When people treat us unfairly, we want to get back at them in some way. But when we take the high road and don’t give in to our desire for revenge, the blessings are immeasurable.

Though a twin, he was quite the opposite of his younger brother and ultimately became the heartache of the family. Ripped off by his brother and rejected by his family, he couldn’t win, no matter how hard he tried. As we shall soon discover, the Bible pulls no punches. And you may find several places in this story where you can identify with Esau, “the son who couldn’t win.”

From the Series: Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives: Rediscovering Some Old Testament Characters

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Freedom in Christ is not just a spiritual idea—it’s a lived reality. This Christian devotional explores what it means to be alive in Christ, revealing how faith in Jesus breaks the power of sin and invites believers into a transformed life of obedience and hope. Rooted in Romans 6:11–12, this devotion reminds us that through Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin but children of God, empowered to live differently.

Highlights

• Faith in Jesus breaks the bondage of sin

• Believers are no longer slaves but children of God

• True transformation comes through surrender to Christ

• God offers redemption and second chances to anyone who believes

• Being alive in Christ means choosing obedience over fleshly desires

• Temptation loses power when we submit ourselves to God

• Lasting freedom is found only in Christ, not in the world

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Full Transcript Below:

Alive in Christ
By Vivian Bricker 

Bible Reading:
“In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires” (Romans 6:11-12). 

From the moment we place faith in Jesus, our lives change. We are no longer held in bondage to sin in the same way as we used to be. While we will all continue to struggle with sin throughout our lives, we are no longer slaves to sin. 

Instead, we are children of God. As His children, we are no longer compelled to obey the sinful flesh as we should want to follow, glorify, and obey God in every area of our lives. 

Abraham’s decision to buy a parcel of land in the promised land to bury Sarah affirms his trust in the Lord’s promise that this land will be his and his children’s. Yet, the fact that Sarah dies there as a sojourner and the fact that so much of the covenant promise has yet to be fulfilled acts as a stark reminder that God’s people are sojourners on this earth, awaiting the fulfilment of all God’s promises in the land yet to come. Do we live in this world as sojourners, trusting in the promises of a homeland above?

Would you say that most of your days are filled with contentment or anxiety? Dr. Stanley teaches that anxiety is not something God gives but something we bring upon ourselves. Learn how you can overcome obstacles to peace.

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I'm struggling with the challenge of trying to do God's will. I want to walk in obedience, pray about everything, and try not to get ahead of God. So many people think you can walk away from Christ and they use 1 Timothy 4, and 2 Peter 2, and Hebrew 6&10 to argue their case. What do you say about all of those?