Freedom’s Fight

I left home at exactly 16:45 on Friday, feeling smugly relaxed and ready, as though I had cracked the code to weekend perfection. My laptop was tucked by my feet on the car floor because, in my optimism, I was convinced I’d arrive early enough to sheroically tie up two or three loose work ends. That way, I could step into the conference with the uncluttered mind of a woman fully available to hear from God.

Ceaser chauffeured us to Miracle Life Family Church, pulling up at 17:30 on the dot. Perfect. He leaned back in the driver’s seat with all the flair of a booked ride operator and quipped, “You need to pay…” I leaned in to pay the “fare” with a kiss on his lips. “Ba Madam, ba lipila!” he shouted, making Esther and Fredah burst into laughter. Sometimes, love is cheaper than Yango.

I noticed the auditorium doors were already open, a little odd, but I brushed it off as part of the evening’s charm. Our trio headed inside, instinctively finding our seats, the same ones we’ve sat in for three years. As I settled in, I felt the week’s mental static begin to dial down. The girls slipped away to the bathroom, leaving me with a golden moment of silence. Naturally, I seized the opportunity to whip out my laptop. Five minutes down, one loose end tied up, and a sense of smugness returning.

But the triumph was short-lived. The girls returned and tagged me for my bathroom break. When I came back, laptop still glowing with my half-done plans, the five-minute countdown was already splashed across the screen. Cue confusion. The graphic on my phone swore the program started at 18:30, not 18:00. That meant my sacred plan for last-minute productivity had just been cut off at the knees.

The disappointment lasted about two seconds before gratitude swept in. “Thank You, Lord, for getting us here on time,” I whispered, realising that even arriving ten minutes later would have meant rushing in, frazzled and late.

I closed my laptop with the ceremonial thud of surrender, set it gently on the chair beside me, drew a deep breath, and opened my heart. Whatever God had prepared for me this weekend was clearly more important.

At last, we have freedom, for Christ has set us free! We must always cherish this truth and firmly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past. ~ Galatians 5:1 (TPT)

Freedom is one of the greatest gifts God has given us through Jesus Christ. Yet freedom is not passive; it’s something we must fight to protect, treasure, and share. At this year’s Living Free Women’s Conference, hosted by Miracle Life Family Church, I was reminded that while Christ has set us free, the responsibility to walk in that freedom daily rests with us. Here are six powerful takeaways from the sessions that have ignited my determination to live free and fight for the purpose God has for me.

Break Out of the Prison Cells

Pastor Haley opened the conference with a sobering reminder that the weapons for our freedom’s fight are the truths found in God’s Word. But too often, lies from the enemy lock us into prison cells that keep us bound. She named four:

Shame, which chains us to the mistakes of our past. Unforgiveness, which convinces us that letting go gives our offender a free pass, when in truth, forgiveness clears our hearts, so we can walk free. Present sin, which snowballs when we justify what God calls wickedness, and the opinions of others, which hold us captive to human validation instead of God’s approval. Breaking free begins when we ask: What do we revere more than God?

Discover Who You Really Are

Dawn Close invited us to reflect deeply on how we see ourselves. Do we truly know in our hearts that we are loved? Do we believe God wants to use us? The way we answer reveals whether we’re living from truth or from lies. She reminded us that our lives rise and fall in proportion to what we believe about God and ourselves. Even our imaginations, how we envision our lives, play a role in shaping the future. If our inner picture is rooted in God’s truth, we will pursue His purposes with confidence.

Wear Your Own Shoes

Pastor Maureen challenged us not to compare ourselves to others but to embrace our unique calling. As she put it, we are not starting from zero; we are always starting from grace, no matter our life’s background, our birth story or our social status. Using the story in 2 Kings, she explained that while we can borrow strategies and ideas from others, we must close the door to comparison, envy, and regret. God multiplies what He has given us when we choose to walk faithfully in our own assignment. The question we must wrestle with is: How far are you willing to go down the path God has set before you?

Depend on Jesus Completely

Kasonde Bushe’s session was a wake-up call. Freedom is not just something we believe in; it is something we must live in, and that requires total dependence on Jesus. True freedom means our hope, expectations, and security are anchored in Him alone. It is about esteeming His Word, reading it, listening to it, and most importantly, living it out. A free warrior declares with her life: I need Jesus, more and more of Jesus.

Speak What You See

Dawn returned to build on her earlier session, shifting our focus from how we see ourselves to where we are going. She reminded us that vision requires both seeing and speaking. It’s not enough to dream; we must declare God’s promises with words that align with His truth. She left us with a piercing question: If everything you said happened, what kind of life would you be living? As warriors in this freedom’s fight, our words are weapons. Speaking with faith, authority, and consistency positions us to step into the future God has already prepared.

Go a Little Further

Pastor Maureen closed the conference with a call to press deeper. Using Moses’ encounter at the burning bush and Isaiah’s vision of the Lord, she reminded us that breakthroughs often come when we choose to “go a little further.” God is always faithful to do His part, but we must do ours. Going further in prayer, passion, and pursuit of God opens the door to transformation. When we are consumed by Him, we discover not only who He is, but also who we are and how we are meant to walk.

As I reflect on these sessions, I am stirred to guard my freedom jealously and to live out God’s purpose with determination. Freedom is both a gift and a fight; it requires courage to confront lies, discipline to stay rooted in truth, humility to depend on Jesus, and boldness to go further in our walk with Him. As we press into the final stretch of this year and look to 2026, may we be warriors who fight the good fight of freedom. The chance to fight is a privilege, and we are all worth the fight. My prayer is that when we meet the Lord face to face, we will do so without regret, having lived fully, freely, and faithfully.