We must understand that we are dealing in the spiritual realm. Our issues and problems are not issues with flesh and blood, they are spiritual issues. Even when dealing with problems and conflicts with people, we are really dealing with the spirits behind or controlling those people (and even ourselves). Many Christians today live in a restricted form of bondage and fear and double-mindedness but cannot seem to get free. They come to church once or twice a week and feel uplifted and feel temporary relief, but seem to be unable to keep that good spirit throughout the week. What is the real problem? What is the root spirit that is keeping people from finding this true liberty in Christ that we should be walking in and living in on a daily basis?

In 2 Corinthians 3:3-17 we see a contrast between the old testament and the new testament. The old testament was made for carnal, self-willed, uncircumcised people who loved the spirit of Egypt and did not know the Lord or his ways. Thus the law was actually something that brought the people into a bondage of service and led them into a fear and trembling. While this sounds awful, it is actually much better for the carnal, natural man to be under the bondage of the letter of God’s law than to be under the bondage of Satan and sin. Although the lost, deceived man thinks himself to be free in his sin, he is actually in utter bondage not knowing anything of God’s Spirit like love, joy, peace, gentleness, etc…. All he knows is one addictive lust after another. Never knowing anything about true liberty.

However in the new testament, we have something offered to us that is SO MUCH better than the old testament. All the letter of the law could do was bring a wicked man into a better bondage than sin, bondage to God’s law (which is holy and just and good). However, this law in and of itself could not give this man liberty. His heart would need to turn to the Lord himself (not just the book) and his soul would need to be converted by the Lord himself (through continuance in this law) so that he might actually be made free. However, the law itself was not a covenant established in liberty, but rather a covenant established in bringing people under the fear of God instead of the love of the world. Whereas the new testament was something that was birthed and established out of the love of God in the sacrifice of Christ fo make us FREE! It was not the handing of a book to try your hardest to follow it, but it was rather the ministration of his Spirit (he breathed on them and said “Receive ye the Holy Ghost”). This ministration of Christ’s Spirit is truly the ministration of righteousness in the heart and spirit. The law is righteous, but does not guarantee righteousness to be wrought in a person’s life. However, this ministration of the spirit does guarantee righteousness to be wrought from the heart.

I say all this to say, that it is this Spirit that brings liberty. For Paul testifies that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. So then the question is how do we get this Spirit that brings liberty?

In 1 John 4:1-6, the scripture reveals to us that there is the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. We can only receive and continue one or the other. We cannot continue in both. The world has received the spirit of error. Whereas, those that are truly of God have received the spirit of truth.

In John 8:23-32, Jesus Christ is revealing the truth about WHO HE IS (not just what he does so you can go to heaven). Those who believe this testimony of WHO HE IS he turns to them and admonishes them that they are not done… that in order to be made free they must CONTINUE in HIS WORD and then they shall eventually KNOW the TRUTH and that truth shall make them free.

In verses 33-37, Christ explains the difference between a SERVANT who is in bondage to sin and will ultimately perish… as opposed to the SON who is obviously FREE and will ABIDE for ever!

Then in verse 44, he warns of the devil who is a MURDERER (wants to destroy) and accomplishes this as a LIAR (one who abode not in the truth). So the devil successfully brings people into bondage, fear and ultimately death through LYING (sending out the spirit of error).

Now if the devil wants to accomplish this, is he going to tell everyone that this LYING spirit of error that he is sending out is indeed the spirit of error? Or is he going to try to make it APPEAR to be the spirit of truth? If he appears as an angel of light, and his ministers appear as ministers of righteousness then don’t you reckon that his spirit of error is going to appear to be the spirit of truth?

So evidently this is how it works:

the spirit of error —> servanthood to sin —> the spirit of bondage —> the spirit of fear —> death

Error can come in MANY forms. It can come in the form of philosophy and false science. It can come in the form of religion. It can even come in the form of Bible believing Christianity (many of whom are stricken with double-mindedness and bondage to sin). The root of these problems is the spirit of error. Often in the Christian circle it is received through the DOCTRINES and COMMANDMENTS of men that have been passed down from generation to generation (or sometimes appearing to be new and liberating). Often it can be bringing people back under the bondage of the letter of the law. But ultimately it is a result of people choosing a SHORTCUT to their problems or to knowledge of good and evil (which the devil drew Adam and Eve to) by receiving what men have to say RATHER than patiently continuing in the word of Christ until HE MAKES YOU FREE! (Remember, there are many false teachers that will PROMISE YOU LIBERTY while they themselves are the SERVANTS of CORRUPTION - 2 Peter 2:14-19. Any teacher who promises you liberty but is in bondage to his pride, arrogance, self-will, lasciviousness, idolatry (most often in the form of sports or material covetousness in our day and age) WILL NOT manifest the love of Christ, the joy of the Holy Ghost, or the peace of God. For those are things that are only manifest by and through the Spirit in those who are FREE. They may have SOLID, established ministries. They may claim to be teachers of the truth. They may teach you the letter of the word. But their ministries ALWAYS lead to fears, confusions, disputing, backbitings, pride, divisions and ultimately a spiritual death. They become blind leaders of the blind of whom our Lord said, let them alone. It often becomes all about outward appearance (a form of godliness but denying the power thereof).

