THE PRISONERS OF HOPE
While we may all be physically walking free today, there may be those who are spiritually going through a prison experience.
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| Copyright © 2016 Faithlife / Logos Bible Software |
Prisoners are captives. There is a restriction imposed upon prisoners. They cannot go out. But not all prisoners are the same. Prisoners in the natural differ in why they were taken to prison and the same is true in the spiritual. There are spiritual prisoners who are captives to sin but there are also those who are prisoners of the Lord as the Apostle Paul was.
Prisoner of Sin
Joseph attempted a short cut. He asked the cupbearer to tell the Pharaoh of his case and set him free. Something in Joseph was still being refined. He was turning to men for help. But the cupbearer forgot. It took 2 full years before Joseph’s deliverance came. It was through the hand of the Lord. Only God can take us out of our prison experience. He holds the keys.
The apostles experienced this. When they were imprisoned, it was the Lord who set them free through extraordinary deliverance. For Paul it was through an earthquake, for Peter and the other apostles, through angels opening doors. No prison wall was too thick for God’s power not to penetrate.
But perhaps you are not a prisoner rather someone who knows someone else who is in prison. What should you do? What should be your attitude?
Acts 12:5-12
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
We can uphold those who are in prison by praying for them just as it was by the prayers of the saints that Peter was set free. In fact, they were so faithful in praying for Peter that when he was set free in the middle of the night and he was knocking at the door of Mary's house, they were still praying!
But we can do more than just pray. We can be those upon whom the Lord can anoint the Spirit of the Lord to proclaim liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1). So when we are reaching out to the lost, we need to be praying for the Spirit of the Lord to be upon us because it is this anointing that sets the captives free.
Perhaps, God is using you to journey with someone who is on his way out of prison - someone who is being restored from backsliding. Galatians 6:1-2 describes for us the right attitude towards those who are being restored.
Conclusion
Whichever category you may fall in today - a prisoner of sin, a prisoner of the Lord, or an outsider seeing others who are in prison - one message has to be clear: that our God is the God who sets the captives free, that our God is the God of mercy, and He longs to bring liberty to every single life.
Prisoner of Sin
It is quite interesting how often people who commit sin think they are free. They feel that righteous living is a trap that constricts their movement and decisions while they interpret unholy living as a manifestation of freedom. And this is precisely what the enemy wants us to think. Righteousness and holiness equal to prison while unholy and unrighteous living is freedom. It harps on the idea that true freedom means the power to choose to do evil.
However, the opposite is true. When a man commits sin and continues to live in that sin, the sin begins to fortify itself in his life. It creates walls around him that eventually become prison walls that will keep that person in. He will eventually fall under the control of that sin such that he has no power to say “no” to it. This is why people can commit sin even though the sin can cause them great harm.
Prison experience in this case also serves as a form of judgment. In the natural, when someone commits sin, he is put in prison as judgment upon him. Prisons are known as a consequence of sin. Prisons are part of our justice system as a form of retribution or punishment for the wrongdoing as well as an opportunity to be reformed.
We see this principle applied in the spiritual as well when the Lord allowed the Israelites to be brought into captivity after they committed idolatry and other grave sins towards the Lord. The purpose of this captivity was to make Israel understand the harmfulness of their sins that they may be led to repentance.
There are times in our individual lives that God allows us to experience the consequences of our wrongdoings so that we may turn back to Him. The prison experience is actually an expression of God’s mercy. God uses the prison to bring people to brokenness. However, it is up to man how he will respond. One can choose to harden himself further or humble himself before God and cry out for deliverance.
However, as mentioned earlier there is another kind of prisoner.
The Prisoners of the Lord
There are men in the Scriptures who may be called the prisoners of the Lord. The Apostle Paul described himself as such. Joseph, Peter, and John were also some of the prisoners of the Lord.
While these men were literally imprisoned for the Lord, it is also possible to go through a prison experience without being physically in one. It can be through a form of long and difficult trial where you do not seem to have the power to escape. Maybe it’s the prison of limited financial resources or a difficult work environment or home life. Whatever presentation it may have, a prison experience is a hard and limiting situation.
Why does God allow His saints to go through the prison experience?
