Prisoner of Cirumstance or Prisoner of Jesus Christ

It has been said that in every life a little rain must fall.  Though we are saved, we are not immune from the dark times that we all go through.  I wish that this life on earth was a life of comfort and peace, however we all have times of great distress and discomfort; times of hurt, brokenness and weeping.

As one studies the Bible and the lives of those whom the Lord used, we see that all the Bible greats were tested, tried, and tormented.  I take great comfort in this for in my times of distress I can look to God's Word and his servants for guidance and help.

The Apostle Paul stands as perhaps the greatest example of Christianity.  His life and ministry are examples to us all. In Ephesians we find the apostle of Grace in Rome, locked in a cell and chained to a Roman guard. This man is the master builder of the church, the one to whom the meaning of the New Covenant was given.  He is the Champion of Faith, yet he is in prison!  He shall be busy preaching, teaching, building churches, raising up more Timothy's yet he is in prison. There is no evidence in the Bible that Paul understood the reason the Lord allowed this, yet the Lord did allow it.

In like kind, we all face great distress at times, circumstances that we don't understand how God could allow. I can not give you an answer as to why you have hurts and distress in your life, however I believe I can give you encouragement in the midst of your valley.

First, I want you to notice that even though Paul was a prisoner in Nero's cell, he refused to acknowledge himself as a prisoner of Nero.  He said: "I Paul, the Prisoner of Jesus Christ." There are three things that we learn from this statement.

1.  Nothing can happen to us as Christians but that the Lord allows it or causes it.
2.  Everything with the Lord is a lesson for us to learn.
3. Everyone is a prisoner of something. You are either a prisoner of your circumstances or you are a prisoner of Jesus Christ.

Paul was saying, "The Lord controls my life, He directs my steps.  I don't know why I'm here, but I'm not questioning the Lord.  I am a prisoner of Jesus Christ”.

I don't know the problems you may be facing, and I certainly can't give you an explanation as to why you are having problems, but there is one thing I can tell you.  You can either be a prisoner of your problems or a prisoner of of Jesus Christ. 

That's the musings and ramblings of one who has walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

Donnie Swaggart