Breaking The Chains Of Spiritual Captivity

Breaking the chains of Spiritual Captivity

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

OPENING: - The greatest illusion mankind faces all the time is that they are free from the oppression of the devil when in actuality Satan has captured their soul, body and spirit. This is a dangerous situation. It is not entirely wrong to be captured because in nature we mankind were born into captivity (sin), However, what is wrong is to remain in this situation unchecked, unperturbed, and unwilling to change the situation. Throughout history people have longed for freedom from captivity and oppression, people today long to be free from captivity, spiritual bondage, and oppression. Enemies such as fear, anxiety, anger, loneliness, sadness, depression, addictions, and guilt war against our souls and holds us bound by the yoke of spiritual captivity, but the Bible says that the anointing destroys the yoke. Freedom from oppression, anxiety, addiction, guilt, etc. doesn't have to be a distant dream. For whom the Son has set free is free indeed.

PRAYER: -

Scriptures:- Luke 4:18 says “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised”.

Ephesians 6:12 says “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”.

2 Corinthians 10:14 says “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”.

The exact phrase spiritual captivity does not appear in the Bible, but Scripture does speak of being in bondage to sin Acts 8:23 says “For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity” Romans 6:6 says “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin, verse 16 says “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness”. verse19 says “I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness”. Romans 7:14 says “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin”. 2 Peter 2:19 says “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage”. John 8:34 says “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin”. Vs 32 says “The truth shall make you free”.

Sin has a way of taking hold in a person’s life, guilty consciences are deadly, shame is painful, self-pity eats like a cancer, and bad habits are hard to break. Considering the condition of our hearts before God changes us into a new creature, we are dead in trespasses and sin, captive to ungodly pleasures, and blind to the beauty of Christ. Therefore, sin forms a chain that only God can break.

UNDERSTAND: - Captivity is defined as the state of being captured, imprisoned, detained or held against one’s will. It is a state of being demobilized as a result of the forces of darkness. The inability to fulfill one’s destiny, the state of operating below the capacity ordained by God, the absence of substantive or identifiable progress in the lives of man, the state of being grind to a halt, lack of capacity to excel in well-being, lack of progress in all ramifications, inability to enjoy good health, or a good marriage. In very case the one that is being held captive, is being held or detain by some physical means such as: a prison cells, hand cuffs, shackles, chains, fetters or even by another person.

Spiritual captivity is the state of being captured without any tangible, physical or material evidence of that captivity. However, your life displays all and more of the signs and evidence of one that has been detained or imprisoned due to the inability to succeed or make progress.

To be imprisoned, detained, or captured, firstly, restricts or limits one of their freedoms. Better yet, they can see success, freedom, joy, peace and all things good they desire but do not possess the ability to possess or achieve it because of the obvious; they are being restrained or held against their will.

Even though the definition of captivity is defined as the state of being captured, there exists two types of captivity and they are the physical captivity that we see where people are in fetters, chains, handcuffs and then the one that we do not see which is Spiritual captivity where people are bound in the confines of the minds. It is this one that we do not see that can be the most challenging and frustrating. Challenging and frustrating because we cannot see what is keeping us from progressing and succeeding. There is nothing visible or has been presented as evidence to this imprisonment or detention, but we know we are bound because of our lack of progress.