1. To prepare the saint through the fire.
2. Precious truths and special ministries are birthed in a person’s life through the prison
Paul, when he was converted, experienced numerous imprisonments for being a follower of Jesus. He was not only sent to jail but beaten up in the process. The Apostle Paul spent years as a prisoner. One may be led to regret the time Paul spent in prison given his effectiveness as an apostle and teacher. However, when one is a prisoner of the Lord, the prison experience, as we have seen from the life of Paul and others, is not a waste of time but an opportunity to be fruitful.
He may not have been out in the mission field teaching or preaching, but for the five years of Paul’s imprisonment after his visit to Jerusalem, he was fruitful. He was able to share the Gospel to men of power as the Lord said he would.
The Apostles Peter and John were also able to testify before the Sanhedrin through their prison experiences.
During his prison experience in Philippi, the Apostle Paul led the jail warden and his household unto salvation. Difficult as prison experiences are, they do open up excellent opportunities to speak into the lives of others. Paul would not have had these opportunities to preach to key men if he was not in prison. There are people we can only reach if we are in prison.
Also, Paul wrote at least four of his epistles in prison, five if we will include 2 Timothy. He wrote Ephesians, the queen epistle, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians during his first Roman imprisonment.
There is so much God can do in and through a man who will embrace the prison experience.
How do we do well in our prison experiences?
1. Rejoice - like Paul and Silas
Paul also knew that God in His sovereignty allowed him to be imprisoned for a purpose. God does not only use prison experiences to refine us. He also uses our imprisonment to move in other people’s lives.
What may seem to be a long and difficult prison experience for you may be bringing forth blessings to others as they see your testimony, as they see the work of God in your life, as they see how God is sustaining you, as they see your right response.
However, the opposite is true. When a man commits sin and continues to live in that sin, the sin begins to fortify itself in his life. It creates walls around him that eventually become prison walls that will keep that person in. He will eventually fall under the control of that sin such that he has no power to say “no” to it. This is why people can commit sin even though the sin can cause them great harm.
Prison experience in this case also serves as a form of judgment. In the natural, when someone commits sin, he is put in prison as judgment upon him. Prisons are known as a consequence of sin. Prisons are part of our justice system as a form of retribution or punishment for the wrongdoing as well as an opportunity to be reformed.
We see this principle applied in the spiritual as well when the Lord allowed the Israelites to be brought into captivity after they committed idolatry and other grave sins towards the Lord. The purpose of this captivity was to make Israel understand the harmfulness of their sins that they may be led to repentance.
There are times in our individual lives that God allows us to experience the consequences of our wrongdoings so that we may turn back to Him. The prison experience is actually an expression of God’s mercy. God uses the prison to bring people to brokenness. However, it is up to man how he will respond. One can choose to harden himself further or humble himself before God and cry out for deliverance.
However, as mentioned earlier there is another kind of prisoner.
The Prisoners of the Lord
There are men in the Scriptures who may be called the prisoners of the Lord. The Apostle Paul described himself as such. Joseph, Peter, and John were also some of the prisoners of the Lord.
While these men were literally imprisoned for the Lord, it is also possible to go through a prison experience without being physically in one. It can be through a form of long and difficult trial where you do not seem to have the power to escape. Maybe it’s the prison of limited financial resources or a difficult work environment or home life. Whatever presentation it may have, a prison experience is a hard and limiting situation.
Why does God allow His saints to go through the prison experience?
1. To prepare the saint through the fire.
Zechariah 13:9
I will bring the one–third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, ‘This is My people’;
And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
Psalm 105:17-22The word of the Lord tested Joseph. There in prison, iron was placed in his heart. There in prison, Joseph was further refined to take over the kingdom. What word tested Joseph? It was the promises of God that he received in his dreams. Do you have promises from God today that have yet to come to pass? Are there Words from the Lord that you have been holding on to for quite some time now? Perhaps the Word of the Lord is testing you today and preparing you for the fulfillment of the Word.
17 He sent a man before them—
Joseph—who was sold as a slave.
18 They hurt his feet with fetters,
He was laid in irons.
19 Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the Lord tested him.
20 The king sent and released him,
The ruler of the people let him go free.
21 He made him lord of his house,
And ruler of all his possessions,
22 To bind his princes at his pleasure,
And teach his elders wisdom.
2. Precious truths and special ministries are birthed in a person’s life through the prison
Paul, when he was converted, experienced numerous imprisonments for being a follower of Jesus. He was not only sent to jail but beaten up in the process. The Apostle Paul spent years as a prisoner. One may be led to regret the time Paul spent in prison given his effectiveness as an apostle and teacher. However, when one is a prisoner of the Lord, the prison experience, as we have seen from the life of Paul and others, is not a waste of time but an opportunity to be fruitful.
