2 Corinthians 3:17 Devotional

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
-2 Corinthians 3:17

In today’s devotional, we are going to talk about something that may seem a bit scary or difficult.

What is something you are enslaved to?

Even though we may see modern-day physical slavery as evil and terrible, each of us finds ourselves enslaved every day to simple things in our lives.
We check our smartphones and email constantly, searching for meaning in likes and responses.
We find ourselves wandering back to comfort food and drinks that often leave us feeling empty.
We are drowning in debts that came from purchases that we couldn’t – and perhaps shouldn’t – afford.
We spend our days at jobs that leave us exhausted and hopeless.
We are trapped in relationships that are toxic and dangerous, offering cheap imitations of love while living in pain.

Yet in today’s verse, we read a truth that should blow apart our chains. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul writes that wherever the Spirit of the Lord resides, there is complete freedom. So this begs the question – where does the Spirit of the Lord live?

The simple yet miraculous answer is… in you! If you have made Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, then the Holy Spirit of God rests within you. In an earlier letter to the same church, Paul writes:
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

If this is true, then we live in true freedom! We were once slaves to sin, but because of Jesus’s death on the cross, our debt has been paid and we have been released from our chains! Because of this, the Holy Spirit has come to give us hope that we are free in Christ’s name and power.

So how does this change your perspective on your current situation? Do you still feel trapped, knowing that God has freed you from your sins? What fake chains are you still holding around you that can now be let go? What addictions, fears, anxieties, and pain can you let go of now?

When you understand the true freedom of Jesus, it changes everything!

Questions For Reflection on 2 Corinthians 3:17

#1 Look back up at the list of ways we are enslaved in our daily lives. What would you add to that list personally? What are some of your addictions and fears that keep you from living a free life in the power of the Spirit of God?

#2 Today’s verse is clear – where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is total freedom. What can you lay down today, knowing that your freedom was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross?

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for freedom. I know that before I knew You, I was lost in my sinful ways. There was no hope for me to find freedom. Yet even when I didn’t want You, You still came to earth, lived a perfect life, and died for me. On the third day, You rose again, and overcame the snares of death!

Jesus, teach me how to live with the true freedom that comes from the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of me. Help me to leave behind my chains that seek to control my life. I ask You to remove addiction, fear, anxiety, and pain that once ruled my life – and replace them with Your endless love! Help me to take that freedom and share it with everyone I encounter today.