Knowing Freedom

Knowing Freedom

a workbook by City Central Church

Thank you to the church family of City Central who have tirelessly put the heart of this manual into practice and contributed to its content through hours of prayer and practical application. Thank you to those who have taught freedom in the church and around the world, and for prayer team members who devoted nights and weekends to bless others. Your steadfast service to the body of Christ is an inspiration.

Copyright © 2023 by City Central Church

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced—mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying—without the written permission of the publisher.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (Any bold or underlining within the text has been added for emphasis)

Published by:

City Central Publishing

4041 Tacoma Mall Blvd

Tacoma, WA 98409

For more copies of this workbook, reference our website at

citycentral.org/knowingfreedom

Printed in USA

ISBN 979-8-9885541-0-3

Table of Contents

1. What is Freedom?

Freedom is About Transformation

Freedom is About Restoration

Freedom is About Rest

What Must be Understood to Live in Freedom?

What is the Purpose of Dismantling Strongholds?

Partnering in Your Freedom

2. Knowing Jesus

The Miracle of Salvation

The Nature of our Salvation

The Goal of our Salvation

3. God’s Original Design

Original Design for Creation

Original Design for Humanity

Original Design for the Church

Your Original Design

4. The Believer’s Authority

Carrying on the Ministry of Jesus

We Receive this Authority at Salvation

Biblical Narrative of Authority

The Distinction Between Authority and Power

Jesus Ministered Under Authority and So Should We

Jesus I Know, Paul I Know, but Who Are You?

A Nature Like Ours

Practicing Our Authority

5. Enemy Strongholds

The Dual Nature of Reality

One World — Two Realms

We Must Acknowledge That We Are in a War

Good News! Satan is Defeated

Satan's Greatest Weapons: Lies, Accusations and Temptations

What is a Spiritual Stronghold?

The Progression of a Stronghold

Common Obstacle: Trying to Manage Bondage

How Strongholds Are Destroyed

6. Effects of Injustice

Understanding Injustice

Examples of Injustice

Identifying Injustice

Our Sin Reaction

Common Obstacles to Healing

The Path to Healing

Christ Our Example

Can We Become Unoffendable?

God Redeems Suffering and Injustice Will Cease

Practical Steps to Breaking the Hold of Injustice

7. The Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is God's Heart

Always Able to Forgive

Forgiveness the Jesus Way

What Forgiveness is Not

The Reality of Unforgiveness

Am I Carrying Unforgiveness?

Identifying True Forgiveness

Forgiving From the Heart

8. Blessings & Curses

The Power of the Tongue

Words Carry Real Power

Becoming People of Blessing

Withholding and Receiving Blessing

Guarding Our Speech

Breaking the Power of Curses

Believing for Change

9. Walking in Freedom

The Forming of New Habits

10 Keys to Walking in Freedom

Worksheets

Insignificance

We All Want to Be Known and Loved

Where We Find Our Significance

Overcoming Insignificance

Recongnizing Insignificance

Passivity

Love is Active

The Pursuit of God

The Pursuit of Man

Recognizing Passivity

Fear

Fear Takes Many Forms

The Good News: Jesus is With Us

The Otherworldly Confidence of the Christ-follower

Recognizing Fear

Injustice

Breaking the Power of Injustice

How to Use This Worksheet

Father/Stepfather

Mother/Stepmother

Siblings and Friends

Authority Figure/Leader (coach, teacher, pastor, etc.)

Boyfriend/Girlfriend

Spouse/Ex-Spouse

Incidents of Rejection

Shame

We Are Accepted and Cleansed in Christ

Overcoming Shame

Areas of Shame

Failure

Family

Substance Abuse

Sexual Sin

Humiliation & Regret

Witchcraft

Spiritual Abuse

Resources

Hearing God’s Voice

A Relational God

Igniting a Fresh Fire

The Grace and Gift of Hearing

Why Does God Speak?

How Does God Speak?

Treasuring and Safeguarding the Prophetic

Protection From Deception and Error

Growth in the Prophetic

Intro to Spiritual Warfare

One World With Two Realms

We Are at War

Assessing Our Enemy

What are Our Defenses and Weapons ?

We Fight in His Strength and Victory

Walking in the Opposite Spirit

Generational Patterns

The Influence of Generations

Interceding for Breakthrough

Seeing Generational Patterns

How Can I Be Saved?