He may not have been out in the mission field teaching or preaching, but for the five years of Paul’s imprisonment after his visit to Jerusalem, he was fruitful. He was able to share the Gospel to men of power as the Lord said he would.
Acts 9:15The Apostle Paul as a prisoner testified of his faith in Jesus before Governors Festus and Felix and King Agrippa.
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
The Apostles Peter and John were also able to testify before the Sanhedrin through their prison experiences.
During his prison experience in Philippi, the Apostle Paul led the jail warden and his household unto salvation. Difficult as prison experiences are, they do open up excellent opportunities to speak into the lives of others. Paul would not have had these opportunities to preach to key men if he was not in prison. There are people we can only reach if we are in prison.
Also, Paul wrote at least four of his epistles in prison, five if we will include 2 Timothy. He wrote Ephesians, the queen epistle, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians during his first Roman imprisonment.
There is so much God can do in and through a man who will embrace the prison experience.
How do we do well in our prison experiences?
1. Rejoice - like Paul and Silas
Acts 16:252. Be faithful - like Joseph
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Genesis 39:21-233. Have the right perspective - as a Prisoner of the Lord
But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.
Ephesians 3:1
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
Ephesians 4:1Paul said these words while he was under Roman imprisonment. Paul understood that he was not a prisoner of his circumstance, Roman rulers, or those who spite him. He knew that he was a prisoner of the Lord. What a great difference it can make in our prison experience when we keep our eyes on this truth. It is a comfort to know that our God holds the keys to the prison, that He is in control.
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,
Paul also knew that God in His sovereignty allowed him to be imprisoned for a purpose. God does not only use prison experiences to refine us. He also uses our imprisonment to move in other people’s lives.
What may seem to be a long and difficult prison experience for you may be bringing forth blessings to others as they see your testimony, as they see the work of God in your life, as they see how God is sustaining you, as they see your right response.
Acts 5:41The apostles counted it a privilege to suffer for the Lord. Before Jesus died, the night He was betrayed, these same apostles ran away and hid when Jesus was captured. This time however, after the resurrection of Jesus, their response was different. They were no longer cowardly running away. They were rejoicing for the privilege of suffering for the Lord.
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Zechariah 9:12One thing about being in a prison experience, if you know God, is that you have hope. You know that you are not in prison forever. You have hope that the day of liberty shall come and that it is in the hand of a loving God who will not delay and who is able to break every chain.
Return to the stronghold,
You prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare
That I will restore double to you.
Joseph attempted a short cut. He asked the cupbearer to tell the Pharaoh of his case and set him free. Something in Joseph was still being refined. He was turning to men for help. But the cupbearer forgot. It took 2 full years before Joseph’s deliverance came. It was through the hand of the Lord. Only God can take us out of our prison experience. He holds the keys.
The apostles experienced this. When they were imprisoned, it was the Lord who set them free through extraordinary deliverance. For Paul it was through an earthquake, for Peter and the other apostles, through angels opening doors. No prison wall was too thick for God’s power not to penetrate.
Isaiah 61:1The Outsider
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
But perhaps you are not a prisoner rather someone who knows someone else who is in prison. What should you do? What should be your attitude?
Acts 12:5-12
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
We can uphold those who are in prison by praying for them just as it was by the prayers of the saints that Peter was set free. In fact, they were so faithful in praying for Peter that when he was set free in the middle of the night and he was knocking at the door of Mary's house, they were still praying!
But we can do more than just pray. We can be those upon whom the Lord can anoint the Spirit of the Lord to proclaim liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1). So when we are reaching out to the lost, we need to be praying for the Spirit of the Lord to be upon us because it is this anointing that sets the captives free.
Perhaps, God is using you to journey with someone who is on his way out of prison - someone who is being restored from backsliding. Galatians 6:1-2 describes for us the right attitude towards those who are being restored.
Galatians 6:1-2One of the ministries of the last day Church is to restore the backslider. We are not called only to the lost but we are also called to save the saved and to restore the broken. And we ought to do that in the spirit of gentleness.
Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Conclusion
Whichever category you may fall in today - a prisoner of sin, a prisoner of the Lord, or an outsider seeing others who are in prison - one message has to be clear: that our God is the God who sets the captives free, that our God is the God of mercy, and He longs to bring liberty to every single life.
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