Have you ever considered yourself to be a captive? What does the word captive mean to you? The dictionary defines it to mean: a person who is enslaved or dominated, held bound. We never think of ourselves as prisoners unless we have been convicted of a crime and jailed. Confined behind iron bars with no escape for a period of time.

Our freedoms limited, our actions predetermined, and our choices controlled. But, that is not entirely true. We all have been or are captives by the consequences from the choices of our lives. Unfortunately, many of us are still chained by those choices. What are the chains that bind you?

There are so many chains we get caught up in and find ourselves enslaved. Drugs are a euphoric experience that we feel we are in control of until we try to stop using them. The excitement is temporary and requires continued use. Alcohol numbs the mind and distorts our view of the situations we find ourselves in. It invokes irrational behavior and sometimes confrontations.

Greed is a chain we fail to recognize. Our search for success is measured by the amount of money we have,how big the home we have, how many cars we drive,  and how much influence we have. However; we never seem to have enough. Violence is another chain we fail to recognize,we find ways to justify the actions we take which result in hurting another.

We tell ourselves it is because we know what is best for them, they disrespected us or our opinion, we have to show them who is boss or we have to put them in their place because we are more important and they don’t really matter. The most common excuse is they deserved it.

Sometimes it is not physical but verbal, yet; the hurt is the same. The pain caused is still real and the effects devastating. The enemy is constantly finding ways to chain us to the choices we make. He tempts us with riches of the world, power to control &dominate others, and material things that have limited value.

When we succumb to his temptations we are unable to break away by our own strength. We become his captives, enslaved by our own lust and selfishness. Entangled by chain after chain as we seek to gratify our selfish desires until we are so heavily  bound we give in to captivity. Too weak to fight we are overcome with darkness of heart.

Love is filtered through what we can gain for our selves. Do you want to be Free? Have you realized you are enslaved? Are your passions in control of you instead of you controlling your passions? The enemy is very deceptive, he keeps us confused and distracted from the truth of who we have become with him leading our lives. We fail to acknowledge we are not in control but are being controlled by him.

Freedom is available, but we must want to be free. By our own strength we cannot defeat the enemy nor can we escape his grasp. We must believe he is a defeated foe by the blood shed at Calvary’s cross. Only when covered by this blood can the chains of the deceiver be broken. Redemptive cleansing blood that changes the hearts of men.

Blood that was freely given and is available for the asking to all who wish to be released from captivity. It is the blood of Jesus the Christ, the choice is yours. Live in captivity or BE FREE.