Bound In Darkness

Darkness, just the sound of the word brings dread.
Darkness can mean without light, but it can also mean something evil.
We can be bound by many things!
Sin is sin, without regards to what type of sin it happens to be!
All sin is rebellion against a holy God!

Prison can just be a state of mind!
Prison can be the place where one resides!
How can we love those who are so deep in darkness?
How can we not?
Were you and I not deep in sin and darkness before God's mercy was poured out on us through the saving blood of Christ?
Are we more deserving of grace than another?
God is the judge of all who sin!
We are here, in the world, to bring the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone!!!
Lives will be changed through the power of the gospel!!

Former lives....
Ephesians 2:2
in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Colossians 3:7 
You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

Prisoners....
Job 3:18
There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

Ps.79:11
Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!

Ps.107:10-13
10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.
13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

Is.42:7
to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.


Is.5:20
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Yes Lord....
Is.61:1
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

Now is the time Church....
Matt.25:42-42
42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

Christ.....
John 3:16-21
16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."


The might of the Lord....
Ephesians 6:10-20
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

We typically think that bound means being tied up with something. While that is true to some extent, you also can be bound emotionally, not literally tied up with bindings, but mentally frazzled because of deep wounds that have been inflicted on you. Thoughts come to my mind as I write this of stories told me from people who were abused as children, a time when they were at their most vulnerable, a time when they should have been protected by adults. This abuse often manifest itself in adults as mental issues, physical ailments from pain that can not be defined or withdrawal from people all together. I pray they would come to understand that by giving this abuse reign over their life, the abuser still controls them, that Christ is sovereign and has overcome all things and He alone will give you peace and victory. You are safe in Him and He will lead you! His word says"vengeance is mine, I will repay".

Romans 12:19
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”