Break Free From Spiritual Captivity in King Jesus
Let’s break free!
Neither prison itself or the clothes prisoners must sport appeal to this girl. And no doubt the entire experience proves undesirable.
Like confinement to a small space, lack of freedom, prison food or no food, missing my family and friends, and dreaming of a future.
Likewise, Jeremiah 52 recounts this kind of story with an evil king of Jerusalem, Zedekiah, who rebelled against God, and also rebelled against the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar (don’t see those names listed in baby-name books).
So, as a result, Nebuchadnezzar sieged Jerusalem; its king, city, and people fell to this utter destruction and despair:
- Imprisoned King Zedekiah until his death.
- Burned down houses and the house of the Lord.
- Broke down all the walls of Jerusalem.
- Plundered items from the temple.
- Killed the chief priest, keepers of the threshold, and men from the king’s council.
- Took thousands of captives from Jerusalem as exiles to Babylon (seventh and eighteenth years of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign). Then, hundreds of captives from Judah (twenty-third year of his reign).
Yet, when we arrive at the final four verses of this last chapter of Jeremiah, we meet Jehoiachin, king of Judah. Exiled to Babylon and imprisoned when he was a young (Matthew Henry Commentary suggests at eighteen-years-old).
Break Free – Captivity Turned to Freedom
But here’s the rest of the story in God’s Word when despair turned to joy and captivity turned to freedom. It’s also my story.
And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, graciously freed Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life he dined regularly at the king’s table, and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, until the day of his death, as long as he lived (Jeremiah 52:31-34, ESV, Emphasis mine).
And thankfully, I have the same story and I hope this is also your story.
3 acts toward us from King Jesus:
Break Free – Jesus Graciously Freed Us and Brought Us Out of Prison
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1, NIV).
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36, ESV).
Extended Kindness to Us
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:4-6, ESV).
Seated Us in the Heavenly Realms
“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6-7, NIV).
Our 3 Responses to Christ:
Break Free – Remove Our Prison Clothes for Garments of Salvation
“…all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isaiah 64:6, NASB).
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10, ESV).
Dine at the King’s Table Regularly
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35, NLT).
It’s time to take our seat at the King's table with a feast set before us. All items are free: grace, unconditional love, salvation, and no additional charge for second helpings of forgiveness and mercy. Share on XGo to the King for Daily Needs
And the Lord encouraged us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11, ESV).
You see, released from captivity by the enemy of my soul, King Jesus extended kindness to me, seated me in the heavenly realms, and provides my daily needs.
King Jesus released me from spiritual captivity, extended kindness to me, seated me in the heavenly realms, and provides my daily needs. Are you held captive or do you wear garments of salvation? Share on X
The Exchange and Choice
Are you still sporting clothes of captivity or are you clothed in garments of salvation?
Have you made a conscious choice to dine every day with King Jesus?
Break free!
Also see, Opening Our Heart to the King of Glory.
Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:
Legacy Linkup/Inspire Me Monday/Tell His Story/Recharge Wednesday/Let’s Have Coffee/Tune in Thursday/Heart Encouragement/Embracing the Unexpected (Grace & Truth) and Faith On Fire.
© 2021 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved
Great encouragement for my morning. It is so important to break free of everything that holds us back from a deeper relationship with Christ. I pray to have this kind of freedom daily.
Good word for us all, Yvonne. I want the kind of freedom daily you describe!
I love the picture you make of prison clothes or the clothing of salvation. A freedom message we need to hear in our day!
Thank you, Nancy. It’s a message of hope and freedom and grace! “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36, ESV).
What great questions we need to be asking ourselves. I think the true answer is found in how others perceive us. Another inspiring message Ms Karen. Thank you ma’am.
Interesting thought, J.D. I pray others see Jesus in me and can’t help but notice I’m no longer clothed in filthy rags, but as a glorious bride for my bridegroom, Christ!
The stark difference in outcome between King Jehoiachin and King Zedekiah is all based on whether or not they obeyed the Lord’s instructions, heading the Lord’s voice. Jehoiachin did, and his life was preserved and his lineage, which eventually produced Messiah Jesus. In contrast, Zedekiah was chased down, all of his sons murdered before his eyes, his own eyes were then put out, and then he was imprisoned until he died. I’d like to think that he was remorseful, like his notoriously evil ancestor Manasseh was at last. But there is no record of Zedekiah’s repentance that I know of. This would have made his blind imprisonment even more harmful for he had no fellowship with God.
Melinda, and that is a troubling storyline for Zedekiah and he would have surely been a troubled soul if he lived his last days without the Lord and died without hope. In contrast, we have a choice in our storyline, namely, to choose to break free from spiritual captivity and be clothed in garments of grace and salvation. A thousand Hallelujahs!
In King Jesus, we find true freedom for our souls so that we can live abundantly to His glory. Give me those clothes of salvation every time!
Blessings, Karen!
Garments of salvation and the glory of Jesus look good on you, Martha! God bless!
I am thankful that I don’t have to be captive to sin. I am a child of God.
Beautifully said, Melissa! We are free!
Regardless of how dire our circumstances become, we do need to rest in the assurance that God has, as you said, “the rest of the story” prepared for us. He extends freedom if we would only reach out to receive His gracious offer!
Receiving His grace and freedom is so simple yet powerful all at the same time!
Thank you, King Jesus!
We are free!
Amen — it is a choice. I choose God! I want to be at His table. ALL ARE WELCOME, no matter what.
Jessica, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36, ESV).
I love the parallel you drew between Jehoiachin’s release from captivity and ours. Sadly, people in the world don’t even know their captives. May God open their eyes to their true predicament and draw them to His love and freedom.
Barbara, the enemy of our souls blinds us before Christ of our captivity and need for freedom. But King Jesus can break through all that with His saints praying, witnessing and the Holy Spirit’s power.
*They’re captives, not their captives.
Karen, I never put together the correlations between Jehoichin’s being freed and our being freed. How amazing is it that we are loved by a God, a Father, who longs to remove our prison clothes and clothe us in His garments, to seat us in the heavenly realms, and to feed us at His table? It’s humbling to know I/we are loved that much. May our response always be one of gratitude and love.
Hey Jeanne, it’s an amazing picture of captives set free which is exactly how the King of kings lovingly releases us from spiritual prison and brings us into all He has for us in the Kingdom of heaven.
Karen, what a wonderful reminder of all we have and can embrace from Christ.
Debbie, we are rescued captives with true freedom!
Karen, the Lord prepares “a regular allowance”, “according to our daily needs”, until the day of our death. May we come before Him each and every day.
Yes, He does, Joanne. Lord, give us our daily bread and help us long for You-the Bread of Life!
Thanks so much for reminding us we no longer have to be prisoners, wear prison clothes, eat prison food, or be captive to the things of this world that make us slaves! We are freed and clothed in the garments of the righteousness of Christ, and we now have hope, joy, and peace through our adoption into the family of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
A thousand Hallelujahs, Mark! Your comment summarized it beautifully!
May the God of hope fill Mark with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit he may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13, ESV).