Recently my church sang a song entitled “Come Out of that Grave”. A song packed with powerful lyrics. One verse really stood out to me and caused me to think. The song says “Captives let go of those chains as we sing”. That line is so different from the songs we normally sing and even the prayers we often pray. Not asking for God to break the chains that have already been broken. But calling for God’s people to let go of the chains that the Lord has already loosed them from.
When we came to Jesus, repented of our sins, got baptized, and received the Holy Spirit every chain in our life was broken. At that moment the devil’s hold on us was severed and we were freed from the grip of sin. Every born-again Christian is dead to sin but alive in Christ. Sin no longer has a hold on us because we belong to God.
Romans 6:6 (ESV)
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin
Romans 6:11 (ESV)
11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:14 (ESV)
14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Romans 6:18 (ESV)
18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
Romans 6:22 (ESV)
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
The Bible tells us that Jesus has set us free and we are free indeed. This means nothing is able to have a hold on us. The chains in our life are not ones we are bound in but ones we have picked up. Things that we have clung to out of familiarity or because we have simply not wanted to give them up. They don’t hold us but we keep holding them allowing ourselves to be weighed down. Even though we could be living in the freedom offed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
John 8:36 (ESV)
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed
If you know God, sin does not have you trapped with no way to be free. The truth is God has broken the chains and you are free to move forward if you will let go of them. You don’t have to continue to live in sin because God has made a way for you to be free. It all comes down to you making the choice to let go of your sins. Choosing instead to pick up a new way of living by following the Lord.
If you are tired of the chains and are ready to let go of them then turn to God’s word. Read it, study it, pray it, and apply all of it into your life. The best way to drop the chains of sin in your life is to remove anything and everything from your life that causes you to sin. That could be your phone, tv, even places, or people. No matter how important you believe it is remove it from your life if it causes you to sin.
Matthew 5:29–30 (ESV)
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Once you have let go of the chains in your life don’t allow your hands to remain empty. Because empty hands are looking to be filled and if you are not careful they can easily be filled with new chains. So be wise and fill your hands with the things of God. Fellowship with other believers, the Bible, prayer, charity, and anything else God ordained in the scripture.
The chains you are holding are heavy and exhausting. They weigh you down and cause countless amounts of grief and despair in your life. But the things of God are light and uplifting. Bringing true joy, peace, and hope into the life of all those who embrace them. Don’t believe you are bound in chains with no way to escape. God has broken the chains and now you must choose one let go of them. Cast them to the ground and lift your hands in praise to the one who has set you free!
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