Some have tried, but, of course, they failed miserably. Had they been successful, you wouldn’t have one on your phone, tablet, desk or beside your bed. Yes, the enemy from time to time has used its most powerful weapons to wipe it off the face of the earth and to erase it from the minds and hearts of people – but the Bible always comes out on top! It has never been defeated, nor will it ever be.
The Apostle Paul was feeling the isolation of imprisonment when he wrote the second letter to his fellow-labourer Timothy. He had been arrested for preaching the Gospel and sharing the truth throughout the major cities of the ancient world. As a result, he was considered a menace to society – an evildoer, guilty of crimes against humanity requiring imprisonment.
Quite frankly, if we were incarcerated for such a noble cause, we might suffer from a severe case of the ‘blues.’
“Why is this bad thing happening to me? Is God not good? Has God lost control of His agenda? It makes no sense to me to be locked up in this dark prison when I was honouring the Lord and serving Him faithfully – especially when I was doing such important work. Why this?”
But here’s what Paul wrote to Timothy:
Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead, the offspring of David as preached in my Gospel for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the Word of God is not bound! 2 Timothy 2:8-9
In the cold prison, Paul reminded Timothy to stay focused on Jesus Christ. Yes, men can arrest and chain a Christian and throw them behind the walls of a prison; but they cannot handcuff, chain, or bind the spirit of a believer who is focused on Christ. “Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead!” Just as Christ arose mightily from the grave, so a Christian’s spirit can leap over the walls of a ‘prison trial’ when their thoughts are focused on Christ.
“Yes, I am bound like a criminal, and I have been curtailed, restricted and limited to this miserable old cell, but …”
But what? Paul, what are you going to say next? What’s behind the huge smile of victory on your face?
“Here’s what thrills my heart: they can bind me with their strongest chains and restrict me in their darkest cell – but there are two things they cannot stop: 1) they can’t stop me from thinking about Christ, and 2) they can’t stop the Word of God from spreading. It can’t be bound. It will triumph every time.”
Friend, never underestimate the power of the Word of God and what it will accomplish! The Word of God can NOT be bound. It is the Living Word, and it is powerful and sharp – even if we are desperately dull at times. (Hebrews 4:12) It has no limitations! And the world cannot bind our minds and rob us of our joy in Christ unless we give it permission. Speaking of allowing the world or events to take control of our minds, the next paragraph sounds a word of caution.
Dear Child of God, don’t let the times get you down. Stay away from doom and gloom so-called Christian websites and news programs that are constantly bombarding you with apocalyptic and calamitous, conspiracy-laden news – always portending the end times are near. Of course, the Lord is coming! You don’t need religious websites or newscasts or videos on FaceBook to interpret the news for you. Use the filter of the Word of God to shape your Christian worldview. Stay away from sensational headlines that are either trying to sway you in a particular direction or using their headlines as clickbait. And after you click, you are left depressed or confused for the day.
Let’s end on this note – two things that can’t be bound or crushed: The spirit of a Christian focused on Jesus Christ and the Word of God.
Newest Short Video in the Idioms Series – Lesson #5 Flash in the Pan
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.
Warmly in Christ,
Peter Ramsay
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