John 11:43-44 (KJV): "... He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes... Jesus saith unto them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'"

After he came out of the grave, Lazarus was restricted by the grave-clothes that bound him. He had to be set free from those cumbersome restraints before he could live and move freely in the new life Jesus had given him. When we receive salvation through Jesus, even though our spirit-man is made perfect and new, our minds are still bound in grave-clothes of past sinful habits and disappointments. Those negative mind-sets can hold us back from experiencing the free, abundant life Jesus has saved us into. Galatians 3:27 says we must clothe ourselves in Christ. That means just as we deliberately strip off dirty clothes and exchange them for new; we must make a choice to put on the same mind-sets and attitudes Jesus has. Thoughts of fear, bitterness, selfishness, and moral filth, must be replaced with thoughts of truth that bring faith, hope, and love. We find them all in His Word. As we do this, nothing will hold us back from enjoying the fullness of life and freedom we can have in Christ Jesus. So throw away those grave-clothes of your mind, clothe yourself in Christ, and live free!