Sermon # 36 - The Bondage Breaker Series

We read in 2 Peter 2:19, “for we are slaves of anything that has conquered us.” (GNB)

The above mentioned verse endorses the truth that a person becomes a slave to something, when they are overpowered by it. For instance, a person who is addicted to alcohol, may realize that the habit affects his family, and might even take great efforts to quit the addiction, but is so often unable to do so because the habit has subdued him.

We read in Titus 2:3, “In the same way instruct the older women to behave as women should who live a holy life. They must not be slanderers or slaves to wine…” (GNT)

In this verse the admonition is for those who are slaves to wine, and strangely in this context this is directed towards women. Surprising as it may sound, women being addicted to alcohol is not something that is new only to our day and age, but was a problem of the early church days as well. The addiction to wine is applicable therefore, to both men and women, but the point is that when a person is overcome by the addiction, they are unable to break away from the habit.

In Titus 3:3, we read, “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and wrong. We were slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds. We spent our lives in malice and envy; others hated us and we hated them.” (GNT)

Here Paul refers to various other things that people can be in bondage to like, passions (lusts), pleasures, malice, envy and hatred. Speaking of lust and pleasure, there are so many, even so-called believers who are enslaved by the addiction to pornographic material which is readily available on the internet.

Hebrews 2:15 says, “and in this way set free those who were slaves all their lives because of their fear of death.” (GNT)

Then there are those as mentioned in the above verse who live in constant fear of death. We must remind ourselves from the word of God that those who die in the Lord, will live forever with God in His holy presence. This fear grips those who have not understood that death is just the passing on from our earthly life onto a heavenly one.

Have you noticed how when someone is addicted to a habit, people start referring to them by that name, for instance a person who becomes addicted to alcohol is referred to as an alcoholic, a promiscuous person as an adulterer, and a person who is in constant fear as a fearful person.

We read in Romans 6:16, “Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey...” (ISV)

This kind of bondage as mentioned in Romans 6:16, are of those who of their own accord become enslaved to something. These are those who chose to voluntarily be enslaved by certain habits.

In Galatians 4:3, we read, “while we were children, we were slaves to the basic principles of the world.” (ISV) Describes those who are in bondage to the basic principles of the world.

In Galatians 4:8, Paul mentions, “However, in the past, when you did not know God, you were slaves to things that are not really gods at all.” (ISV) Characterizes those who served and sought after things which were by nature not gods at all.

In I Corinthians 7:23, we read, “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” (KJV)

Paul exhorts the church at Corinth, that they should not be slaves to men. When someone becomes a slave of men, they will not be able to think and operate on their own, but will be controlled by the person to whom they have been enslaved.

So being in bondage can be of two kinds; one where the person is overcome by the habit and the other where one willingly chooses to get enslaved to any sinful habit. Both of these need deliverance, and we will study the word to see how one can be set totally free from every form of enslavement.

How can a person be set free from bondage?

Accept that you are in bondage

In John 8:32 -33, we read “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. We are the descendants of Abraham,” they answered, “and we have never been anybody's slaves. What do you mean, then, by saying, 'You will be free'?" (GNB)

When Jesus told the Jews that they will know the truth, and the truth will set them free they took offence at His saying. They retorted that they were children of Abraham, and were therefore slaves to nobody. They forgot their history that they were in bondage to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for more than four hundred years. Interestingly as they dialogued with Jesus, at that very point they were under the Roman rule and in bondage to them.