Transforming CultureSample

Setting the Captives Free

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; (NKJV)

This verse takes on a different significance when we understand these two verses alongside it:

1- Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. (NKJV)

2- John 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (NKJV)

Jesus has called us to, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." (Luke 14:23) He called us to operate in His truth, power, and love and allow Him to set the captives free through us. He directed us to, "heal the sick." (Matthew 10:8)

With this in mind, it would behoove us to know what a “captive” is.

Captives - Greek - aichmalótos, refers to someone who has been captured, often in warfare, and is held as a prisoner. In the New Testament, it is used both literally and metaphorically to describe those who are taken captive by physical or spiritual forces. -Strongs Concordance

We were born into a war. The end has been decided, we win. Therefore, the battle is about souls. This is why we're called to plunder hell to populate heaven.

The Lord has called us to “set the captives free." It is His power, love, and grace working in us and through us, but He has called us to “arise and shine” in the darkness and release His freedom to a world bound in sin and sickness.

We are soldiers in the Lord's army. We are here as Royal Representatives that carry the presence of the King. He laid down His life for us, so we could lay down our life for Him.

The One that came to heal, save, and deliver chose us to represent Him and His Kingdom. Our assignment? Let Him be who He says He is through our surrendered lives.

Prayer: Father, use my life to set the captives free and show them how to walk with Your Son.