Christians Living In Bondage

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES

(Lamentations 1:1) "How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary."

(Lamentations 1:2) "She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies."

(Psalms 107:10-11) (10) "Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;" (11) "Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:"

(1 Corinthians 10:13) "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

(Romans 12:2) "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

(Romans 6:6-7) " 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." (7) " For he that is dead is freed from sin."

(Galatians 5:1) "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

(Romans 8:15) " For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

(Luke 4:18) "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."

PREFACE SUMMARY

Saints, do you remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus found in (Luke 16:19-31) and do you remember that the rich man had everything handed to him but the poor beggar named Lazarus whose body was full of sores, lay at the rich mans gate begging the left overs that would come from the rich mans table?

Beloved, did you know that there are people in church today that are living with sores on the inside consisting of past hurts they have suffered from abuse causing them to be resentful toward others?

Saints, did you know that the whole first chapter of Lamentations speaks of a people who were suffering because of a judgment that had befallen them and do you notice how verse one speaks of people in the city being lonely and shedding tears?

(Lamentations 1:1) "How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary."

(Lamentations 1:2) "She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies."

Beloved reader, notice that we find in verse two the words, "there is none to comfort her" which is speaking about the Spirit of comfort which is the blessed Holy Spirit.

Saints, notice how the writer speaks of this city so vile that it opened a door for evil spirits to come in and notice how the writer also speaks of people missing the feasts which could mean church fellowship.

Saints of God notice in verse seven of this chapter that her enemies are actually laughing at her which I believe Saints, can be linked to Psalms one hundred seven and verse ten which speaks about Christians sitting in darkness and being bound in affliction and iron.

(Psalms 107:10-11) (10) "Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;" (11) "Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:"

Beloved, notice that we discover in verse eleven that their bondage came about because they rebelled against the word of God, and contemned the counsel of the most high.

Dear reader, did you know that the old English word for contemned here means contempt as if being found in contempt of court which could result in jail time as a form of punishment?

Beloved, the bottom line to this message would be, that because of people in the city's intent to do things their way, there is no pasture or word to feed their spirit man and the bitter end to the people in this city is, "they have been turned over to judgment."