Prisons of the mind are probably the worst kind that we know. They rob people that don’t live behind bars of the freedom to be who God made them to be, of the ability to take advantage of opportunities and the freedom to develop their God-given talents. Although the bars of these prisons are not visible, their cruelty can be seen all around us. In this article I want to focus only on the most common ones that keep believers in bondage.
Ignorance is one of the saddest forms of oppression in Christianity. This enemy of freedom has probably brought more people into bondage than we will ever know. If you don’t know all that Jesus did for you on the cross, if you don’t know who you are in Christ and what God has freely given to you by grace, as a gift, you will live below the standard that God has for you by default. And the cure is simple: study the Word – you cannot possess what you don’t know!
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31, 32)
Another prison that keeps Christians is tradition, those ingrained habits that control your life and limit you in your ability to change, grow and move on to accomplish your purpose. While there are some wholesome traditions, one must be sure not to be led into a small life by habits. Traditions are very powerful and can force people into carnal lifestyles. We are actually supposed to be led by the Spirit of God and not to mindlessly follow rigid routines that we have fallen into. Worst of all, a traditional lifestyle reduces your availability to the Lord.
As we approach the coming of the Lord very fast, It is amazing how comfort still seems to be a high priority to some believers. As long as personal comfort is important to you, your “comfort zone” will be the prison that keeps you from becoming the person you dream to be. Comfort is the curse on the Western church!
And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. (Matthew 10:38)
There is a life out there that is bright and filled with adventure and potential, so break free, go out and get it! The prison guard of this comfortable dungeon seems to be laziness. It takes effort to grow and prosper and truly enjoy life, so to break out of this prison you first have to become the master of this passive bully. A Christian culture, also known as religion, is a velvet jail house that fools not only the prisoner, but everybody else too. It is a kind of lifestyle that looks like the real thing, but isn’t. It works very well with all the other prisons that I mentioned above to form a system that holds you down. Religion is the greatest danger to the church and one of our fiercest enemies!
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)
True freedom is to have the ability to take advantage of God’s promises, to become all that God intends for you to be and to have all that He wants you to have – and that includes much more than material possessions. Don’t be satisfied with a mediocre, no-challenge life. You live only once, so live a life that you will not regret looking back on. Live a life that glorifies God, because you hope to spend eternity with Him. Pay the price without counting the cost. What you do to please the Lord is never wasted time or effort. And remember: Jesus set you free because He loves you!
