From Fear to Freedom

By Louise Edwards

I’ve lived with fear all my life
Believed him bosom friend
Welcomed him into my heart
Time and time again

I turned away; would not believe
In darkness I persisted
Afraid to live; afraid to die
To what I knew existed

He comes with kiss upon my cheek
Like Judas who betrays
I’m blinded by the lies he tells
Caught up in all his ways

Afraid to say ‘I believe’
Fear’d turned my heart to stone
So accustomed to his lying voice
I thought it was my own

“Don’t go against the crowd!” he says
“It’s best to be a pleaser”
“Tell them what they want to hear”
“Life will be much easier”

Then through locked doors Jesus came
With breaths of Liquid Gold
I touched His hands, His feet, His side
And then He said, “Behold.”

“Pay precise attention”
“I’ll tell you what to do”
“You have to get it perfect”
“Or the blame is all on you”

“Come live beyond the doubts”
“A great abundance do I give”
“I did not set you free for this”
“I set you free to live”

At first he seemed convincing
His ways so smooth and slick
But soon the slope got steeper
Sliding backwards pretty quick

“Believe in who you are”
“My beloved and My Bride”
“See Me stripped upon the Cross”
“My arms nailed open wide”

I bowed low on bended knee
Weighed down by fear’s commands
The yoke he laid upon my back
His insurmountable demands

"My Heart’s been pierced for love of you”
“I am Freedom; I am Goodness”
“The reign of sin is ended”
“In mercy and forgiveness”

I become a slave
To the god of fear
I built his strongholds in my heart
While he just laughed and sneered

“In My Name renounce the fear”
“I’m the Truth that sets you free”
“False Evidence Appearing Real”
“Confront it with great faith in Me”

I cried out for a Savior
Who came and set me free
With Cross and quake and veils in two
He pledged His love for me

“In every way I am for you”
“Fear’s just pride in disguise”
“The secret to your freedom is”
“Come with Me and die”

Prison doors became unhinged
Yokes of sin were broken
The serpent’s head was wholly crushed
The gates of Heaven opened

“I promise you’ll know miracles”
“A new covenant of power”
“My promise is for so much more”
”In this My Final Hour”

Though countless saints proclaimed the news
His wounds so blinding white
“The Lamb once slain now lives forever”
“in Resurrection might!”

“So roll the stone from the tomb”
“Your heart is now My Kingdom”
“Where yokes are easy and burdens light”
“And I’ve set you free for freedom”

Amen