"Wilderness Captive"

"And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers." Deuteronomy 6:23 

One of the saddest stories in the Bible is about the children of Israel in the wilderness for forty years. The Lord had delivered them from Egyptian bondage after over four hundred years. He gave them the most miraculous delivery- through miracles, signs and wonders. He totally set them free from slavery. They were now free people heading to the land He had promised to give them. But instead of reaching the promised land they wound up wandering around in the wilderness for forty years. They left one captivity and wound up in another. They left the physical bondage of Egypt and Pharaoh and wound up in bondage that was unseen but real-- unbelief, doubt and fear. 

 

That sad picture is being replayed over and over again now days in the lives of many of God's children. The Lord saved them and delivered them from the power of sin. He did it through a miraculous and costly avenue-- He gave the life of His only begotten Son and through His shed blood gave redemption from sin. He gave them freedom and a promised land to inherit. Yet instead of inheriting those promises they are being held captive by an "unseen" bondage. They have come out of the bondage of sin, but are held captive by fear, regret, guilt, condemnation, unbelief, confusion and so on. They are spending their lives wandering in endless circles in a wilderness-- a dry place that offers no hope, no joy, no peace. The promises are awaiting them but they can't get to them because of the mental, emotional and spiritual bondages that have them trapped.

 

Is that you today? I have good news. Unlike those Israelites who were unable to get free from the wilderness, you do not have to keep wandering around in the bondage of the wilderness. Jesus defeated sin. He won the victory by destroying its power. He brought you out. He didn't deliver you from the power of sin only to have you held a prisoner by another captive. He desires to take you into the promised land- a land of abundant life. He who the Son sets free is free indeed, not partially free; not free from one bondage but captive to another. So get out of that wilderness and enter into the land of abundant life- love, peace, joy, etc. How? By turning to Him, ask for His strength and power, believe His word and don't listen to the negative reports of the enemy. Listen to Him alone.

 

Have a great day. The Lord did not deliver you from the bondage of sin only to have you become a captive of the wilderness.

 

For further reading:

John 3:16; 10:10; 8:36

Galatians 5:1