Freedom isn’t ever free. We all know that. My Great Aunt Fannie Lou knew that. Her face was bruised by the police, her home bombed by fellow Mississippians, her life at risk because she vehemently denied the secular lie that dark skin holds no value. The Gospel touting, hymn singing woman of Sunflower County, MS…the poorest county in the poorest state in our nation held the richest of saints. A saint who knew freedom is never free, shoveled out the sacrifice required for me to receive the right to vote in this nation, to let my voice rise loud enough to be heard. Without those like her silence would have been the anthem of all those colored shades of brown by our good Lord. Freedom is never free.

Children inherit both the beautiful and plain old ugly from our parents. We pass our sins as easily as the common cold. Some of us have assumed the head in the sand position when it comes to peering at our past, but this approach to life doesn’t work. Time and trial always reveals the soul. And if we are going to be free from the ugly sin we inherited from our parents, there will be a cosmic war on our hands, because the enemy of our soul hates us. And he will destroy everything within reach to keep us bound and flailing…feeling too weak to fight the good fight. Scared still and silent. But the meek shall inherit the earth and the weak be made strong with but a touch of His Word, with but a breath of His power.

If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:17-19

Freedom isn’t free ever, but the price for it was paid beautifully, Christ drained the cup of His Father’s wrath dry. So that living water could be ours to drink. And so the saint, already in victory, fights (Ephesians 6). Fights like mad the threat of sin, repents like crazy at the sight of the same, and snatches as many with the Good News from awaiting flames as she can. I am not too unlike Aunt Fannie Lou after all and neither are you.

The enemy is throwing bombs into our homes. He is seeking am opportunity to undo us, but none can undo what God has done.

The one who undid death and filled up the darkness in me with unyielding light, that Man cannot defeated.

And when you’re surrendered to the Gospel of Christ, when you’re on your face in prayer, that is the antithesis of defeat. Prayer…the recipe for victory. So, saint, fight well! Victory is always ours for the taking. Another round in this unseen war is coming and bombs will be thrown. And some faces literally bruised for the sake of something much sweeter than the right to fill out a ballot.  And those with their knees planted on the ground, whose hearts are lifted toward that gracious throne will rise up with Jesus in the unchallenged unalterable victory of the saints.

And sooner than we think, the saints shall all gladly enter the Home of the Brave.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1