Ben Shiller Jacob
Are we Christians enjoying the full freedom in Christ Jesus? Or half of the freedom? at least to wobble enough?
When we say we are free, deep down in our heart, undoubtedly, we know we are not. Why?
Was the Gospel of Jesus Christ a lie when the Scriptures declare we will find freedom and Jesus, the Messiah will break the yoke of our burden, and the staff on the shoulders, the rod of our oppressor (Isaiah 9:4)?
While I was in my prayer closet, the Spirit of the Lord gave me this thought, majority of the Christians are under the bondage of the enemy in various sector of their life. Surprisingly, we, born again believers of Christ are not even bothered or aware of being under the influence of the oppressor.
When Israel was in Egypt, because of the affliction and oppression from their taskmasters caused them to cry to the Lord.
14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.
Exodus 1:14
The children of Israel did realize at some point that their tasks and workloads they are given now have become severe and cumbersome. The behavior and treatment of their taskmasters have been changed suddenly. People of Israel started to notice a change in their life. This change obviously was not favorable. At one point, Egyptians who were friendly now became hostile and treated the children of Israel bitterly. When the oppression got severe and unbearable, the children of Israel cried to the Lord.
23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.
Exodus 2: 23-25
Yahweh remembered His children. As an answer to their cry, Yahweh brought Moses back to Egypt to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt. Here, we should pay attention to one thing, that WHEN THEY CRIED, YAHWEH ANSWERED THEM. When Israel noticed and realized that they are under bondage, they cried to the Lord for deliverance. UNTIL THAT POINT OF REALIZATION, ISRAEL ENJOYED SLAVERY WITHOUT COMPLAINTS AND RESISTANCES. They had no clue whether they were slaves of Egyptian system.
This is what the Holy Spirit is pointing out that we, Christians are under various bondages of the enemy. We are hooked on his baits. The staff and the rod of our oppressor are upon our shoulders. Yet, we are unaware of them. We are not realizing those burdens and strong grip of the enemy making us his puppets. Many of us are afflicted with incurable diseases and conditions, more are struggling to survive in their financial arenas, almost every Christians carry unhealed and uncared traumas in their heart. However, most of us are unaware or ignorant of this truth. Truth to be told, we are not bothered about our freedom and liberty which Jesus spoke about. Because we are entwined with the SYSTEM of the prince of this world to the point untangling from it is nearly impossible. This state or condition keeps us in prisons of various health issues, poverty, demonic oppression etc. for a lifetime.
Christians compare and compete with the people of the world as if we belong to the system of this world.
The children of Israel had the same problem when they were delivered from Egypt. Even after they were delivered out from the land of Egypt, their mind was still glued to the seductive lifestyle of Egypt.
This was not just a problem of Israel. Same mindset exists in the body of Christ. At least, the children of Israel realized their situation. What about us?
Can anyone of us say boldly that we are not controlled by our enemy of our souls?
I cannot! Because when I analyzed myself, I came to the point that though I confess I love Jesus, not in action!
Tragedy is this, my heart is preoccupied with the things of the world. I want to buy this and that to attain or maintain my status in my community. I desire financial security because my trust is in mammon. When I say, Yeshua is the only Healer, I fill my closet with all kinds of drugs I could get from the pharmacy.
When I name Pharisees, hypocrites during Jesus’ time, I am ignorant of my own hypocrisy.
Come out from among them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
and I will receive you.
1 Corinthians 6:17
Now is the time to examine ourselves, not tomorrow or later in the hour.
We are already late! Don’t wait for the one beside you because Lord’s Day is at hand!
Whatever we are going through, are afflicted with is because of one thing: our disobedience to His Word. If we suffer for the Kingdom and Jesus’ sake, that is acceptable. But our frustrations and oppressions are the result of total abandonment of our Savior and His knowledge.
Notice here what Apostle Paul is saying,
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
Colossians 3:10
Why the body of Christ is powerless and unauthoritative against the works of the devil is because as Jesus said,
25Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation;
Matthew 12:25
The believers are still in the kingdom of darkness. We have inexpressible longings and bonds with the things of the darkness.
Why can’t we cast out demons, heal the sick etc. as the early church? There is only one answer to this: we have ties with the enemy!
28But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Matthew 12:28
When we see the kingdom of darkness obeys to our commands, believe that we are translated to the kingdom of God.
Our Heavenly Father can’t stand seeing us to be in bondages. But He desires us to cry to Him as the children of Israel did in Egypt.
I tell you this, plainly whatever we suffer except for the kingdom after we have been redeemed by Yeshua’s blood, is because of our wrong standing and disobedience to the knowledge of Yeshua.
If we are being afflicted with ongoing health conditions, it’s time to ask ourselves, are we eating rightly or not?
16-17 Wisdom gives: a long, good life, riches, honor, pleasure, peace. 18 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who eat her fruit; happy is the man who keeps on eating it.
Proverbs 3:16-18
Here, it says we will get good long life if we are wise. This ‘long life’ mentioned here by King Solomon is not about everlasting life we receive after life but our wise decisions and choices in our day-to-day life that result in good health thereby prolonged life, prosperity, respect and so on.
Consider those anointed ones of Yahweh: Needless to say, Yeshua, John the Baptist, Apostle Paul, Elijah, Daniel etc. led a lifestyle out of the system of this world. The result of this was amazingly great than we think as they could carry enormous amount of glory of God in their lives.
Now it’s our time. Because,
9For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”
2 Chronicles 16:9
Shiller’s Takeaway
Being in this world but not of this world is how we should be. We Christians must start taking responsibilities our lives, not blaming the devil all the time. Its our way of life that makes our walk with Christ miserable and difficult. The enemy can only tempt you, but being tempted is our choice! This is why the importance of renewal of our mind with the knowledge of Christ Jesus. It’s high time to declutter our minds, heart and body from unhealthy lifestyles. Start crying to the Lord by understanding our unrenewed mind and ask Him to deliver us from the grip of our common enemy.
Communion with a Contrite Heart
Our Heavenly Father, we come to the place of repentance for being drunk of the wine of Babylon. We pray that You open the eyes of our understanding to come out from the system of this world and to be transformed and transfigured according to the image of Christ Jesus in Jesus name we pray – AMEN!