Living Free in Christ

by Neil T. Anderson

You will give back the life which the enemy is trying to rob from you. Here are 36 Scriptures, reading and prayers that will transform your thoughts about God, about yourself, about your purpose here on earth.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

NEIL T. ANDERSON is founder and president of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He was formerly the chairman of the Practical Theology Department at Talbot School of Theology. He holds five degrees from Talbot, Pepperdine University and Arizona State University and Arizona State University and has authored several bestselling books on spiritual freedom, including Victory Over the Darkness and The Bondage Breaker.

Reviews

[James Pereira · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is not what we do that determines who we are. It is who we are that determines what we do.

How I Started Reading the Book
I started reading this book thanks to my mum, who introduced me to the world of Neil Anderson by telling me how impactful The Bondage Breaker had been during her early Christian walk—especially in the days when people weren’t familiar with the deliverance ministry.
I'm also blessed to be in an organization that has books like these lying around in the library. So when I saw Neil’s name on the shelf, I decided I had to pick it up!

About the Book

We cannot consistently behave in a way that is inconsistent with how we perceive ourselves. And if we do not see ourselves as God sees us, then to that degree we suffer from a wrong identity and a poor image of who we really are.

If I had to summarize Living Free in Christ, it’s a book where Neil Anderson goes in depth about our identity in God as His sons and daughters. He draws extensively from Scripture to correct the many faulty notions we often carry about what it means to be a child of God:

- That our identity depends on our performance or obedience
- That we somehow have to earn our place in God’s family to make Him love us

He also explores reasons why we sometimes don’t feel like children of God—perhaps because we’ve used our body as an instrument of unrighteousness (Romans 6:11–13). Each chapter ends with a prayer that helps the believer draw closer in their walk with the Lord—asking the Holy Spirit and the Father to help us renounce the lies we’ve believed about God, ourselves, and our relationship with Him.

The end of the book contains the “Seven Steps to Freedom in Christ,” which blessed me immensely. These readings guided me on how to ask the Lord for help—starting by renouncing lies, asking for forgiveness, and then inviting the Holy Spirit to fill me.

Learnings from the Book
I AM GOD'S CHILD
Neil T. Anderson includes a prayer in the introduction, hoping that readers experience the assurances found in Galatians 4:6–7—that we are God’s children and that we carry the same Spirit Christ had when He was on earth.
I took time to really let that truth sink in. For some reason, it felt wrong to my carnal mind—like it was arrogant or boastful to believe that. But Sir Anderson constantly reminded us throughout the book:

“You would not be prideful if you believed all these verses about yourself. If you didn’t believe it, you would be defeated.”

I AM A SAINT

We are not sinners saved by grace; we are saints who sin

This was another challenging truth for me. I was so used to thinking of myself as a sinner saved by grace, but Anderson points to how Paul addressed the church in Ephesus. He called them saints:

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:1 )

Paul never really referred to himself as a sinner saved by grace. He called himself a servant of Christ. Yes, he did say he was the chief of sinners in 1 Timothy 1:15, but that’s in the context of verses 12–16.
He makes a similar self-deprecating statement in 1 Corinthians 15:9, but immediately follows it with:

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect.” (v.10)

Sir Anderson reminds us:

Your identity is as a saint, you are in Christ and Christ is in you. We're children of the Light now.

Overall
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It’s packed with Scripture and constant reminders of our identity in Christ—just as the Bible says it is!
I found it extremely helpful, especially because I’ve struggled with the concept of finding my sense of acceptance and worth in Christ. This book really helped me in that area.
4 stars from me!

I’ll end this review with a lovely poem from the book that talks about the will of God. Sir Anderson explains that sometimes God’s will seems to dash our hopes and dreams, but His timing and plans are perfect—He knows what He’s doing.

Disappointment-His appointment,"
Change one letter, then I see
That the thwarting of my purpose
Is God's better choice for me.
His appointment must be blessing,
Tho' it may come in disguise,
For the end from the beginning
Open to His wisdom lies.

"Disappointment-His appointment,"
No good will He withhold
From denials oft we gather
Treasures of His love untold.
Well He knows each broken purpose
Leads to fuller, deeper trust,
And the end of all His dealings
Proves our God is wise and just.

"Disappointment-His appointment,"
Lord, I take it, then, as such,
Like clay in hands of a potter,
Yielding wholly to Thy touch.
My life's plan is Thy molding;
Not one single choice be mine;
Let me answer, unrepining-
"Father, not my will, but thine."

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a good read and a powerful resource. This book is a solid addition to other works by Anderson, such as 'The Bondage Breaker' and 'Victory Over the Darkness'. All of these books are rooted firmly in the Word of God and Dr. Anderson does a great job, not only of explaining how and why so many people are in spiritual bondage, but also how to break loose and live in freedom. The truth will make you free (John 8:32), and the truth is Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Praise God!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I work at a gospel mission that recently started a recovery program for men. This book was my project to learn more about the steps to freedom in Christ aspect of the program.

It was a great read very very good at highlighting what God says about those who have faith in Christ.

The chapter on being a saint who sins. And the one closing were my favourite.

Very good resource for believers who fall for the woes to me in a sinner crowd. Pick up this book and grab Hods promises for you.

[Sivon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had some real treasures in it. Quoted below:

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"I am no longer a product of my past, I am a product of the work of Christ on the cross."
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Chapter 8
I am a saint

If I walked into any church in America and asked how many perceived themselves as a sinner saved by grace, almost everyone would raise their hands. But then if I asked how many perceive themselves as saints, few, if any, would raise their hands. My response would be: Which is the most biblically accurate statement of who you are as a Christian? Does the Bible refer to the believer as a sinner or a saint? Did Paul address his letters to the sinners at Ephesus or to the saints?

Look at the truth in 1 Corinthians 1:2, "To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours" (NASB). Tragically, many Christians live their lives as though the passage reads, "To others in the church who are struggling to be sanctified, sinners by calling (or saints by hard work), with some who call upon the name of the Lord, my Lord, but I'm not sure about theirs."

Every Child of God Is a Saint
The overwhelming and consistent message of the New Testament is that we are all saints by the grace of God, sanctified because we are in Christ Jesus. Every child of God is a saint because he is in Christ Jesus. The most overwhelming concept in the early parts of Ephesians is the tremendous inheritance we have in Christ. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world” Ephesians 1:3-4 (emphasis added).

Forty times in the one book of Ephesians, references are made to either you being in Christ or Christ in you. And for every verse throughout the Bible that talks about Christ being in you, 10 verses can be found that talk about you being in him. Go through the rest of Ephesians 1 and see how many times you can find this truth. In verse 7 you will find, “in Him we have redemption.” In verse 11 it says “in Him we were also chosen.” Verse 12 will tell you that your hope lies in Christ. Verse 13 says that you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth.

The problem is not that the Bible does not clearly identify believers as saints - it does! The primary problem is, we just do not see it! So Paul says in Ephesians 1:18, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (emphasis added).
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This book is full of great scriptures and encouragement.

[George Moore]

If you've been in a religious church setting and want to know the truth about God's character towards his children, I would highly recommend reading this book. Plus, the Seven Steps to Freedom in Christ prayer is a good tool in taking spiritual inventory.

[Ewald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helped a lot in my ministry, thanks!