Free From Captivity

The message of the gospel is a message of freedom - we can be set free from our old life and its ways and have a new life because of a Savior who died and rose again so that we could experience His resurrection power. In 2nd Timothy 2, we can read these words:
22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

In these words, we read about the behavior of the believers - we can flee those things which can hold us captive because we are free.  And, we are also called to demonstrate a demeanor that shows that we belong to Him.  The final verse in this passage shows us that by living in our freedom that we can help set others free, people who have been "taken captive" by the devil.  We can break and overcome the power of the enemy through the liberty given to us by Christ.

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Jesus declared that He had come to preach freedom to the captives, fulfilling what the Scriptures had said about Him in the book of Isaiah. In Luke 4, He proclaimed:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

Scripture teaches that Christ has come to set the captive free.  And, His brand of freedom - true freedom - can be experienced regardless of the physical surroundings.

That would include the inside of a prison, and we recognize that there are amazing prison ministries that are helping inmates to find that freedom in Christ, regardless of what they may have done to end up in prison.  One such ministry is God Behind Bars.

A Christian Headlines story reported recently: "As reported by CBN News, 265 women made professions of faith and were subsequently baptized at Denver correctional facility." The story noted that God Behind Bars posted on Instagram: "265 female inmates BAPTIZED at our Denver Women's Correctional Facility Many of the women gave their lives to Jesus and were baptized on the spot! REVIVAL BEHIND BARS!! Thank you @redrockschurch / @redrocksoutreach."

The story notes:

The prison ministry first launched its worship service at a Nevada correctional facility in 2009.

Jake Bodine, founder and CEO of God Behind Bars, explained that during the worship service, inmates started to "pour into the room" and worship the Lord.

"Our team began to dream, what if we were able to reproduce this in 5,000 prisons around the world," Bodine said.

The prison ministry then held another worship service with inmates in Oklahoma, where 90 percent of the jail reportedly participated in the experience. From that moment on, God Behind Bars has expanded across the United States.

The ministry has now gone into prisons in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, and Texas."

The Christian Headlines story also notes that "God Behind Bars also partnered with Christian worship group Maverick City Music and artist Kirk Franklin, along with an all-inmate choir, for a live worship experience at a south Florida correctional facility."

This story tells about the life-changing power of the Lord Jesus Christ and the freedom of soul that hundreds of prisoners experienced.  The power of Christ can actually change the most hardened criminal and He can set each of us free regardless of what we have done in the past. There is no sin so great that it cannot be forgiven, if you are willing to come to Him in faith. 

Even though many are behind bars today, this article illustrates that they can enjoy the true freedom that comes through Christ. And, the presence of Christ can change a person's life to the degree that he or she may even exhibit better behavior and walk out from behind the physical bars.  The question on the table for all of us is: what is holding you captive?  Because even though Jesus has purchased and declares your freedom, there is the possibility that there are sins that we allow to dominate our lives.  We must identify, confess, and monitor those areas so that we can have peace with the Lord and demonstrate His holiness in us.