SPIRITUAL BONDAGE

I think that most would agree that it would be a terrible fate in life to be in jail or prison. We all enjoy freedom to go and come as we see fit. But to have steel doors and bars locked behind you means that you have lost the freedom to go and come as you please. There is only one thing that would be worse and that is “spiritual bondage”. If you do not make things right with God that bondage will determine where you will spend eternity. Is “spiritual bondage” very wide-spread? Look about yourself and take notice of the world in which you live and you will see that multitudes of men, women [both young and old] are indeed living in “spiritual bondage”. Whose fault is this? We might want to put the blame on the devil, but if we are honest we must admit that the fault actually belongs with mankind. We don’t have to yield to his temptations as God has provided us with a way of escape; (1 Cor 10:13) "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." As we think about this scripture we see that God has provided us with a way to escape “spiritual bondage”, therefore, if we remain in “spiritual bondage we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Since there are so many who are in “spiritual bondage” we must ask “How is this possible”? We cannot overlook the efforts of Satan. He is doing everything he can to “snare” [I.e. to trap] us [1 Tim. 3:7]. Friends, rest assured Satan knows you, maybe even better than you know yourself. He knows your every weakness and he will use that weakness to snare you. Many a good person has backslid because Satan has tempted them with their old habits and sins. When this happens we must remember that our God has provided a way of escape [1 Cor. 10:13]. I feel that there is a great need to warn all Christians that they will be tempted and that they must be on guard and ready to use the “way of escape” that God has provided!

Who can fall into the “snares” of the devil? Everyone, the young, the old and even preachers [who should be the most able to withstand all temptations]. Do you remember that the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy who was both young and a preacher? In 2 Timothy 2:22 Paul instructed Timothy to “flee youthful lust”. Even though Timothy had been brought up in a God fearing home and had been taught by his mother and grandmother, there is little doubt in my mind that Timothy was tempted in his youth, therefore Paul warned him to “flee youthful lusts”.

But let’s consider Timothy the preacher for a moment. I am certain that Satan made every attempt possible to “snare” Timothy by every weakness that he [Satan] was aware of. As a preacher Timothy could have been tempted with pride and ambition. Every teacher, elder and preacher must take every caution that they do not fall to the lust of power. I have read that Timothy was now between 35 or 40 years old, the very age that mankind seeks to have power over his peers. There is little wonder that Paul wrote to Timothy to “flee youthful and to follow after righteousness”.

Friends, let us all take heed to the warning that Timothy received and be on guard because Satan is doing everything that he can to win us back to his side.