Set Free - With Our Arms Full

Deuteronomy 15:13 "And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress."

Every seventh year the Israelites were to release their brothers who had sold themselves into slavery because of some unpayable debt. But not only were they to release them, they were to set them free with their arms full so that they would have the means to start a new life. They were to give them 'liberally' from their own wealth. It was a true liberation, because it entailed victory upon the release.

This is a very powerful statement on the Christian life. When we are set free, our own unpayable debt canceled at the cross and under the blood of Christ, He sends us out into the world with our arms full. We are given everything we need to live a victorious life.

II Peter 1:3,4 "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

Wow. That's it - there's the victory. We have been set free with our arms full. There is nothing more coming, nothing more needed. Those crying out for the "Second Blessing" are either missing the point or making excuses. We have been sent back into this corrupt world liberally supplied with the riches from His treasures and we have everything we need to set up camp and expand His kingdom. Now, do I want deeper experiences with God? Of course, and if that's what they mean by a second blessing then I'll take seconds, minutes and hours of it. But if they mean some post-salvation empowerment for victory or service, then I don't think they realize that they've already been fully armed upon the initial release.

When the Israelites were set free from Egypt, they walked out with the treasures of Egypt in their camp. They were able to survive the desert! When Christ was born into Joseph and Mary's family, they were given the treasures of the Magi - they were able to survive Herod and life in Egypt on the run.

We have Herods in our lives - things too strong for us that try to kill us. We have deserts - times of dryness and silence. We have Egypts - time in the world that tries to suck the life out of us. But we have the resources - life in Him, participation in His divine nature - to not only survive these times, but have victory.

We have no excuse! If a slave walked out in that seventh year and was in poverty within a month - it was his own fault. Spiritually speaking, we have that same advantage. Quit waiting for that 'something extra' or that second blessing or a 'word'. It's a cop-out. You have everything you need right now.