Who Has Captured You?

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me

   to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

   to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn,

and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD

   for the display of his splendor.”

Isaiah 61:1-3

Chains are not intended to hold the children of God in bondage.

That is true.

But it is important to understand that even now many believers find themselves, like Paul the Apostle, in prison cells for their faith in Christ.

We don’t often consider this because it seems so far removed from our world.

 We believe that it has little relevance to our walk with Christ today.

But maybe you need to stop and ponder this question; what chains truly hold you captive?

Are they literal shackles around your hands and feet?

Likely not.

But many saints now wearing those literal chains in cells in so many parts of the world can answer a resounding NO to being truly captured by them!

They may be tethered to a prison cell by iron links but their hearts and their spirits are captivated by the LORD.  They may find themselves physically bound like Joseph, Peter or Paul and yet freer than many who have no literal chains tied around their hands but instead have chains binding their spirits and binding their service to Christ. Those chains have robbed them of what they could be because of spiritual bondage which was never intended for His sons and daughters.    

God’s antidote for the chains of bondage was Calvary. His son was sent to proclaim liberty to the captives. What captivates you today?  Is it Christ or are they chains of bondage. Let him set you free from the things that have captured you and held you as a prisoner.

Heavenly Father:

We pray in the powerful name of Jesus that every chain of bondage will be broken in the lives of your children by the work already accomplished at the cross. May we walk in the freedom and the liberty that was purchased for us and not become captured again by the chains of bondage. Instead I pray we are captivated by the Spirit of the Lord and minister that same freedom to others.