Life in the current age has become more entangling and chaotic in every aspect. And all of us have learnt a great deal to live with the chains we are bound with. Initially, we tend to be in denial of the fact that our chains do exist. However, the more challenging the situations in our lives are to tackle, the weaker we become to fight against them and throw in our towels and learn to coexist with our chains. This attitude of complacency and defeat is what the enemy wants us to have in our lives.
What are the chains in our lives?
Chains represent something used to keep people bound, so they can’t function in their usual way. Chains represent the control placed upon us by an external force. The law enforcement use chains and handcuffs to control the prisoners, so they are kept under control from committing crimes. In the spiritual sense, chains represent the many evil weapons of darkness, bondage, curse and oppression that the enemy brings into our lives to keep us bound, so we don’t understand who we are in our God’s eyes, but identify as one who is weak and subject to the control of the enemy. We put a boundary around us to limit our potential because of the yoke of the bondage in our lives.
Talking about captivity and bondage will only make us think about how strong these chains get around us. Majority of the times, it would be spiritual, emotional or mental chains that people face rather than physical chains. We should always remember our God is the mighty Deliverer, and He is and has always been in the business of breaking every chain – be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual chains. There are many instances in the Bible where we see God breaking down the chains and barriers for His people to liberate them in supernatural ways.
Fulfillment of Prophecy about the Chain Breaker
I would like to draw your attention to a verse from Isaiah 61:1 – “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.” Also let’s take a look at Luke 4:16-21 – “16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.””
Here, in these scripture portions, we see the fulfillment of God’s promise. God cared for His people in the Old Testament and promised of a Deliverer through His prophet Isaiah. And followed it up by allowing His one and only Son Jesus Christ to be born in this world to deliver His people from every possible situation that keeps them remain captivated.
In Luke 13:16, God delivered the woman who was crippled and kept bound for 18 years. In Acts 12:6-7, He delivered Peter from the Prison in spite of him being kept in chains in between the guards. The angel of God appeared from nowhere, and His very presence melted the chains of captivity. The doors opened of their own accord and Peter walked out of there a free man. In Acts 16:23-27, there’s another example of Paul and Silas who were locked up in the prison and put in chains. As they prayed and praised God at about midnight, God showed up and the earthquake of deliverance hit the whole prison. The chains again melted and fell off on their own.
Power that breaks every chain
And on and on and on, we see so many instances of God showing off His miraculous power of deliverance to His people. Every such instance of deliverance was backed or triggered by prayer. Prayer is a powerful weapon that God has gifted to us. For a strong person to break free from a handcuff or strong metal link chain, it would take over thousand pounds of pressure. The spiritual chains are even more powerful to break. In Mark 3:27, Jesus warns that in order to break in and enter a house of a strong man, the strong man should be tied up or held captive in the first place. So, we also must bind the strong man who is intruding in our lives to cause havoc before we could experience and enjoy the blessings of the Lord. And the most powerful tool that we can use to bind the strong man is nothing but prayer.
Prayer transcends the spiritual realm. What seems difficult to achieve or break free in the natural realm, becomes easy and possible in the spiritual realm, through the power of prayer. In Daniel 10, Daniel received a troubling vision of a great war and goes on to fast and pray for 21 days. In response to Daniel’s prayer, God sends a heavenly messenger to explain the vision to Daniel. But the answer to Daniel’s prayer was held captive by the prince of Persia for 21 days. Then the Archangel Michael was sent on a special mission to fight against the strong man who held Daniel bound from receiving the answer of God. