show: God Says, “You Are FREE!!!” Part 2)

CHILD OF GOD, YOU ARE FREE
Knowing who you and I are in God, being who we are with no apologies, and loving who we are wholeheartedly involves recognizing that we were set free the moment we accepted Jesus into our hearts! As I discussed in the previous article, “You Are FREE!!!”, God recently reminded me that every child of God is free!

When we lack knowledge and understanding of this truth, it makes it easier for Satan to fool us into thinking we are still under his control. He’s able to convince us that we are still messed up. Thus, we worry that we’ll never get beyond our past. We continue to believe the negative things people have said and may still say about us. Essentially, we still feel bound!

WHAT DOES GOD SAY?
When we believe such lies over God’s Truth, we are more inclined to surrender to the devil’s suggestions. Therefore, we need the Bible, which is the Word of God or God’s Voice. The scriptures tell us who we are in Him. What does GOD say?

Romans 8:37 (King James Version) says:

“…We are more than conquerors…”

Philippians 4:13 (New King James Version) says:

“[We] can do all things through Christ…”

Why?

“…[He] strengthens [us].”

John 8:36 (New International Version) assures us that:

“…If [Jesus] sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Indeed means “without any question, truly, undeniably”. So, once we surrender to Jesus, He sets us free from sin and everything attached to it. It’s settled…..a done deal! We can move forward in Him and not look back.

Consider ex-convicts. Although many are released from prison once they serve their time, some eventually return. Why? Mentally they are still in prison! In other words, they still view themselves as criminals and convicts. They have difficulty seeing themselves as people who are now free to live as productive citizens in society. So, does this mean they can’t learn? Absolutely not! They CAN learn! They can develop new mindsets with the right guidance, education, and tools. Basically, their minds have to be changed!

HOW ARE SOME BELIEVERS STILL HELD CAPTIVE?
As believers in Christ, I believe much of our “captivity” is mental! It’s only in the mind! We often give Satan more credit than he deserves. What do I mean? The devil plays mind games. When we’re not sure about who we really are in Christ, we fall for his lies. John 8:44 (New Living Translation) says:

“[Satan] has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Satan and his demons are liars. They’re incapable of telling the truth. For instance, in Genesis 3, the serpent, who was Satan in disguise, deceived Adam and Eve into disobeying God. In Genesis 3:1 (NLT), the serpent approached Eve and said:

“Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

The serpent asked Eve this particular question to plant a seed of doubt in her mind. Then he said in verses 4-5:

“4 You won’t die…..5 God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

Despite the fact that the serpent told a blatant lie, Eve was still convinced and ate the fruit, along with her husband Adam, who was also present. They may not have expired that day, but they did eventually lose their lives, although they were originally created to live forever. The only reason the serpent was able to deceive Adam and Eve is because they doubted God. They doubted what they had been told and what had already been placed inside of them.

As believers, we are deceived or Satan is able to play mind games with us when we doubt what God has told us OR when we don’t know what God has said—–when we don’t know His Word. Consider Jesus! After fasting in the wilderness for forty days and nights, Jesus was presented with temptations from Satan himself (Matthew 4:1-11). In other words, the devil was trying to play with His MIND. However, because Jesus knew who He was—–a man free from sin—–He didn’t yield to the devil’s suggestions. Nor did he run away and hide. Instead, He stood on God’s Word with undeniable confidence! Matthew 4:8-11 (NLT) say:

“8 Next the devil took [Jesus] to the peak of a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

9 ‘I will give it all to you,’ the devil said, ‘if you will kneel down and worship me.’

10 Jesus then said, ‘Get out of here, Satan! For the Scriptures say, You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’

11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.”

Satan left Jesus alone because he realized he couldn’t play with His MIND.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO A BELIEVER BEING HEALED?
It’s so important that we as believers know we are free! Not only has Jesus set us free from sin, but He has set us free from sickness and disease. There are stories in the Bible, particularly the ones involving Jesus and the apostles, about people who were healed. Those stories weren’t included to serve as fairy tales, but to let us know that we can and should experience the same. Truth be told, we should all be healed!

IMAGINE……….

What if we were never sick?

What if the illnesses and diseases, which tried to attack our bodies, left as quickly as they came by us just speaking a word of healing?

What if we saw healings and miracles in every church all around the globe?

What if the hospitals were virtually empty and the pharmaceutical companies went out of business all because of our faith?

I want to see that! How about you?

I believe there will be an increase in healings and miracles as we grow in our faith recognizing that we are free. Furthermore, Jesus said it’s going to happen. In John 14:12 (NLT), He said:

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works…”

The key word in the above verse is BELIEVE! You have to believe. I have to believe. We have to believe that Jesus has set us free and live like people who are free from sin, sickness, and disease. We are now free to be what God has called each of us to be as He orders our footsteps and gets the glory out of our lives.

THE PRAYER OF SALVATION
If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can do so right now. I then encourage you to find a good Bible-believing church that will help you grow in your relationship with the Lord.

Romans 10:9 (NIV) says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Please pray the following prayer:

Dear Jesus, I come to You confessing I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe You shed Your blood on the cross and died for my sins, were buried and rose again so I could be free! Please forgive me for my sins and the life I have lived. I confess You Jesus as Lord and accept You as my own personal Savior. According to the Word of God, I am now saved! Hallelujah! I AM FREE!

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF GOD!!!!!

If you find value in this article, please share.

To subscribe to The Kimberly Joy Blog and receive new articles by email, please leave your email address in the box marked SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL provided at the end of this article.

You Are FREE!!!

By Kimberly Joy

On August 14, 2017

In Jesus

(The Kimberly Joy Show: God Says, “You Are FREE!!!”)

