Is there something causing you to feel like a captive today?
Here’s a little encouragement from the life of the Apostle Peter.
King Herod had James put to death with a sword and arrested Peter, guarding him with four squads of four soldiers each. But the church
was earnestly praying for their leader. The night before Peter was to be
brought to trial, he lay captive between two soldiers, bound with chains. The
situation seemed hopeless.
“Suddenly an angel of
the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side
and woke him up. ‘Quick, get up!’ he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s
wrists” (Acts 12:7).
Sometimes circumstances leave us feeling like we are bound
with chains; held captive by obligations or burdens or patterns of sin. It seems the enemy has placed squads of evil soldiers to ensure
we remain bound.
Without Christ, the situation seems hopeless. Circumstances
and burdens keep us bound. But if we choose to get up and follow Him, we’ll
discover our chains have fallen off and we are led to blessed freedom in
Christ. The hopeless is hope-full.
In Him we are free from the law of sin and death; free to
keep walking in the midst of hardship or persecution; free to live hopeful and abundant
lives here on earth; free to look forward to eternity with our Savior.
Is there something causing you to feel like a captive today?
Are you lying on a cold, cement floor of discouragement, bound up with chains
of despair?
The Lord is whispering, “Quick, get up!” His light is
shining in your prison cell. Get up, my sweet Sister in Christ. Get up!
Follow Jesus.
Is that the clinging of loosed chains I hear falling to the
floor?
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