There is an interesting statement made in Exodus 13:17-18.
“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.” (NIV)
This text takes place just after the account of God’s miraculous intervention forcing the Pharaoh to release the Hebrew children who had been held as slaves in Egypt. We are told that God did not lead the Hebrews through the area where they would face war, even though that was a shorter route to their destination. And we are even given the precise reason why God chose an alternate route. God said that if they faced war, they might turn around and go right back into captivity. So instead He led them toward the Red Sea where He could show them His mighty power.
Couldn’t He have shown them His power in war too? Of course, He could have. But He knew He would never get that chance because the people would choose captivity over war. God had set them free. There is no way that He would have allowed them to be forced right back into captivity, but He certainly didn’t want them to go back to slavery by their own choice.
Our enemy cannot force us into any form of captivity. But we can choose to sin or we can attempt to live by the law and in so doing we become victims of our enemy’s crafty lure back into bondage.
“And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 (NKJV)
Remember that the truth made you free. When God saved you He "made" you free. You are free because Jesus purchased your freedom with His own life. But you can be completely free, yet still live as if you are in bondage. The truth of God made us free, but it's believing that that that sets you free to live in freedom. Believing a lie is what keeps you in bondage. The only way our enemy, Satan, can bind up a Christian is by deception. And even then, they aren’t truly in bondage. They just believe that they are and for Satan’s purposes, that’s just as effective.
The enemy will try to make you believe that you still have to live up to the measure of the law. Remember that the power of sin is found in the law, so if he can get you to focus on the law, he will be successful in getting you to sin. And if he can keep you in that sin long enough, it will ultimately bring great harm to you.
The enemy will try to make you believe that you are still under the control of sin. He will try to convince you that you are in bondage to some activity that you just can’t stop doing. And you will finally give up in defeat to its power. Again, his goal is for sin to destroy you.
I was once at the lake on a prayer retreat and we broke up from our groups to go pray alone. My friend saw some vicious looking dogs behind me where I was praying, but told me not to be concerned about them. She explained to me that they were in an invisible fence. I was within 10 feet of them, and there appeared to be no barriers dividing us, yet those dogs never got any closer to me.
I learned later how an invisible fence works. An electrical wire is buried just under the ground to form a boundary. For several weeks, the dog wears a devise around its neck that emits an electrical charge every time the dog gets close to the boundary. The dog soon learns how far he can go without feeling pain. After the dog is trained, the devise can be removed from his neck, but the dog will still not venture close to the boundary line.
Those dogs at the lake were fully free to have a meaty meal off of me, but they just didn’t know it. And their lack of knowledge about their freedom was just as effective as a 20 foot fence!!
God has removed us from captivity to our enemy. If we believe the truth of God’s Word, he will never have any power over us again. The truth gives us victory over Satan. The truth makes us free and when we believe it, we can live freely in it!
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