The Nature of God and Humankind

The Gospel Truth

Receiving Jesus

Growing in Your New Life in Christ

Freedom is About Transformation

God has an incredible purpose for us in this life. We get to know and love the very Creator of the cosmos, and even participate in his plans! If we ponder this truth for even a moment, it awakens us to the reality that the ordinary Christian life should not be ordinary. Knowing Jesus should produce an abundant life within us that brims with excitement, joy, abundance, trust, and gratitude.

Yet life in this fallen world is harsh, and trouble abounds. It is easy to become weighed down with worries, defeat, past hurts, hopelessness, and other bondages. These hindrances can dull or block our intimacy with Christ and make us feel stuck. We can carry past hurts into our new life in Christ. Our spirits are renewed; yet we fight a battle in our mind, will, and emotions.

Thanks be to God that the same grace that saved us is the grace that is transforming us! Freedom is the natural outworking of our relationship with Jesus Christ. It means every chain can be broken in Jesus’ name. Every sin can be overcome by his power. Every demonic scheme can be uncovered. Instead of being stuck, we can be continually transformed into his likeness daily. Instead of feeling distant from God, we can live in vibrant partnership. Freedom is about being released to know and reflect Christ in abundance.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Freedom is About Restoration

God sent Jesus to restore relationship with you. At its very heart, the gospel is restorative. Not only does Christ restore our relationship with the Father at salvation, he also is able to restore every area of our lives. Many biblical characters and people throughout history have gone on to be used by God powerfully despite profound moral failure and weakness. Think of Moses the murderer who was used as God’s deliverer of Israel. Or the Apostle Paul who started off as a murderous zealot and enemy of the church. God loves to restore his people, to take what is a broken vessel and mend it for his glory. And it is these very restored vessels that end up being his agents of restoration and reconciliation to the world!

There are car enthusiasts who travel great distances searching for rusty old vehicles they can lovingly restore to their former glory. While other people see junk, they see tremendous value. God is one such enthusiast. But what he loves to restore is broken people. He meticulously reverses the damage caused by a world of pain and sin (some of which is admittedly self-inflicted).

Psalm 23:1–3 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Isaiah 58:12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.

1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

THE LORD DESIRES TO RESTORE:

1. Your identity: Everyone who is in Christ is a new person (2 Cor. 5:17). God restores our true purpose in relationship with him—no longer living in shame and separation but in acceptance and union.

2. Your soul: Psalm 23 declares that God restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness...

3. Your life: And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age (Ruth 4:15). God restored Naomi’s life after her husband and sons died. He wants to do the same for you.

4. Your spiritual life: Galatians 6:1 states that if anyone is caught in sin, the spiritual community is to restore that person in a spirit of gentleness.

5. Your joy: David’s cry in Psalm 51:12 is that God will restore the joy of his salvation. God is praised in the Psalms as the restorer of joy.

6. Your wasted years: I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten (Joel 2:25a). God restores the time that we spent living contrary to his truth.

7. Your health: In Jeremiah 30:17, the Lord says He will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb.13:8). He has the power to restore your health today.

You can cling to the promise that if you have suffered and are feeling broken, God will mend you. He will turn your mourning into dancing. He will comfort your heart, restore your mind, and give you the confidence to live an abundant life of freedom and rest.

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.

- Augustine 1

Freedom is About Rest

Freedom doesn’t come from us—it radiates from Jesus Christ. If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed (Jn. 8:36). This freedom is not something that we can strive for, or make happen by the sheer force of our will. Jesus has a universal appeal to all humankind, Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest. Is there any sweeter phrase to hit the ears of a weary sinner or saint? For Jesus not only takes our burden at salvation, he continues to be our rest throughout our life.

As we live as disciples of Christ we are yoked with him (learning his ways). There is work to be done, but the work is done with internal rest and the knowledge that Christ is yoked with us, empowering us. Our attempts to live the Christian life in our own power betray an unfounded confidence in our own abilities. It is the difference between attempting to do great things for God and allowing him to do great things through us. Freedom does not come by trying harder or resolving to do more in our own strength. True freedom comes through abiding in Christ, which is an internal reality of trust—the only place where true spiritual fruit can originate.

