Come Out of Your Cell

Scripture Reading: Revelation 3:7-13

Today's Treasure: "These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  I know your deeds.  See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut" (Rev. 3:7-8).

Satan is the master of accusation. Revelation 12:10 identifies him as the "accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before God day and night." Satan's primary problem is that he is eaten up with jealousy over Jesus Christ. The enemy of our souls was the "morning star" who was "cast down to earth" for saying in his heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isa. 14:12-14). I practically shudder to even write the final blasphemy. Simply said, Satan wants what Christ has. He knows he can't have it; therefore, he attempts to counterfeit and counteract everything Christ does.

In Luke 5:24, Christ announced emphatically, "The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." Indeed, the acceptance of God's forgiveness through Jesus Christ His Son swings our prison doors wide open. Satan knows that "what he [Christ] opens no one can shut," (Rev. 3:7). If he is powerless to shut prison doors Christ has opened, what is Satan's next best option? He can convince us to stay, even though we've been freed to leave. One of his primary methods of keeping freed men pinned by their own volition in their prison cells is accusation.

Never in all of Scripture does Christ resist the repentant sinner. He resisted the proud and the self-righteous religious, but never the humble and repentant. Indeed, forgiveness is why He came. When we approach God in genuine repentance, taking full responsibility for our own sins, our prison doors swing open. Tragically, we could sit right there in our prison cells the next five years in torment if we don't stand on God's promises and walk forward in His truth. Since Satan knows that forgiveness leads to freedom, he takes on the role of tormentor, taunting us with guilt and condemnation. If Christ has forgiven us, he does everything he can to see to it that we don't forgive ourselves.

Picture a death-row inmate quarantined in his cramped prison cell. Evidence of who he's been is scribbled in graffiti all over the cell walls. Now picture the inmate receiving a pardon from the governor. Imagine the click of the key as it unlocks the door as it swings open. Before the inmate can stand to his feet and walk out the door the warden of the prison walks in the cell, sits beside him and says, "You can't leave. You know what you've done. You know you're guilty as charged. You know you deserve this filthy, miserable cell. Read what is written all over these walls. That's the real you. It wouldn't matter where you went or how you dressed. No one would be fooled. You're the only fool. You're a death-row inmate. You'll never be free. Just sit right here with me and I'll keep you company."

If we saw this scene in a movie, we would yell out, "What are you doing? Get out of there! You're free!" Yet, you and I have reacted the same way at times in the spiritual realm. Maybe we identify more with the warden who convinces the freed man to stay in his cell. Beloved, are we convincing our repentant brothers and sisters that they still belong in a prison cell? Let us each examine our hearts and see whether we need to come out of our own cells in the name of Jesus or if we need to stop discouraging others from coming out of theirs.

Dear Father, thank You for Your awesome power to free us from our captivity and save our lives. Help me strengthen myself with Your Truth and walk out of my cell. Please forgive me for trying to keep my brothers and sisters in their own cells. Instead, help me be one to proclaim freedom for the captives. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Adapted from Praying God's Word, by Beth Moore, pages 170-171. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000. Used by permission.