Simple yet powerful steps that you can take to recover yourself and be restored to wholeness in your spirit, soul, and body
What Are the 8 Rs to Freedom?
Through more than 30 years of experience, we have observed that over 80% of all disease have a spiritual root cause. Once we recognize a root issue in our life, an area where we’ve agreed with the enemy’s lies, what do we do with it? That is where the 8 Rs to Freedom come in; it is a foundational teaching that we present in the For My Life® Retreat at Be in Health®. Today, I’d like to share with you the basics of this teaching.
When a disease or an ungodly pattern of behavior comes up in our lives, that’s a good time to examine ourselves. Is there something that has sneaked in that maybe is not of God? What do we do after we recognize a root issue?
Identifying the pathway into bondage
The scripture is clear that we fall into captivity because we have no knowledge. This is talking to God’s people who don’t have knowledge about something. Captivity means to be held captive against our will or imprisoned. Disease can be a form of captivity.
Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because [they have] no knowledge: and their honourable men [are] famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Isaiah 5:13 KJV
God wants to join us in our journey of recovering ourselves
It’s important to come before God and ask Him to help us discern the spiritual root of our disease. When we recognize a pattern of thought that is not godly, we can take the opportunity to go before God using the 8 Rs as a guideline for how to address it.
The 8 Rs to Freedom:
The first R to freedom is ‘Recognize.’ We have to recognize that we have a problem. It may be a pattern of thinking, speaking, or acting that doesn’t align with God’s character.
Number two is ‘Responsibility.’ It is saying, “I did it! I participated with sin in this area of my life.” We can’t try to blame others or justify ourselves. But we also can’t let fear, guilt, and shame torment us about it. It’s simply laying that sin before the Father and admitting that we agreed with it.
Number three is ‘Repent.’ Repenting is not just saying, “I’m sorry” to God. Saying that we’re sorry may just come out of sorrow, and sometimes that sorrow is only in being caught. Repentance is different; it is when we are going one direction and turn from it and go another way.
The next R to freedom is ‘Renounce.’ It is to say, “I am not in agreement with that anymore! I don’t want to go back to it, and I don’t want any part with it.”
The fifth R is where everyone wants to go first, but it’s really important not to take it out of order; that is ‘Remove.’ That means to get it out of our life and cast it away. We remove the sin whether we’re dealing with bitterness or rejection, or whatever it may be. It’s saying, “I get to stay, and the enemy has to leave!” We can command that evil spirit to leave us in Jesus’ name.
The sixth one is to ‘Resist.’ James 4:7 tells us to submit to God and resist the devil so that he will flee. When temptation comes back to call, we need to stand against that way of thinking, speaking, or acting that is not of God. Resisting is a big deal. We don’t have to fall under temptation. We don’t have to give in to bitterness or fall back into addictions.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 KJV
Our ability to defeat Satan is in direct proportion to our obedience to God. It all comes down to obeying our Heavenly Father; that has to be our heart’s desire. Matthew 6:33 says this, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all of these things will be added unto you.” All these things are a direct result of a relationship with Father God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I love the seventh one; it is ‘Rejoice!’ After we’ve received our freedom, it’s time to glorify your Father. We get to thank Him and praise Him; that is how we establish His Kingdom and power in your lives.
We can thank Him for the freedom we now have after taking responsibility, repenting, and removing the enemy from our lives. We can thank Him for the love that He has for us that led us to that freedom. There is a lot to be grateful for.
Finally, the last ‘R’ is ‘Restore.’ When we’ve been given so much, we can’t help but want to give it away. We want to see everyone around us walking in freedom too. Maybe it’s through making an effort to restore relationships. Or we may be led to share our testimony with others or to share with them the truth from God’s Word that will lead them to freedom too.
King David said this in Psalm 51:13, after he took responsibility for his sin and repented, “Then will I teach transgressors the ways and sinners shall be converted.” That should be our heart too. We have a responsibility to pass on what we’ve learned to someone else.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me [with thy] free spirit. [Then] will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Psalm 51:12-13 KJV
Blessings,
What the 8 Rs are and what they are not
The 8 Rs to Freedom are designed to be a guideline for recovering ourselves from the enemy’s snare. They are not designed to be a formula where a person can list every evil spirit that might be there and boost their overcoming process.
Walking out of bondage and into freedom is a lifelong journey of allowing the Holy Spirit to work with us. He needs to help us to discern and identify the works of the enemy in our lives. At the same time, we need to allow Him to lead us into righteousness and be diligent to fill ourselves up again with God’s Word and His ways. We have to turn from the old way and into the new way.
Be gentle on yourself; ask God to help you develop peace and patience with yourself and others in the process.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 KJV
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Would you like to read more articles like this?
Don’t Skimp on the Mercies of God – By Pastor John Shales
Understanding the Source of Thoughts and Actions – A Lesson on Separation
What Does True Spiritual Freedom Look Like?
Check out the complete 8 Rs to Freedom teaching by Dr. Henry W. Wright in our Resource Center!
8 Rs to Freedom – by Dr. Henry W. Wright
Learn more about the For My Life Retreat:
The 8 Rs to Freedom is just one of 24 life-changing teachings that we present in our For My Life Retreat.
For My Life is our world-renowned one-week retreat that teaches attendees what is causing their specific disease and the Biblical solutions to overcome and be healed. Find the Biblical keys to your health, healing, and wholeness today!
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