So what does it mean to be ‘taken captive’? The Bible has much to say about this in both the OT and the NT. I mean...Jesus made the declaration that this is why He came and what He was ‘anointed’ to do – to proclaim liberty to the captives. (Luke 4:18) And He said that it was the ‘truth’ He came to share that would do this...set captives free. Which then leads me to ask: Who exactly are being held ‘captive’ and by who or what are they ‘captive to?’

Not only did Jesus come to proclaim the ‘truth’, He claimed that He, Himself...was the ‘Truth’. (John 14:6). He reminded some folks who said they believed in Him that “if they abide in His word...they would know the truth and the truth would set them free.” (John 8:31-32). They promptly went into ‘denial mode’ claiming they had never been in bondage to anyone since they were ‘descendants of Abraham’ (33). Why, in their indignation they demanded to know how could Jesus have even implied... ‘they’ needed to be set free.

His response was immediate and to the point: “If you sin, you are in bondage.” (34)

And if you too, claim to be ‘free’ and not in bondage, and yet ‘sin daily’ (as most believers admit to doing) then are you saying you ‘sin willfully’? Because if you are, that puts you in even a more precarious position based on Heb. 10:26-27. Would you let that sink in for a moment? (Maybe we should hold off singing so exuberantly that familiar hymn about how glad we are that ‘Jesus set us free’ if we are not yet walking in freedom?)

So then, Jesus delivers another ‘truth bomb’ as He goes on to say: “slaves (those who are in bondage) will not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever’ (Jn. 8:35). And guess what? “Children of God do not go on sinning because they have been set free from sin and are led by His Spirit as they abide in Him. (Rom. 6:17-18,22; 8:14; 1 John 2:6; 3:6,9)

To put it another way, regardless of your personal ‘religious history/background’, if you continue to sin, you are still in captivity...and need to be set free. “Saints who sin” are not saints; they are slaves... Jesus said so right back there in verse 34...and you can’t be both! I hope that does not offend you, but you are not alone because God’s people have quite the history of falling into, and/or remaining in ‘captivity’ as slaves. He has been warning us since the beginning of time that sin will do that - open doors to where we are taken captive by our enemies.(Eph. 4:27; John 5:14; Gen. 2:17)

Those Jews who claimed they were descendants of Abraham and had never been in bondage to anyone...obviously had forgotten what the theme of Exodus was all about. It’s the story of Abraham’s descendants as they increased in numbers and then became slaves in Egypt. God sent Moses to deliver them out after 400 years of slavery and bondage, and then lead them to a new land where they could be blessed by God. But there were conditions attached and made clearly known to them: If you disobey Me and not do as I ask...you will suffer the consequences as He gave specific warnings...that not only would they, but their ‘children will go into captivity’. (Deut. 28:41,47-50).

I know this can be challenging to process, but God was pretty clear about how our sins and acts of disobedience would adversely affect our own children and grandchildren (Deut. 5:9-10). You might also go read Lev. 26:21-25. Now it was not God’s will for anyone to be taken captive, but He knew they would be and He offered up hope in how to ‘find their way back home’ where they could be set free and blessed again (Deut. 30)...

As we all know, the cycle (sinning and falling into captivity) continued to repeat itself. And it was always God’s people who were being taken captive...because of one thing alone: sin. Truth be told, the ‘whole world ...is under the power/influence of the wicked one’ (1 John 5:19). This is evident by the fact that ‘all have sinned’ (Rom. 3:23). We were ‘all dead in our sins’ and captive...when we ‘used to walk according to the ways of this world’ under the influence of the ‘prince of the air’ (Satan and demons) as those spirits ‘worked IN us’ (Eph. 2:1-3). But please note where Paul uses the past tense in referring to those who are truly walking in the light as He is in the light.

So as a frame of reference here, we see clearly the ‘whole world’ is/was in captivity. God has made it His mission to ‘free...whoever calls upon the name of the Lord’ (Rom. 10:13; John 3:17) which means one surrenders to Him and does the will of the Father (Matt. 7:21). But that does not mean one cannot end back up in captivity; Matt. 12:43-45 & Lev. 26:21-25 makes that clear. Also, could you please take a moment to look up and note these passages: Isa. 5:13; Jer.13:15-17; & Lamentation 1:3,5,7; 2:14.  Oh, and that promise about how 'no one can snatch them from the Father's hand' there in John 10:28...guess who that promise is made to? His 'sheep'...and He makes it clear who His sheep are in vs 27; you might want to underline it as you read it nice and slow.

Why are we diving off into all this today? Well, you might just be pleasantly surprised to discover that the reason you have been unable to overcome various sinful habits in your life...has not so much to do with ‘self-control’ or ‘flesh and blood’, but ‘spiritual forces of darkness’ at work. (Eph. 6:12) And you ain’t gonna overcome them in your own strength and power, this... I can assure you; I don’t care how much ‘will power’ you claim to have. Now I’m not going to suggest here that every single ‘sin issue’ you are contending with is rooted or caused by some ‘spiritual entity of darkness’; but I will certainly not dismiss the idea either.

Would you please go read Acts 26:17-18, and then finish up in 2 Tim. 2:24-26. To whom did Paul tell Timothy that people had been taken captive by...and to do what?

Here's the good news...Jesus still sets the captives free. Meet me back here tomorrow as we examine how one can be taken captive by sexual lusts.