In Him: Alive, Forgiven and Free

📖 Scriptures to Read and Ponder

Main Text:

Colossians 2:13–15 –

“13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross…”

Supporting Scriptures:

  • Colossians 2:8 – See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world rather than on Christ.

  • Colossians 1:13 – “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness…”

  • John 8:31–32 – “The truth will set you free.”

  • 1 John 5:18 – “The evil one cannot harm them.”

  • 2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

🧠 Sermon Recap

1. Overflowing With Thankfulness

  • Thankfulness is not just etiquette—it is spiritual warfare.

  • Like a child gasping in delight, we should live daily in awe of what God has done.

  • “Overflowing” means bursting beyond limits—this should be the believer’s posture in life.

  • We live in a culture of dissatisfaction, engineered for comparison. But:

    • Comparison looks around. Thankfulness looks above.

    • Thankfulness breaks the cycle of envy, lack, and consumerism.

2. Warning Against Captivity

  • Paul warns us in Colossians 2:8 to “see to it” we’re not taken captive:

    • By empty philosophy – human wisdom replacing divine truth.

    • By human tradition – when culture replaces Scripture.

    • By elemental spiritual forces – superstitions masked as spirituality.

3. Three Transforming Truths From Colossians 2:13–15

a. You Were Dead — But God Made You Alive

  • Greek: nekros – lifeless, spiritually unresponsive.

  • Our culture offers self-help for what only God can resurrect.

  • Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good—He came to make dead people alive. (C.S. Lewis)

b. You Were Guilty — But God Cancelled the Record

  • Our sins formed a legal record (a “certificate of debt”).

  • Jesus nailed it to the cross and paid the debt in full.

  • “Your past may explain you, but it doesn’t define you—not when the cross has spoken.” – Jon Tyson

c. You Were Bound — But God Disarmed the Enemy

  • Disarmed = stripped of authority (Greek: apekdysamenos).

  • Jesus didn’t just forgive us—He defeated the dark powers publicly.

  • You now live in a new jurisdiction: the Kingdom of Christ.

🗣️ Memorable Quotes

  • “Thankfulness isn’t just good manners—it is spiritual warfare.”

  • “Comparison makes you look around you. Thankfulness makes you look above you.”

  • “You cannot coach a corpse back to life.”

  • “Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people alive.” — C.S. Lewis

  • “He paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could not pay.”

  • “The devil is a defeated foe. His only weapon now is a lie.” — Derek Prince

  • “We don’t live for the victory—we live from the victory.”

  • “In Him, I am alive. In Him, I am forgiven. In Him, I am free.”

🤔 Questions for Discussion

  1. What does it mean for you to live “overflowing with thankfulness” in a world engineered for dissatisfaction?

  2. Where in your life have you felt the tug of comparison or envy? How can thankfulness reframe that?

  3. Which of the three truths from Colossians 2:13–15 speaks most deeply to your current season: Alive, Forgiven, or Free?

  4. Why is truth necessary for real freedom? How do we grow in our relationship with truth?

  5. How does understanding Jesus’ victory over spiritual powers affect how you face spiritual battles?

📚 Further Reading

Bible Passages:

  • Romans 8:1–2 – No condemnation for those in Christ.

  • Ephesians 2:1–6 – We were dead in sin, but God made us alive.

  • Hebrews 4:12 – The Word of God is living and active.

  • Isaiah 53:4–6 – The suffering servant bore our iniquity.

  • Psalm 103:10–12 – He removes our sins as far as the east is from the west.

Books & Resources:

  • The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

  • The Victory of the Cross by Charles H. Spurgeon (sermon)

  • Live No Lies by John Mark Comer

  • The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee

🙏 Prayer Points

  1. Gratitude and Awe:

    • Lord, help us to overflow with thankfulness.

    • Give us eyes to see the miracles around us daily.

  2. Freedom from Comparison:

    • Break the power of envy, insecurity, and dissatisfaction.

    • Anchor our hearts in the truth of what we have in Christ.

  3. Identity in Christ:

    • Father, remind us we are alive, forgiven, and free.

    • Let our identity be shaped by the Cross, not by culture.

  4. Spiritual Protection and Discernment:

    • Keep us from hollow and deceptive philosophies.

    • Teach us to discern and reject lies from the enemy.

  5. Living from Victory:

    • Jesus, thank You for disarming the enemy.

    • Help us walk in the power of Your finished work.

Let this guide encourage deep conversation, personal reflection, and a week shaped by gospel thankfulness and freedom.

“In Him, I am alive. In Him, I am forgiven. In Him, I am free.”