Captivity: The Lie

“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”

John 8:33

IN THE VERSES PRECEDING JOHN 8:33, we see Jesus teaching that those who continue in His Word will know the truth and find freedom. “Freedom from what?” the Jews asked. Their defensive response exposed both their pride and their spiritual blindness. For one, the claim that they had “never been slaves to anyone” was clearly wrong, and they knew it. Just a few generations earlier, their forefathers had been living in captivity in Babylon. More important, though, they missed the point of Jesus’ life and message: He came to give us freedom from the bondage of sin.

Let’s look at two of Satan’s most successful tactics for keeping us in bondage:

1. Convincing us that we’re not even in bondage. If there’s any kind of recurring sin in your life—an area in which you’ve stumbled on multiple occasions—then think twice before accepting this lie.
2. Convincing us that freedom isn’t worth it. Change is hard, especially when it involves altering your daily routine, the influences you allow into your life (friends, media, etc.), or the way you handle your finances.

If you’ve sensed unrest in your spirit about how you are spending (or not spending) your time, make this a matter of deliberate prayer. Ask God to remove any spiritual blinders and reveal the truth of where you are and where He wants you to be.

BOTTOM LINE

Spiritual captivity is deceptive. We may think we’re not slaves to anything, yet we tend to repeat our mistakes. Ask God for wisdom and clarity.

Moment of Strength: Proverbs 5:22