Captivity—Not Willingly!
Captivity is no fun.
REALLY!
CAPTIVITY—DOES—NOT—BRING—ANY—JOY!
Maybe you are thinking, “well, thank goodness, I am free and not a prisoner.” Truthfully, that’s what most people think. The harsh reality—we all have thoughts, habits, actions, mindsets, and lifestyles that either HAVE ALREADY taken us captive—OR—that STRIVES TO TAKE US captive every single morning.
Maybe you disagree.
That’s okay if you do, but maybe you can pause in your disagreement to consider how these types of capture the “father of lies” brings to us every chance he gets.
Thoughts—They begin a something that passes through your mind, becoming larger as they circle around again to pass through a second time. Passing thoughts can just be that—Passing, but then those passing thoughts can slow down, meander, and then even pause within our minds as a “possibility.” That’s when the trouble begins. That’s when our thoughts can capture our hearts.
Habits—They begin so small, and then they take root, growing, becoming what we never imagined, strengthening until these small habits become “NECESSITIES” that we say we cannot live without as we step into each new day. That’s when the trouble begins. That’s when our habits can capture our hearts.
Actions—They begin with something we do just one time, and then a second, which leads to a third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, . . . . We get the picture. Actions that we say This is just a one-time event suddenly become an every-day action that are now an integral part of our everyday. That’s when the trouble begins. That’s when our actions can capture our hearts.
Mindsets—They begin with something we enjoy or desire or want as part of our lives. Consider the word—the setting of the mind. What we dwell upon becomes who we are! (poor syntax but truth, still). Our minds can be manipulated by our surroundings, our friendships, our hobbies, our passions, and our desires. In essence, what we WANT can become planted so deeply that even if we know that what we want is harmful, still we WANT what we WANT. That’s when the trouble begins. That’s when our mindsets can capture our hearts.
Lifestyles—They begin with what we see everyday surrounding us. At first, the styles of others’ lives seem odd, awkward, just a bit off, and maybe even totally wrong. Then we plant ourselves there, you know “trying to see how the other side of the planet lives,’ and suddenly, we have allowed a foreign thought to move into our brains. We have two choices: Accept this foreign thought as a possibility of the “new way of the world,” OR turn 180 degrees and RUN back To the ROCK. Accepting a new lifestyle as a possible “truth” can get us in so much trouble. Really, that’s when the trouble begins. That’s when our “new” or “enticing” lifestyles can capture our hearts.
THE WORD of GOD NEVER CHANGES!
GOD’S WORD—WAS!
GOD’S WORD—IS!
GOD’S WORD—WILL FOREVER BE!
Captivity is no fun.
REALLY!
CAPTIVITY—DOES—NOT—BRING—ANY—JOY!
Today, we only need to open the Bible to see how captivity caused individuals more harm than help. If we just read that previous statement and thought True That, then why do we allow ourselves to “dabble” in things that we know are potentially harmful?
I read this statement: “When we don’t know the truth, then the lies will take us captive.”
Let’s slow down a moment to analyze that statement.
When we—do not know—the TRUTH,—that is when—the lies of the devil—will take me (and you)—CAPTIVE!
We ask the Question—What is Truth?—When really we should be asking—WHO IS TRUTH?
That’s when we turn toward our Creator & Father of Truth, toward the One Who Never Lies!
SEE WITH ME.
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
(John 15: 5)
“Jesus said to him, [Jesus said to Thomas whenever Thomas and the disciples asked Jesus about the place where Jesus was going. How were they to know the way to go in order to get where Jesus was going?]
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
(John 14: 6)
“Jesus said to them, [to those who had believed Him] “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.
Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My Word.
You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?
He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
(John 8: 42-47)
CAPTIVITY—DOES—NOT—BRING—ANY—JOY!
Thoughts—Habits—Actions—Mindsets—Lifestyles. They belong to God because He is our Creator. He made us!
The world says—“When we don’t know the truth, then the lies will take us captive.”
And Jesus says—“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8: 32)
JESUS CAME TO LIBERATE US FROM ALL OUR CAPTIVITY.
So, in closing, the Old Testament speaks of a time when the Israelites were living in captivity in Egypt, forced into manual slavery and hardship, God sent a baby (one of them) to them, floating down the Nile River. This baby (Moses) grew to become a man, one who knew his heritage despite spending his childhood in Pharoah’s palace, adopted by Pharoah’s own daughter. Moses knew the truth. So, when God said, “Lead my people out of captivity,” God instructed Moses to take the role of leader, to prepare the people, and to guide them toward their future. Yet, before they left the ground of Egypt, God took care of their future.
Let us not be found living in captivity, following the father of lies—BUT—Let us see God, the Father of Truth Who Makes Us Free & Then Provides For ALL Our Present and Future Needs.
“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; . . .
(Exodus 3: 14)
“But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion.
So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go.
I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.
But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians.”
(Exodus 3: 19-22)