I visited a prison recently as part of my job. As I walked along a sidewalk near some repair work being done, I was struck by the sight of several jail cell doors stacked on top of each other.
These once impermeable doors were now of no use for keeping prisoners at bay. What once held back criminals was now just a stack of metal…their usefulness, and power, gone.
Prison cell doors are massive, weighing 500 – 2,000 pounds each. You simply cannot break them down on your own. You cannot kick them in or bust through them…breaking through a prison door takes a miracle.
Seeing those once powerful doors…now of no use….oddly brought a big swell of joy to me. A picture came to mind that there might be a massive pile of these prison doors stacked up and tossed aside next to heaven’s gate….of no more use or power.
The immense power of God to set captives free….you and me free…is such an asounding and comforting reality. Our lives should shout this reality. The visual of the once “all-powerful” doors being casually tossed aside, reminded me of the power of God to release us from the grip of sin in our lives.
Being in bondage to something or someone can be some of the most depressing and disheartening feelings on earth…and…the chains of addiction and the slavery to false truths can be crippling. At birth we are born into a way of living that is opposite of what God wants – this truth is so inescapable that Romans 5:10 says we were once “God’s enemies”. On the other hand, being enslaved then set free from that prison is one of the most exilerating feelings on earth.
- lying gone
- theft gone
- envy gone
- murder gone
- lust gone
- emptiness gone
- violence gone
- old habits gone
- dishonesty gone
- pain gone
- misery gone
- bitterness gone
- and all sorts of angst we tend to carry – GONE!
And all praise and honor to God…..for as followers of Christ, we are free from the penalty of sin (which is seperation from God)…and….as a gift from God we are given the God’s Holy Spirit which sets us free from the power of sin in our lives…..and when we are in heaven with God we will be free even from the presence of sin.
If you are not a follower of Christ or if you are a follower of Christ and are living outside of His purposes, I hope the verses below are a comfort to you. The word of God is powerful like a sharp two-edged sword and the truth of God to set us free is a welcome and joyful gift for us all….join me in embracing the gift of freedom.
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“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
“Since the children [are human], He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy Him who holds the power of death– that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” Hebrews 2:14-15
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Freedom’s Hand
Freedom’s door swung open wide,
no work of mine ensued.
His hand reached down and broke the hinge
a life where sin accrued.
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I now pass through all doors ajar,
freedom’s in the air;
No longer do I rage inside,
instead I offer humbled prayer.
~
I rest in strength of Him instead,
old victories unsure.
Standing firmly by His side,
my heart’s forever pure.
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