Spiritual Hostages I 2 Cor. 10:4
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds…”
Multitudes of people in this world are held hostage in their minds by the devil. They are incarcerated, locked up, caged in their minds and emotions, held like slaves, prisoners, or detainees who are under arrest and live at the mercy of their conqueror.
The mind is the primary area that Satan seeks to attack. He knows that once he succeeds in planting a stronghold or deception in some area of a person’s mind, he can then, begin to manipulate and control that person.
The bible calls this kind of deception in the mind a strong hold. It is called a strong hold because once it is planted in someone’s mind it is very hard to remove.
1 John 3:8 says that Jesus came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil.
The word destroy in the Greek is luo, it means an act of untying or unloosing something; to deliver, to be released or freed from difficulties burdens or needs. It also means to break or destroy.
This tells us that when Jesus came into the world he came to unloose Satan’s binding power over us and to disentangle us from his demonic shackles that held us captive.
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might untie people from the works of the devil, unraveling Satan’s hold on them- until the devils works in people’s lives are utterly destroyed and his hostages set free.”
It was through His death and resurrection, the redemptive work, of Jesus that the works of the enemy were destroyed and our liberty was fully purchased.
This was Jesus’ purpose in coming to the earth, to set captives free, and He wants to use you to take the delivering power of God to the world, to tell them that the works of the enemy have been destroyed, and that there is freedom in Christ alone.
The mind may be the devils preferred battlefield, but you can make sure he loses every skirmish, by being a willing vessel that God can use to free spiritual hostages.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be conscious of the people that I meet, those who are lost and in bondage. I am sorry for the times I get so busy that I fail to see or recognize opportunities to speak your name and to share your love with people who are lost and bound. You came to set the captive free, I pray for opportunities to be a messenger of your good news that in Christ there is freedom. “Here I am Lord use me.”
Isaiah 58:6