Rebekah Lyons - You Are Free Bible Study Guide: Be Who You Already Are

W HEN WE LOOK AT the pages of Scripture, its clear that God intends for us to live as free people (1 Peter 2:16). We are assured that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17) and that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1). Furthermore, Jesus declared a kingdom comea kingdom of complete freedomon earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10), and Paul teaches this kingdom power lives in us (see Romans 8:11). This means that even in our feeble weakness, if we claim Christ and his resurrection, somehow we are Gods agents who carry freedom to the world.

So, given all these passages in the Bible, why dont we see this kind of kingdom-come freedom more? Why do we hobble through our days, longing for the God who promises life to the full (John 10:10), but failing to truly experience this type of kingdom power in our lives? We want to see the Jesus who calms the storm, frees the oppressed, heals the sick, and raises the dead (see Luke 8:2256). Yet here we are, living our lives one small step at a time, feeling so powerless to loosen the chains that bind us, let alone helping others live in freedom.

I know this struggle all too well. All my life I ran the hamster wheel of achievement and acceptance. As a child, I earned love by working hard to fit in. At church, I earned love by memorizing verses. At school, I earned love by pleasing teachers. The God I was striving for was rigid and lifeless and seemed far away. Although I believed he was real, I wasnt convinced he was good. So I went on trying to be the best version of myself, hoping maybe Id catch a glimpse of his approval. Legalism shaped me, driving my performance.

If someone had asked me in my youth why I was doing all this striving, I wouldnt have had an answer. It took decades for me to peel back the layers of bondage and realize that freedom only comes when we know God is enoughwhen he is our everything. When he is our peace and our strength, joy, and rest. Our provision, healer, hope, fortress, shelter, strong tower, and Father. Freedom reveals everything good is from him and by him and for him. Every breath we take, every person we encounter, every word we utter is all an expression of a freedom where God dwells in us and loves through us!

In this study, I want to walk you through my journey into this kind of freedom and explore what the Bible says true freedom looks like for our lives. We will wrestle through tough realities, and I will ask questionssome easy to answer and others painful. My only request is that you leave nothing on the table. No stone unturned, no whispers unspoken, no secret still hidden. This freedom thing is costly but worth it.

Freedom is for everyone who wants itthe lost, the wounded, and those weary from all of the striving. Its for those who gave up trying years ago. Its for professional Christians hiding secrets. Its for the angry and hurt. I write for you, for all of you. You are the church, the people of God. You were meant to be free.

Will you join in this freedom journey with me?

REBEKAH LYONS

T HE YOU ARE FREE study is designed to be experienced in a group setting such as a Bible study, Sunday school class, or any small-group gathering. Each session begins with a brief introduction followed by icebreaker questions to get you interacting with the others in your group. You will then watch the video with Rebekah Lyons and jump into some directed small-group discussion. Note that even though there are multiple questions available for discussion, dont feel that you have to use them all. Your leader will focus on the ones that resonate most with your group and guide you from there.

Each session will conclude with an individual activity and closing prayer. For the activity, you and your group will engage in some hands-on practical exercises that will help you move the content of the session from your head to your heart. Think of this time as an answer to the question, What am I supposed to do with this message?

Note that this study will be what you make of it. If you choose to just go through the motions, or if you refrain from participating, there is less chance you will find what youre looking for during this study. But if you stay open to what God is saying to you and are willing to take a gamble, you may discover what so many others have already found to be true: faith and freedom come alive when we take holy risks for God.