Captivity to Freedom - Part 1 - God's Love at Work - Week of April 26
Captivity to Freedom – Part 1
By Margaret D. Mitchell
To be in captivity means to be bound.
We can be held captive by sin or held captive without a cause, like Paul. But we can also be made captive in Jesus.
Love, who is God, offers us a choice (1 Jn 4:16, 1 Co 6:12).
Psalm 40:6 TPT calls His chosen ones “prisoners of love for life."
Both Peter and Paul referred to themselves as bond servants to Christ (2 Pe 1:1, Ph 1:1), as those who lived willingly submitted to God’s authority, as they followed Jesus. They understood their lives were not their own and that living captive to Christ meant limitless, true liberty.
Jesus offers us the highest form of liberty.
When Jesus sets us free from wrong captivity, we are made complete in Him (Ps 18:36).
Paul says in Galatians 5:1 TPT, "…the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past."
Song of Songs 6:5 TPT tells us that God adores us, saying He is "...Overpowered by a glance, [His] ravished heart—undone. Held captive by [our] love, [He is] truly overcome! For [our] undying devotion to [Him] is the most yielded sacrifice."
Friends, to be as captivated by God as He is by us is the best form of captivity.
Ephesians 4:8 TPT tells us, "…He ascends into the heavenly heights taking his many captured ones with him, and gifts were given to men."
So, with Jesus, we ascend to heavenly heights and receive grace gifts for Kingdom purposes on earth, to the extent that we can finally reach “the full dimensions of spiritual maturity and [become] fully developed in the abundance of Christ” (Ep 4:13).
To be deeply in love with God helps us live out His heart’s desire for us.
His best plan, even beyond ourselves.
Nothing is more satisfying than to know Him and walk with Him through the greatest adventure that is our life on earth, lifted by resurrected Jesus.
James 1:25 TPT assures us that "…those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the truth they hear and are strengthened by it—they experience God’s blessing in all that they do!"
Ephesians 1:3 TPT tells us that "Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—all because he sees us wrapped into Christ. This is why we celebrate him with all our hearts!"
Friends, we are wrapped in Him as Love (Ps 32:10).
We are wrapped in His Presence (Ps 16:8).
We are wrapped in His Protection (Ps 140:6).
We are wrapped in His Arms of Faithfulness (Ps 91:4).
We are wrapped in His Glory (Ps 30:11).
We are wrapped in His Favor (Psalms 5:12).
Who wouldn’t want this?
Song of Songs 8:6 TPT offers us a victory strategy by saying, "Fasten me upon your heart as a seal of fire forevermore. This living, consuming flame will seal you as my prisoner of love. My passion is stronger than the chains of death and the grave, all consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God. Place this fierce, unrelenting fire over your entire being."
Since darkness cannot hold Jesus back, down, or out, when we live in agreement with Him, we can live above darkness too. We can live a higher (resurrected) life with Him in His grace and glory (Ac 2:24).
We can live enthroned with Him (Ep 2:6, Is 52:2).
Living in the freedom of divine captivation is a choice that’s ongoing as we remain close to God (Jn 15:4).
But what happens if we stray? What if we choose a sinful form of captivity (2 Pe3:17)?
There is grace for repentance.
His truth will set us free (Jn 8:32), and He "... unveils truth wrapped in tender mercy" (Jn 1:17).
His Word “can never be chained” (2 Ti 2:9).
2 Timothy 1:8 tells us that we “overcome every evil by the revelation of the power of God!
James 1:21 TPT tells us that "...with a sensitive spirit we absorb God’s Word, which has been implanted within our nature, for the Word of Life has power to continually deliver us."
So, when we wholeheartedly repent from the foolish way of false captivity, God will restore our destiny (Ps 85:1).
Pray with me if you will…
Dear Lord,
"…You are the wrap-around God giving grace to me” (Ps 18:30). Thank You for loving me more than I know. I repent of all wrong captivity, and I forgive those who held me captive. I renounce all involvement in wrong captivity and close the door to darkness. I choose to receive Your liberty through Christ. I choose to wrap my heart tightly around the hope that lives within me, knowing that You always keep Your promises (He 10:23). Help me to continue to advance in strength with the truth wrapped around my heart as You carry out Your plans in my life (2 Ti 3:14). Thank You for holding me in Your grip of grace as You enable me to reign as a king in life, enjoying regal freedom through the gift of perfect righteousness in the one and only Jesus, the Messiah” (Ro 5:17).
In His Holy Name,
Amen.
And now, "I am contending for you that your hearts will be wrapped in the comfort of heaven and woven together into love’s fabric. This will give you access to all the riches of God as you experience the revelation of God’s great mystery—Christ” (Co 2:2).
Join me next week for Part 2 of Captivity to Freedom.
Margaret D. Mitchell is the Founder of God's Love at Work, a marketplace outreach purposed to share God's greatest power source - the love of Christ.
