"Restrained No More"

"Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth." (Psalms 88:8)
To put it in a way that totally makes sense, if our old man is dead, then we our absolutely free from the law; and if we have been set free from the law, then it's time to rejoice. Doesn't that sound like something we should celebrate? When I was praying about this message, I could not help but think of the time Jesus called out for Lazarus, saying, "Lazarus, come forth." (John 11:43) I have heard many preachers say, "It was good that He called him be name, otherwise, all of those in the graves would have come forth." But the thing is, that Jesus did call him by name, just as He has called you and me by name! Don't you think that is amazing? That the Creator of heaven and earth would call out your name, calling you to come forth, out from the dead. And guess what happened next: not only was he called out from the dead, but he was released from everything that had restrained him in death. Jesus said, "Loose him, and let him go," as he was bound from head to foot like a Mummy with graveclothes. We might not get the similarity at first, but that is the picture of us being bound by the law. Jesus said, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36) Nobody actually can know what that's like, until it actually happens to them. It is impossible to know freedom from the law, until you have been set free from the law; absolutely impossible! Even when you try to explain it to your friends and relatives, they will not understand it, they will not get it; they will think that you have lost your mind. But we really can't have one without the other! You have either been set free or you have not, there really is nothing in between; there are no Mummies walking around, having been raised from the dead, yet still wearing the graveclothes; at least there shouldn't be! If there are, then they most likely will be asked, "Where is this God of yours?", as people wonder how God could have the power to give you life, but not power enough to set you free from death. What's holding you back? Better yet, what's not pushing you forward? God does not give you anything to do, that He does not have the power to make happen...
"He has walled me in, and I cannot escape. He has bound me in heavy chains. And though I cry and shout, he has shut out my prayers. He has blocked my way with a high stone wall; he has made my road crooked. He has hidden like a bear or a lion, waiting to attack me. He has dragged me off the path and torn me in pieces, leaving me helpless and devastated. He has drawn his bow and made me the target for his arrows. He shot his arrows deep into my heart. My own people laugh at me. All day long they sing their mocking songs. He has filled me with bitterness and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink. He has made me chew gravel. He has rolled me in the dust. Peace has been stripped away, and I have forgotten what prosperity is. I cry out, "My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!" The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." (Lamentations 3:7-23)