Galatians 2: Fruitful

Elder Justin Carlson | January 18, 2026

The Path from Obedience to Freedom: Understanding True Healing

Have you ever found yourself white-knuckling your way through life, trying desperately not to mess up, holding on so tight that nothing can get in or out? Many of us live this way—saved, but still struggling, trying to avoid sin through sheer willpower until we finally make it to heaven. But what if there's a better way? What if freedom isn't found in trying harder, but in stepping into obedience?

The Deception of Self-Sufficiency

There's a dangerous trap that catches many believers: the belief that we can handle everything on our own. When we think we're better than others, when we believe our strength is sufficient, we cut ourselves off from the very power that could transform us. How spiritually mature can anyone be when they think they don't need help? How can Christ truly be Lord when we're convinced we can manage everything ourselves?

The truth is stark and uncomfortable: if you can't be obedient where you are today, you'll never be able to do it with more. This principle applies universally—to money, relationships, career, and spiritual growth. We tell ourselves, "If I just had more money, I'd be generous," or "If my circumstances were different, I'd step into obedience." But that's backwards. Seed time comes before harvest. You cannot reap what you haven't sown.

The Tithe: More Than Money

Consider the couple worth fifty million dollars who give away half their income—three hundred thousand dollars annually—and live on the other half. The natural response is, "Well, if I made that much, I could do that too." But the uncomfortable truth is: no, you couldn't. If you can't tithe on what you have now, you won't tithe on more.

Luke 16:10 makes this clear: "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much." God uses money—what He calls "the least" in His kingdom—to teach us bigger principles about obedience. When we hold our finances with clenched fists, afraid to let anything escape, we prevent more from coming in. But when we hold our resources with open hands, yes, some will flow out, but so much more can flow back in.

The tithe isn't about prosperity gospel or getting rich. It's about obedience. And obedience unlocks blessing. Malachi 3:10 challenges us: "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse...and try me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out such a blessing that there will not be enough room to receive it."

Cleaning Out the Gutters

But financial obedience is just the beginning. Many of us struggle with persistent sin—patterns we can't seem to break, behaviors we return to again and again. Paul captured this frustration perfectly in Romans 7:15: "For what I'm doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I did not practice. But what I hate, that I do."

Why do we keep falling into the same traps? Because we haven't dealt with the ruts in our minds—the old thought patterns, the former identities, the lies we've believed about ourselves. Science has discovered what Scripture already taught: our brains create neural pathways that make repeated behaviors easier and easier to fall into. These mental ruts are like grooves in a trail after rain—easy to slip into, but incredibly difficult to escape from.

The bowling alley provides a powerful illustration. Imagine your will as a bowling ball and your sins as the pins. White-knuckle Christianity is just hurling that ball down the lane over and over, occasionally knocking down a pin or two, maybe even getting a strike—but the devil just sets them right back up. There's no freedom in that endless cycle. And those gutters on either side? They represent our old mindsets, our former thought patterns, our previous identity. Eventually, we end up in the gutter, and it's far easier to get in than to get out.

The Path to True Freedom

So how do we find freedom? It starts with deliverance—getting the house cleaned out. This might happen through confession, repentance, prayer ministry, or a dramatic encounter with the Holy Spirit. However it happens, deliverance is essential. But it's only the first step.

If we stop there, we're in danger. When a house is swept clean but left empty, the spirits return with reinforcements, and the person ends up worse than before. We must fill the space with something new.

This is where meditation comes in—not the Eastern practice of emptying your mind, but the biblical practice of filling your mind with God's Word and presence. Joshua 1:8 instructs: "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night...For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

Romans 12:2 calls this the "renewing of your mind." Colossians 3:2 says to "set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth." This is how we fill in those old gutters, those dangerous ruts. We replace them with Scripture and the Holy Spirit—like bumpers in a bowling alley that keep us from falling into old patterns.

Identity Transformation

Consider the difference between a smoker trying to quit and someone who has embraced a new identity. When offered a cigarette, the first says, "No thanks, I'm trying to quit"—still identifying as a smoker. But the second says, "No thanks, I'm not a smoker"—a completely different identity. The decisions we make must align with our new identity in Christ, not our old nature.

This is why meditating on Scripture is so crucial. As we abide in God's Word and presence, we build new neural pathways based on truth. Our emotional home shifts. Instead of returning to old behaviors for comfort, we return to God. This is what John 15 means by abiding—making our home in Christ.

The Treasure Chest, Not the Jewel

Here's what we must understand: financial provision is a blessing, but it's not the treasure. Health is a blessing, but it's not the treasure. The treasure is Jesus and the relationship we have with Him through salvation.

Remember the paralytic in Luke 5? His friends lowered him through a roof to get him to Jesus. He came for physical healing, but Jesus said, "Your sins are forgiven." Only after establishing that He had authority to forgive sins did Jesus heal the man's legs. Jesus knew what the man needed most.

Romans 8:18 puts everything in perspective: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." What good is physical healing or financial blessing if we miss the treasure of knowing Christ and spending eternity with Him?

Your Next Step

What miracle do you need today? What area of obedience is the Spirit prompting you to step into? Perhaps you've never said yes to Jesus at all. Maybe you need freedom from addiction, anxiety, unforgiveness, or hurt from your past. Maybe it's time to finally step into financial obedience.

The God of the Old and New Testament is the same God today. If He did it then, He can do it again. Miracles aren't actually supernatural—they're the original natural, the way God intended creation before sin entered the world. What we see as "normal" is actually the distortion.

Don't trade the treasure chest for a jewel. Don't settle for temporary blessings while missing eternal freedom. Step into obedience today, wherever God is calling you, and watch Him transform not just your circumstances, but your very identity. That's where true freedom begins.