Prison Break

“…you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” - Exodus 5:21 (NKJV)

Prison Break was a television serial drama revolving around two brothers. One brother was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other brother devised a plan to help him escape from prison and clear his name. Just like the brother and the children of Israel in Exodus, many of us are in prison and we need to break out.

Moses delivered God’s message to Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, but instead of things getting better, things got worse. Pharaoh made the Israelites work harder under even worse circumstances. The Israelites became more concerned about what Pharaoh could do to them than they were about the word God gave them, through Moses, that He would deliver them from slavery. They no longer wanted to be free. Richard Blackaby states “[it’s] possible for people to become so accustomed to their bondage that they resist efforts to free them. … Israelites were angry at Moses for disrupting the life of slavery they had grown accustomed to” (Experiencing God Day by Day). Many of us are in prison and God has opened the prison door, but we are afraid to walk out because we have grown accustomed to the lifestyle of our prison cell and fear anything different. Think about the thing you fear the most (aside from God)… the thing that causes your heart to drop and gives you anxiety. That thing may very well be your prison.

I use to watch this show called “Leverage” about a group of thieves who steal from the rich to help the less fortunate and those who were victims of the rich’s actions. I’ve found myself watching reruns lately. In Season 3, Nathan, their mastermind, is in prison and the remaining group members devise an extravagant plan to help him escape. However, when Nathan gets to the getaway car (inches away from freedom), he refuses to get in and decides to go back to prison to finish his sentence. Eventually, he breaks out but that not the point. Some of us think that by staying in bondage we are paying penance and “serving our time.” God does not want us to live a life of bondage, but a life of freedom. Who the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36). We should base our freedom on God’s Word and His promises, and not on how other people will react or our fear of consequences.

Cambridge Dictionary defines bondage as “a state of being another person’s slave.” Some of us may not be slaves to people per se, but we are slaves to our plans, our jobs, our relationships, what society thinks of us, guilt, forgiveness, lust, addictions, sex, financial debt, our clocks, our smartphones, our social media accounts, sin, our reputations, our looks, our wardrobes, our own thoughts, shopping (ouch!), procrastination, fear, laziness, and the list goes on and on. One of the definitions that Cambridge Dictionary gives for freedom is “the state of not being in prison.” So in life, either you’re free or you’re in prison/bondage. There’s no in-between. I mean have you ever met a “kind of free” person (dating excluded lol)?

God wants you to be free to be yourself…your true self that He has called you to be. The freedom God wants for us is not about doing whatever we want, whenever and however we want to do it without any consequences. Freedom in God comes with responsibility, and yes, it may come at a cost as it requires sacrifice and things may get worse before they get better. Real freedom is freedom from fear, where you’re truly free from guilt, worry, bitterness, and death. You’re free to quit pretending because you’re free to be yourself. You’re free to take the steps to walk the path God is leading you, in spite of what colleagues, family, or friends may say about your decision. You’re free to forgive yourself for the choices you made that may have harmed other people. You’re free to forgive others who harmed you and forgive yourself for blaming yourself when it was not your fault.

How do you get this freedom you may ask? Well the good thing is that an escape plan has already been put in place for you. Almost 2,000 years ago God had His only son Jesus Christ die on a cross for YOU, so you can have this freedom. You can have the freedom the world gives you, but this type of freedom can only be gained through a relationship with Jesus. If you have a relationship with Jesus continue to cultivate that relationship. Pray and ask Him to show you the areas of bondage in your life and to lead you to freedom. Be obedient to His response, and stand and trust that no matter what happens next, He got you. If you don’t know Jesus, start with inviting Him into your life by saying this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to be free from the bondage that is holding me prisoner. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. If you prayed this prayer for the first time, we would like to know so we can support and encourage you, so click here to send us an email or share your testimony.

I desire for you to walk and live in all that God has for you. You will break out of your prison. 2020 will be your best year yet.