Matthew 11:28–30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

John 15:4–5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Psalm 131:1-2 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

What Must be Understood to Live in Freedom?

In this manual we will cover these 10 key elements necessary to understand freedom:

1. Salvation includes both forgiveness of sin and transformation of life.

2. Knowing and abiding in Christ are the foundations of freedom.

3. Each of us has an identity and calling designed by God himself.

4. We have been given both authority and power in Christ at salvation.

5. Sin gives the enemy an opportunity to build strongholds in our lives.

6. Living in freedom requires spiritual warfare with divinely powerful weapons.

7. We can tear down strongholds through the weapons of genuine repentance and forgiveness.

8. We can take back territory from the enemy both in our lives and households.

9. Our words carry the power to both bless and curse ourselves and others.

10. Freedom is sustained through practical daily habits.

What is the Purpose of Dismantling Strongholds?

As stated, one of the keys to living in freedom is actively tearing down strongholds (we will go into greater depth in the coming chapters). Through our own disobedience, we allow the enemy access to our lives. We begin to believe lies that slowly compound into ungodly thoughts, values and actions. If we are not aware of the enemy’s schemes, they will overtake us. We have worksheets in this manual that aim at systematically dismantling strongholds for this very reason. Yet we don’t want to get lost in the war and forget why we are fighting. The purpose is not simply to be more free of our issues and sins—as important as that is. A thriving relationship with the Lord himself is our heart and our goal. The focus is not on our failure or inability, but his grace and ability. We dismantle strongholds for the following reasons:

1. To experience the reality of God’s intimate love, kindness and power

Romans 8:38–39 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are created to have an intimate relationship with Jesus! The primary purpose for dismantling strongholds is so that we can experience and express his love in increasing measure. God is continually generous in love—he never withholds from us. But by our actions and will, we can turn away from God and believe lies. So when God speaks to our hearts we receive it through the filter of our strongholds. Imagine your life as a pipe: If the pipe is clogged with debris (strongholds), then the water (the experience of God’s love, power and voice) is unable to flow through as it should. Removing the blockage aligns us with truth and releases an unfiltered and unhindered life in God.

God desires us to have personal revelation of this love. As we grow in understanding of Jesus’ love for us and receive it deeply in our hearts—transformation follows. Everything we do should be done in love (1 Cor. 16:14). Strongholds stand in the way of our ability to love others as Christ loves us. The freedom of Christ renews our minds in love–thus changing the way we think about ourselves and those around us.

2. To greater understand and reflect the nature and character of God

1 John 2:6 Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Strongholds are composed of thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs that do not reflect the character of God (2 Cor. 10:5). As we dismantle strongholds in our lives, we can more clearly know and understand the true character and nature of God.

Examples to consider:

Stronghold of passivity:

For God so loved the world that he GAVE his only son (Jn. 3:16a). It is in his very nature to always give of himself. God’s love is one that acts in history and in our daily lives. God initiated our restoration and salvation. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6). He loved us first! (1 Jn. 4:19) And when the son came to minister on earth we see him do all the Father had planned for him. He acted with a passion and compassion that is unrivaled. There is nothing passive about the love of Christ. Jesus’ example stirs a fire in our hearts to eradicate passivity in all its forms.

Stronghold of unforgiveness:

God is not stingy. He doesn’t hold a grudge nor does he stew with unrighteous anger and bitterness. Thankfully, He is always ready to forgive. Just like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, God runs to greet the repentant sinner with open arms. There is a great rejoicing in heaven when even one sinner repents! (Lk. 15:7) Our desire is to have the same heart when we encounter injustice and sin against us. When we allow God to uncover unforgiveness in our lives we can be released into a life that reflects the forgiveness and love of Christ. When we look upon the cross of Christ and remember the countless times he has forgiven us, our hearts beam with gratitude. Those who have been forgiven much, love much (Lk. 7:47).

3. To walk into God’s original design for us and our lives

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God is a craftsman and you are his masterpiece! We have been created with great purpose, a purpose that the enemy would love to thwart. Dismantling strongholds means you can come into further alignment with God’s purposes for your life. If you are held captive, you are no threat to the enemy and no help to the world.

Examples to consider:

Stronghold of fear:

The Bible states that "there is no fear in love" (1 Jn 4:18). When we live assured in the love of God we