A while back, I read a story Leo Tolstoy told about a farmer who sold his land to search for diamonds. He traveled the world looking for wealth, convinced that somewhere out there was the fortune that would change his life. After years of searching, he died poor and discouraged. But the man who bought his farm later discovered something astonishing: the land he had sold was sitting on one of the richest diamond deposits in the world. The farmer had spent his life searching for what he already owned.
In many ways, this is how Christians sometimes live with the victory of the cross. The New Testament declares that through the cross, Jesus defeated the powers of evil. However, while that victory is fully accomplished, it is not automatically experienced in every area of our lives. It must be received and applied. One challenge for many modern Christians is that we tend to see the world almost entirely through a material lens. When we face seasons of temptation, conflict, or heaviness, we assume the causes are purely psychological or circumstantial. Yet the Bible teaches that some of the resistance we experience may also be spiritual.
The early church took this seriously. Before baptism, new believers were often prayed over for deliverance and asked to renounce former spiritual allegiances. Historian Alan Kreider notes that those preparing for baptism were regularly prayed over by exorcists who helped them name what they were turning away from as clearly as what they were turning toward. Converts renounced practices connected to idolatry, magic, and immorality, things understood to open doors to spiritual oppression. While our context is different today, the principle still matters: freedom in Christ sometimes requires intentionally turning away from influences that once shaped our lives.
Many of us experience patterns we can’t seem to break, lies that echo in our minds, or a heaviness we can’t quite explain. While not every struggle is demonic, the Bible encourages us to remain open to the reality that spiritual resistance exists. If the cross truly is a victory over the powers, then part of walking in that victory is bringing our struggles into the light and inviting Jesus to apply his freedom in our lives.
The early Christians practiced a simple three-step pattern that still serves us today. First, repentance. Jesus’ message began with the call, “Repent and believe the good news” (Matt. 4:17). Repentance means turning away from sin and the patterns that keep us bound. It’s not about shame, it’s about freedom.
Next comes renunciation. Renunciation is the practice of naming and rejecting any allegiance that competes with Jesus. For some people, that may involve turning away from spiritual practices or beliefs that once opened doors they now recognize were unhealthy. For others, it may be the lies they have carried for years: “I’m not enough.” “I’ll never change.” “God could never forgive me.” Renunciation means bringing those things into the light and declaring that they no longer have authority over your life. Often this isn’t a one-time moment but an ongoing act of freedom, because the powers that once had influence rarely let go easily. The good news is that Jesus has already won the decisive victory. When we invite him into the places of our lives that need healing and freedom, he begins to clean house, breaking the grip of lies and restoring us to the life he intends for us.
Finally comes realignment. We declare again that Jesus is Lord and that his victory is our victory. Through the cross, we are not only forgiven, but we are also transferred into a new kingdom. As we bring our lives under his authority, the power of the cross begins to shape how we live, think, and walk in freedom.
One of the main things Jesus accomplished on the cross is your freedom! The question is, are you experiencing it today in the fullness that Jesus has for you? I know that I have room to grow. Let’s repent, renounce, and realign with Jesus and his victory.
Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor