“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”— John 8:36

A few years ago, I was helping with the landscaping on the church grounds. There were several clusters of trees and bushes meshed together. I took on the task of separating the trees from the bushes and improving the overall view.

I found myself cutting down tree branches and trying to find out where the trees ended and the bushes began. When I looked closer, I realized that everything was connected to the vines — a tangled mess. Everywhere I looked, a vine was hanging on to the branches, wrapped around the base of the tree and creating a landscaper’s nightmare.

The cares of life reminded me of those vines holding those trees and bushes hostage. God wants us to know that through him we can have freedom from everything that may attempt to hold us down. Human beings are a fragile species; yes, we are able to adapt to many situations, but there are some things we attach ourselves to that can destroy us. Just like the vine, we get caught up in bad relationships, depressing jobs, credit disasters and various other temptations that hinder our growth and cause a slow spiritual death. But God says that through him, you can be free without a doubt. Because we serve an all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful God, there is nothing Satan can bind us with that God can’t deliver us from.

Second Corinthians 3:17 states, “…and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Find your place in God and lean on him to give you the freedom that your soul desires. When you are in the presence of God, nothing else seems to matter. Some enjoy lifting their hands, others love to sing out loud and some just bask in the glory of being in the presence of the Lord. Whatever you need to let go, release it into the hands of the almighty God.

I invite you to join the United Ministerial Alliance this Sunday evening 6 p.m. at Fellowship of Love in Allenhurst as we freely worship at the UMA fifth Sunday fellowship.

Hayes is pastor of New Day Outreach Ministry and president of the United Ministerial Alliance.