On the flip side the Lord operates this way: The spirit of truth (only gained through patient continuance in the Lord’s word unto obedience by being made disciples INDEED.., not just in word) —> the Spirit of Adoption (SONSHIP) —> the Spirit of the Lord which gives LIBERTY —> the spirits of power, love and a sound mind (in contrast to the spirit of fear) —> LIFE

This LIFE is the life that Christ came to bring! Life more abundantly. Be not deceived, the thief may appear as a “good shepherd” but he comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and he accomplishes this through LIES and ERROR). He is not THE GOOD SHEPHERD. Only our Lord Christ Jesus is the one who is THE GOOD SHEPHERD come to free us indeed!

If you read the story at the beginning of 2 Kings 11 you see the reign of terror of a wicked usurper of the throne… a woman (who should never rule alone) named Athaliah. Her rule was for 6 years and all it did was bring the people into bondage and fear because she was a thief like the devil. The devil was never given power over this world. He is a deceiver and a usurper. He is a thief who has stolen things which are not truly his. But thankfully our Lord will wrest those things from him in due time of his Father (for he is a MUCH stronger man than Satan). The devil lies and says that this world is his and he has a right to rule it, but actually the earth and the world are ultimately under the Lord’s ownership and he GAVE this earth to MAN (see Psalm 115:16). Man has allowed the devil to steal control of this earth and world… but they do not rightfully belong to the devil. They rightfully belong to man. Which is why Christ was made flesh so that as MAN he could rightfully reclaim the ownership of this earth for God the Father (with God not having to take back which he gave).

So anyway, while Athaliah was reigning, thankfully Israel had a good teaching priest named Jehoida (2 Chronicles 15:3) and helped the people while trapped under bondage CONTINUE in the word of God. And then finally in the 7th year their freedom came. And what gave them the inspiration (the spirit) to conquer this wicked woman that was a usurper and cared not for God’s people but only for her position was when the priest took the rulers and leaders and showed them “the king’s son.” (2 Kings 11:4)

HALLELUJAH! We must continue in Christ’s word until we know “the truth”! Truth is not a set of beliefs… truth is a Spirit! And that Spirit is Christ! He is the TRUTH! When they saw the king’s son they finally realized that there was hope for victory over this reign of terror! They finally knew that there was one who would bring them TRUE LIBERTY in a kingdom of love, joy and peace.

May we as ministers of Jesus Christ truly minister the spirit of truth. Let us never compromise. Let us continue to preach Jesus Christ until people can finally for themselves SEE the KING’s SON and be given HIS SPIRIT and be made free INDEED! I think we all know by now that this world does not bring freedom. I think we have all seen that even church in and of itself does not bring freedom (many go to church “faithfully” and are still in absolute bondage to their sins, fears, and lusts). Even the Bible in and of itself does not bring freedom… for the letter can only kill. Even the devil came to Christ offering to do a Bible study with him…. No, it is only continuing in the word of Christ himself (his words are spirit and life) in receiving, believing and obeying that we might finally KNOW the TRUTH (KNOW HIM… Paul left ALL his own personal righteousness of the law behind so that he could be found in Christ, and have the righteousness of faith and KNOW HIM).

To be free indeed… there is nothing like it.

The thing is that there are many people supposedly seeking the truth and many come to different conclusions and have very different spirits. So how can one be sure that he is pursuing the REAL spirit of truth? How can one know that he is receiving the real spirit of truth and not a counterfeit spirit of truth?

The real spirit of truth is one that can only be received and continued in by those who are genuinely humble. Only those who are seeking the Lord’s will and way no matter what the cost. Those who are persuaded that our great God is worth seeking from the heart more than anything else in this life. The end of the true doctrine of Christ (the spirit of truth) is CHARITY! But charity can only come out of:

1. A pure heart - you must be desire a pure heart no matter what the cost
2. A good conscience - you must seek a good conscience before God & men no matter how humbling it may be.
3. Faith unfeigned - you must not pretend to know things or believe things that you don’t know. You must be willing to grow slowly and steadily and to believe only those things that God has clearly revealed to you by his Spirit and you must not preach or teach ANYTHING as an authority unless God has worked it in your life!

These are things that must be attained by SEEKING the Lord. He promised that ANYONE can find him if they will just REPENT and SEARCH for HIM with ALL their HEART! That is the key. There is no half-heart or double-heart that God will accept.

Truth is not just about the world, the devil, the lies, and corruption, it is actually really about CHRIST, God and what you must do to be in his will and kingdom.