The Full Story

I recently watched as a person whom I love dearly was convicted of a crime. As they were led out of the courtroom, I couldn’t take my eyes off the chains that were wrapped around their waist. These chains were attached to shackles on the wrists, making it impossible for them to stretch out their arms fully. My heart broke for this one I love. Here was a believer in Jesus Christ, and yet the sins of their past had led them to a sentence of jail time and lost freedom, paying a debt to society.

Somewhere in the depths of hell, I think I heard satan laughing.

But those shackles do not tell the full story.

We all carry the burden of chains in our lives. Ours may not be physical chains put on by earthly authority, but they cost us our freedom just the same. The sins of our past may not be the kind that breaks an earthly law, but they sentence us to a life unfulfilled, living less than God’s best for us. Our chains bind our hands making it impossible to raise them in full surrender to God.

And somewhere in the depths of hell, satan is laughing.

But these chains do not tell the full story.

You see, on the cross at Calvary, Jesus took all the burden of our sins, our chains, and became our sacrifice. The Perfect Lamb of God, drank from the Father’s cup of wrath for the sin of all mankind… now and forever more. Our debt was paid through His blood that was shed on the cross, and through His death our atonement was complete. These chains that we carry that burden us are lies of the enemy! He wants us to believe that we are not worthy of the freedom that came through the Cross of Christ. And truthfully, we aren’t. But God through His Mercy and Great Love has made us worthy by the blood of His Son. We are washed clean, free from our chains by the blood of Jesus. Satan doesn’t want us to remember that. He wants to trick us, deceive us and distract us from Jesus and His blood that was shed for us.

Hear this… we are free! We are able to stretch our arms toward heaven in complete surrender to God, and it’s all because of Jesus. By the Blood of Christ and in the name of Jesus our Savior, satan must flee from us. Do not be deceived any longer… YOU ARE FREE.

Revelation 12:11

And they overcame him (satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…

And somewhere in the depths of hell, satan is nervous.

And that is the full story.

Be blessed, my friends, in Christ Jesus.