True Freedom

"I know you through the sharpness of your sword, I know you through your countenance, which the earth observes. Out of the holy bones of Greeks gone before, and valiant, as in days gone by, be prepared, yes, be prepared, Oh Freedom."

Which fellow-countryman does not know these words? Our nation's poet, Dionisios Solomos, who wrote our national anthem, saw political freedom as something immeasurably great and indispensable for every person. This freedom has been fought for through the heroic deeds of young men who also left their lives on the battlefield. For this reason, freedom has been preserved for our fatherland. Therefore, it is only right that our hearts respond when we hear our national anthem.

Despite this, however, we should ask ourselves the question: "Are we people really free just because we enjoy political freedom?" For example, someone is often drunk. When someone asks him why he ruins his life in this way, then his answer is most times, "I do with my life what I want to." Yet, this person cannot live without alcohol. I often hear what many say, "Let's have a drink together, so we can wash away the bitterness of life." The first drink, however, leads very quickly to the next. There are so many people who cannot face life without alcohol. Are these people really free?

Or someone else, who isn't satisfied until he has had a sexual relationship with every woman that appeals to him. Such people don't ask if the woman is married and that possibly her family will be ruined. Such a person is strongly controlled by his sexual passion and is made blind. He is no longer able to imagine that as a result of his behaviour, he causes other people much suffering. A fellow-countryman told me, "Women have destroyed my life and I can't resist them." This weakness for women led him to leave his family in Greece and to go to Switzerland. This man is also a slave to sexuality.

Dear listeners, every person who does not live in relationship to God, is the servant of his wishes and passions, which determine his entire life. He is in the continual process of fulfilling his wishes, with the idea that he will become happy as a result. In reality, however, behind all personal wishes and passions, there is someone who puts all of this in the heart of men without God, so that he can hold them far away from God.

This person is Satan himself. Perhaps at this moment, you are laughing, dear listener, because you heard the word, "Satan." It is, however, a big reality, if you have not yet opened your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and entrusted Him with your life, then Satan is in control of your life, whether you admit it or not.

The Word of God in the Holy Scriptures, presents Satan as the Prince of this world. He is in control of the life of every person who has no interest in the great truths of the Word of God, and who ironically laughs when he hears what God says to us in His Word, the Holy Scriptures. People are bound by the devil in various ways, without realising it at all. The one, through alcohol, the other through sexuality, the third though drugs, etc. For this reason, dear listeners, outward or political freedom, for which people even offer their lives in order to preserve it, is not the most valuable freedom. There is another more valuable and much more necessary freedom for every person. For THIS freedom, only one Person (but a unique Person) has given His life: the Son of the Living God, the Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ.

Rejected by everyone, totally alone, on the barren hill of Golgotha, Jesus Christ won the great battle against Satan and his kingdom of darkness. This took place so that people could be freed from the servanthood of Satan and sin. The Lord Jesus went through all of this because of His great love for us. He gave His life so that you, dear listener, can be free and live. The Lord Jesus came to this world to destroy the cunning work of Satan, which also influences your life when you commit your life to the Lord Jesus.

Open your heart now and let Him Who came to give you too, true freedom, come in, in that He frees you from your wishes, passions, but most important, from your egotism. There is only one true freedom for mankind on this earth. This freedom is a gift of God to every person, but is only realised by those people who consciously and closely live with the Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. This is very clearly stated by the Lord Jesus in the Gospel of John, Chapter 8, verse 36, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (NIV)

Don't be indifferent about God's offer in the Lord Jesus, dear listener. Accept Him as your personal Saviour, if you haven't already. Do it now. The Lord is waiting, dear listener, to free you and save you eternally. You don't need to do anything else except to tell Him from your heart that this is what you want.