“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” —Galatians 5:1

The freedom Saint Paul was referring to in his letter to the Galatians was spiritual freedom—the soul-deep liberation of those who live by Spirit, not by human ego or worldly values. He was encouraging the Galatians to become spiritually emancipated—to completely and permanently awaken to their full potential.

We, too, are called to spiritual freedom. It requires that we release anything and everything that limits or restricts us from becoming our highest selves and fulfilling our divine destinies. As we release the “yoke of slavery,” we must take on the mind of Christ as revealed through Jesus and other master teachers.

The Truth will set you free

When we have the mind of Christ, we know the Truth and the Truth sets us free—free from the bondage of fear, ignorance and self-defeating attitudes and ideas.

According to Unity cofounder Charles Fillmore, “We can never know the full meaning of freedom until we abide in the Christ consciousness.” In other words, to be truly free, we must think, feel and live as “Christed” beings—that is, as true sons and daughters of God.

What keeps us from experiencing this kind of freedom? Emmet Fox reveals the reason in the following memorable story from his booklet The Mental Equivalent, first published by Unity in 1943.

Set in the Middle Ages, the story is of a man held prisoner in a dark dungeon for 20 years. During all that time, the man saw no one except a jailer who came to his cell once a day with bread and water.

Finally, the prisoner became so distraught that he decided to attack the jailer, hoping that the jailer would kill him in self-defense and end his misery. As he prepared for the attack, the man examined his cell door and found that it was not locked. In amazement, he discovered that it had never been locked! The man opened the door and quickly escaped by passing some guards who completely ignored him. He made his way home and lived happily ever after.

As Emmet Fox explains: “He could have done this anytime through those long years if he had known enough, but he did not. He was a captive, not of stone and iron, but of false belief. He was not locked in; he only thought he was. Of course this is only a legend, but it is an extremely instructive one.”

Fox continues: “We are all living in some kind of prison, some of us in one kind, some in another; some in a prison of lack; some in a prison of remorse and resentment; some in a prison of blind, unintelligent fears; some in a prison of sickness. But always the prison is in our thoughts and not in the nature of things. The Jesus Christ teaching … comes to us and says: ‘You are not locked in a prison of circumstances. You are not chained in a dungeon. In the name of God, turn the handle, walk out, and be free.'”

Your power of choice

It is up to us to recognize that we always have the power to choose and to change. Even if we've made bad choices and felt dominated by bad habits and influences most of our lives, we can change course right now. We can, with God's ever-present help, remove the self-imposed chains—one by one, choice by choice.

These four proven ways may be of help to you in removing any obstacles to spiritual freedom.

1. Pray and meditate daily. Just minutes of focused prayer and meditation each day can make a profound difference in your life—in your outlook, your health, and your success. Charles Fillmore said: “Without prayer and spiritual meditation there can be no concept of spiritual freedom and, therefore, no demonstration of it. It is gained only through spiritual development gained in long hours of communion with God in the silence.”
2. Release whatever you know is holding you back. Ask God for guidance in doing this and in revealing anything you may not know is confining you. Gently but firmly deny false beliefs and affirm the truth as it is revealed to you. As you do this, you are building a “mental equivalent” to replace whatever you are letting go. In other words, if you are releasing a belief in fear, you replace it by affirming your faith. If you are releasing a belief in illness, replace it by affirming wholeness. If it's a belief in lack you're eliminating, affirm prosperity. Eventually, as you persist in this practice of denying and affirming, the Truth will prevail in your life.
3. Create the most supportive environment possible. Cultivate positive relationships. See the best in others and they will do the same for you. Replace the clutter in your life with order, efficiency and beauty. Create a quiet room where you can go to pray and meditate, and read or write anytime you want. Dedicate it to only spiritual purposes and decorate it with items that have deep spiritual significance to you, such as pictures of great spiritual masters or nature. You may want to include a bookshelf of inspirational materials, especially the Bible and other sacred books, and a writing desk for journaling or capturing inspiration that comes to you in the silence. Other items might include a candle, incense, a CD or tape player for listening to uplifting music or talks, and, of course, a comfortable chair or two.
4. Do what you love and love what you do. If you are inspired by some great purpose or work for your life, engage in it and you will renew your energy, expand your mind and feel freer than ever. Trust God to reveal your unique path of service and how best to follow it.

The gift of freedom

In Truth, the gift of spiritual freedom has always been ours. We were born with it. Now, by taking on the mind of Christ—the divine model for our perfection—we can reclaim our true freedom and be born again.

“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” —2 Corinthians 5:17

Affirmation: I am free with the freedom of Spirit. I live freely and fully as I use the divine qualities of wisdom, strength, and power that dwell within.


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