Overcoming Captivity

Judges 16:21

Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison.

Life's choices can cause you to end up in captivity even after the Father’s will is clear that we are free through the redemptive power. An example is Samson who experienced captivity. Let’s see examples of captivity reflected in 4 ways and how Jesus paid for our freedom as stated in the scripture below:

Luke 4:18

"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.

• Vision – the devil tries to destroy the person’s vision, for example the vision to minister. He makes sure that the goals and dreams that the person had are no longer effective and manageable. The enemy knows that your vision is a powerful tool that destroys his works and that Jesus came to restore recovery of sight to the blind.

• Bondage - the devil knows that a freed believer is dangerous so he will try to restrict one’s movements by yokes. One is bound in a situation that will weaken him and render him useless but Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted. His anointing breaks the yoke of the enemy. Nahum 1:13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.

• Oppression – when the children of Israel were held in Egypt, they were restricted to forced labour. Forced labour wears someone off. Many are not able to live longer while subjected to such harsh conditions. Samson was made to grind. He was always at the mercy of the Philistines but Jesus Christ came to set at liberty those who are oppressed.

• Imprisonment – Samson was put in a prison in Gaza. He was always under guard, restriction and surveillance. The enemy will put a captive in bars and under close armed supervision. One will be monitored and thus will not be free to do his will; but Jesus came to proclaim liberty to the captives.

How can I live free from all captivity and experience joy of what Jesus paid for?

1.   Grace: With grace, you are able to gain victory over your enemy. The power of the law upon you will not have control over the strength of grace.

But even as the enemy does all this, he is not aware that your strength does not come from or depend or rely on any of these. The devil is a forgetting devil. He never remembers because he is short-sighted. The devil is limited. The source of Samson’s strength was in his head – his hair, and so with time, the enemy forgot to shave him. Though he could have broken free from the prison when his hair grew, yet he could not since he could not see, so he waited for the opportune time; during the celebrations.

Samson was under the law, having been told that no razor was to come to his head. When he was shaven, he faced the consequences of law. Then next his hair grows but this time, it is through grace that he was able to gain breakthrough.

2.   Renew your mind: Romans 12:2. Purpose to think of what God has done and the liberty thereof. The devil would like to have you a monument to behold, thinking that he has control over your life.

3.   Live by Faith that propels you to praise through the imprisonment; are you imprisoned? Stop looking at the chains, the blindness, and the fetters. Your power is not restricted by any of these. Remember Paul and Silas? Prison was nothing before the Lord. The chains were no hindrance or obstacle. Your victory is not dependent on what has chained you. Your own weaknesses aren’t either, nor are your limitations! The anointing breaks the yoke! Change your focus.

4.   Confess the word always – Rev. 12:11

5.   Abide in the Lord and let His word abide in you.

Amen.

-- Pastor Samson Munyoki.

(3rd August 2014 Sunday Service Sermon, Teaching Transformation Ministry)

Pastor Sam is a pastor at Teaching Transformation Ministry. We are located along the Thika-Ruai Flyover Junction (at the Thika Rd./ Bypass intersection), Next to Eastgate Restaurant.