YOU ARE FREE!!!
To those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God says, “You are FREE!!!” I remember the day those three words resonated with me. I had decided to go to the church, while no one else was present, in order to spend some time alone with God in the sanctuary. There’s nothing like being alone in God’s presence!

On this particular day as I walked around the sanctuary singing a worship song to the Lord, I heard Him say,”You are FREE!” Even though He had uttered those words in my ear before, this particular afternoon was different. This time I really took notice of what He said and asked myself, “What does it MEAN to be FREE?”

DOES ONE HAVE TO DIE IN ORDER TO BE FREE?
Oftentimes, when a person dies, I hear people express how that individual is now free. They’re now free from their suffering and pain! So, does that mean one has to die in order to be FREE? No, absolutely not! In fact, we as believers in Christ have to pray against the spirit of suicide! That lying demon does its best to convince anyone it can that DEATH is the answer!

“All your troubles will be over!”

“Nobody cares about you anyway!”

“Nobody will miss you, not even your own family!”

But those are LIES! Death is not the answer! JESUS is the answer!

I know life can be hard. We all go through difficult situations from time to time. Nevertheless, how you handle those situations is what makes the difference. You handle those difficulties by RESTING in God. He has the answer to every question and the solution to every problem!

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FREE IN JESUS?
When I consider what it means to be FREE in Jesus, I think about a well-loved child. I specify “well-loved” because, unfortunately, we hear stories in the news, throughout our neighborhoods, and even among our own family members of children who aren’t loved and cared for as they ought to be. However, a WELL-LOVED child doesn’t have a care in the world because Mommy and Daddy have everything under control. The child can play joyfully during the day and sleep peacefully at night FREE from worries and concerns.

When I was young, I attended Landmark Christian School, which is now closed. One day at school during my second grade year, the entire student body saw a play. This particular play changed my life! I decided that very day to confess my sins and accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior! Although some might think I was too young to be a sinner or too young to even know what I was doing, I disagree! I was NOT too young! On that particular day, I KNEW Jesus was tugging on my heart. I KNEW I needed Him. I understood that because of the first man’s and woman’s disobedience to God, I was born into sin, just like everyone else. Needless to say, once I prayed the prayer of salvation that day, Jesus set me FREE! What did He set me free from? He set me free from sin and eternal damnation!

So, if I was saved long ago and if you have already been saved, then why is God declaring to us now that we are free? God wants you and me to have a clear understanding of this truth and to live our lives daily KNOWING He has already set us free.

FROM WHAT HAS GOD SET US FREE?
God has set us free from:
1. Sin
2. Sickness and disease
3. Fear, worry, stress
4. Other people’s opinions

In this article, I want to focus on being set free from sin. Romans 6:14 (New International Version) says:

“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”

Notice what the verse says. Sin is NO LONGER your master. Yes, once upon a time sin controlled you. However, once you gave your life to Jesus, you switched gods. As the verse also points out, we are under God’s grace, and He enables us to live right. NO, we can’t do it on our own power. Fortunately, we can if we look to Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1 says that we are to lay aside every weight (hindrance), and the sin that easily entangles us. But HOW??? How do we do that? How do we avoid the hindrances? How do we avoid the sin?

Verse 2 of Hebrews 12 tells us to look to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. We have to keep our eyes fixated on Jesus. We have to stay before God in prayer and allow Him to speak to us. We have to study His Word and learn His principles and expectations. Furthermore, as God gives us revelation and shows us how HE wants us to live, we must obey Him, even if it’s different from what we’ve been accustomed to.

WHY MIGHT A BELIEVER FALL BACK INTO SIN?
I believe we as believers sometimes fall back in to sin, not because we’re under its control, but because it’s a habit! It’s familiar! It’s our comfort zone! Therefore, in order to avoid those hindrances and sins, we have to learn a new way of living by changing the way we think and forming new habits. Romans 6:12 (NIV) says:

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.”

As a believer, you have a choice to yield to sin or not. Neither sin, the world, nor Satan control you! Just because you’re tempted doesn’t mean you’re now under Satan’s control. It just means you’re being tempted. So, when you find yourself being tempted, follow the example of Jesus that He demonstrated while living as a man here on earth. In Matthew 4:1-11, each time Jesus was tempted, He used the scriptures to inform Satan of who he was—–a man free from sin and one who served only God! Once Satan realized He wasn’t able to persuade Jesus, he left Him alone.

From my own personal experience, I find Christianity to be a process. We learn and grow as we go. Growth occurs EACH moment we spend time with God. Simply believing in God, going to church, or reciting Bible verses, doesn’t produce spiritual growth. Rather, it takes sincerely pursuing a relationship with God.

I encourage you to walk in the freedom you were granted once you accepted Jesus into your heart. Understand that you’re not the same person anymore. So, don’t let anything or anyone convince you otherwise, including the person you see staring back at you in the mirror.

THE PRAYER OF SALVATION
If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can do so right now. I then encourage you to find a good Bible-based church that will help you grow in your relationship with the Lord.

Romans 10:9 (NIV) says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Please pray the following prayer:

Dear Jesus, I come to You confessing I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe You shed Your blood on the cross and died for my sins, were buried and rose again so I could be FREE! Please forgive me for my sins and the life I have lived. I confess You Jesus as Lord and accept You as my own personal Savior. According to the Word of God, I am now saved! Hallelujah! I AM FREE!

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF GOD!!!!!

If you find value in this article, please share.

To subscribe to The Kimberly Joy Blog and receive new articles by email, please leave your email address in the box marked SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL provided at the end of this article.

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