Robert Morris - Truly Free: Breaking the Snares That So Easily Entangle

PRAISE FOR TRULY FREE

Robert Morris has a remarkable way of knowing where I live and helping me move forward. His common sense is anything but common. It, and he, are gifts of God. I love him and his teaching.

MAX LUCADO
PASTOR AND AUTHOR

Truly Free is a great reminder that there is a spiritual battle raging all around us, but we have the victory in Christ. This book can give you hope no matter what struggles you are facing.

JOYCE MEYER
BIBLE TEACHER AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Truly Free points the way to a literal unshackling from mental torment, self-destructive habits, unperceived hindrances of pride, unforgiveness, and secret sinsopening the doorway Gods Word provides for fullness of liberty, in mind, soul, thoughts, habits, and emotions. Here is a Christ-centered, thoroughly Word-based case for, and a God-given pathway into, freedom. Truly Free is a patient unfolding of biblical studies that reveal the Saviors kingdoms power over all that is demonic, deceiving, or destructive of human wholeness.

PASTOR JACK W. HAYFORD
CHANCELLOR, THE KINGS UNIVERSITY; AND FOUNDING PASTOR, THE CHURCH ON THE WAY

Its rare to meet anyone who doesnt battle with some reoccurring sins or destructive thought patterns. Thats why Pastor Roberts new book, Truly Free, is a must-read for anyone who is tired of feeling trapped in a destructive cycle. Pastor Roberts honesty is disarming; his suggestions are practicable; but most importantly, his spiritual insights are life transforming. I hope you will read this book and become truly free.

CRAIG GROESCHEL
SENIOR PASTOR, LIFECHURCH.TV; AND AUTHOR, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD: FIVE COMMITMENTS TO FAIL-PROOF YOUR MARRIAGE

No successful person can walk through life without confronting the issues that hold him or her back. If you want to go to the next level in your relationships in your job, and in your relationship with God, then you are going to have to identify what is holding you back. Robert Morriss principles and advice will help you start your journey to being truly free.

JOHN C. MAXWELL
BESTSELLING AUTHOR

This book is filled with liberating truths every believer needs to know. Robert is so gifted at simplifying the Bible and making it practical. Truly Free isnt just a great bookit is a spiritual experience that will deepen your relationship with Christ and set you free to live as God intended.

JIMMY EVANS
FOUNDER AND CEO, MARRIAGETODAY

I am so thankful for the honesty and boldness of Robert Morris in his book Truly Free. Sharing his own story and practical advice for how he broke free from his personal battles is inspiring. Anyone who has ever struggled with overcoming the chains of sin in his or her life should absolutely read this book!

PERRY NOBLE
SENIOR PASTOR, NEWSPRING CHURCH; AND AUTHOR, UNLEASH! AND OVERWHELMED

Right in the Lords Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. In His parable of the sower, He pictures Satan coming quickly to snatch away the good seed. Clearly, were in a battle, folksin our minds and emotions as well as for our eternal spiritsand the enemy is not just our flesh but the devil himself. Robert Morris reveals the nature of the struggle we all face and the sure ways to win. Every believer needs to read this book.

PAT BOONE
CHRISTIAN ACTIVIST AND ENTERTAINER

2015 Robert Morris

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by W Publishing Group, an imprint of Thomas Nelson.

Published in association with the literary agency of Winters & King, Inc.

Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the English Standard Version. 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from New American Standard Bible. The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Scripture quotation marked NLT is from Holy Bible, New Living Translation. 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotation marked WEB is from the World English Bible. Public domain.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version. Public domain.

Italics added to Scripture quotations are the authors own emphasis.

ISBN 978-0-7180-3580-8 (IE)

ISBN 978-0-7180-0123-0 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Morris, Robert, 1961 July 29

Truly free : breaking the snares that so easily entangle / Robert Morris.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-7180-1110-9 (hardcover)

1. Christian life. 2. Peace of mind. 3. LibertyReligious aspectsChristianity. I. Title.

BV4501.3.M6738 2015

248.4dc23

2014036310

15 16 17 18 19 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

This book is dedicated to my beautiful wife, Debbie, who has walked with me through struggles and triumphs for more than thirty-five years.

CONTENTS

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

GALATIANS 5:1 NIV

T heir forgetfulness began in earnest on the fifteenth day of the second month of their new calendar. Out in the desert, however, most folks didnt bother to keep count of what day it was.

Mostly, everybody just noticed their sweathow everybody stank the same bad way. They noticed the sand as it wedged its way into their sandals and between their toes and drifted into their eyes and nostrils with each step they took. They noticed the heathow breath after breath, the desert air burned in their lungs.

The Israelites were hitting the wall of desert reality.

Already the cool water and palm trees of the oasis of Elim lay far behind them. The relief of shade from Mount Sinai lay in the shadowy distance. The promised land seemed so far ahead of them, they wondered if theyd ever arrive.

All that stench and heat and dust and desert grime mixed together proved the perfect climate to birth forgetfulness. As recorded in Exodus 16, the grumblings on that fifteenth day of the second month since coming out of Egypt started out something like this:

Hey. An Israelite wiped the sweat off his forehead. What I wouldnt give right now to be back sitting in the shade of my old house.

Yeah, said another, a faraway look in her eyes. We really had it good back there, didnt we?

A third chimed in. Back in Egypt we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted. Remember all those fresh onions and garlic and leeks? So tasty!