Have You Declared Your Independence?

Last Saturday, I dropped my friend at the airport. He returned to the area for a funeral. Now, he was catching a flight to rejoin his unit in Texas. On Tuesday, they left for Iraq.

As I drove home, I prayed for my friend. I thought about what it meant to go to a foreign country and put yourself in harms way. Why did he do it?

I mentored this young man for four and a half years while he was in college. Then for another 2 years, long distance, while he moved from station to station with the Army.

He is a solid follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. He seeks to meet personally with God everyday. He introduces others to Jesus. He wants his life to count and he labors in the harvest field.

He is also very patriotic. As an officer in the Army, he wants to serve his country. I think, for many young men and women, that means working to preserve the way of life we have in the United States. And then, promoting that way of life in other countries.

In particular, I think the American way of life can be captured in this phrase from our Declaration of Independence. “. . . that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Americans expect to be able to live free and pursue happiness. And we want people around the world to have these some rights. We might disagree on how to get there, but we want to get there. We want to help other people get there.

I wondered what it was that I would be declaring my independence from. And then it occurred to me.

Independence from Who?

The Declaration of Independence was a statement by the Founding Fathers of the United States directed toward the King of Great Britain.

As a spiritual being, I find myself in need of independence. I need to be set free from the tyranny of Satan, the King of Darkness.

Satan is every bit the tyrant the King of Great Britain was, and more. I love the description given in Isaiah 51:13, “. . . that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, . . .” Satan is the oppressor. He desires to hold me back from accomplishing what God wants me to do. He terrorizes me. He is a greater terrorist than Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussien or Hitler or Po Pol could ever be. And he terrorizes me every day.

I need to declare my independence from his tyranny.

While I am declaring my independence from Satan's control, my thoughts continued as I wondered what does it mean for me, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, to have “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”?

Life

Life is the condition of being living. It's the time on earth between birth and death. What will my existence look like between birth and death? How will I live my life?

Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” As a believer in Christ, I don't fear death. I gain when I die because I will be with Jesus.

But while I am on earth, until the day I die and gain, I'm suppose to represent Jesus Christ “in skin” to those around me.

In Deuteronomy, the story is told of Moses addressing all of the nation of Israel before he died. He told them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you – they are your life.” (Deuteronomy 32:46,47)

Obeying the word of God is my life!

While I am on earth, I'm suppose to diligently study and obey God's word.

Liberty

Liberty is the condition of being free, the power to do what I want to do.

Jesus said true freedom comes from obeying the word of God. “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31,32)

Knowing and obeying the Word of God sets me free. It gives Life and Liberty!

The Pursuit of Happiness

The pursuit of happiness means I can attempt to get that which pleases me. The Declaration of Independence doesn't say that I have a right to get it, but that I have a right to attempt to get it.

So then I'm thinking about what gives me pleasure? And what should give me pleasure as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Is it:

Money?
Wisdom?
Health?

All good things, but when I die, I can't take any of them with me.

But experiencing the Presence of God. That has value now and in the future. It's where I'll be when I die.

David said, “. . . you will fill me with joy in your presence, . . . “ (Psalm 16:11)

Later in the Psalms he said, “. . . that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

Beauty and joy are mine in the presence of God.

Conclusions

To be really alive, I need to devote considerable time to knowing the Word of God. For me, that means 1 to 3 hours a day.

Practical discipleship tips on knowing the Word of God

To be really free, I need to devote considerable time to obeying the Word of God. For me, that's pretty much a full-time job. Hours every day.

Practical discipleship tips on obeying the Word of God

To pursue happiness, I need to pursue being in the Presence of God Almighty. My 1 to 3 hours in the Word help me enter into the Presence of God. I also try to devote 30 to 45 minutes each day praising God for who He is.

Practical discipleship tips on praising God

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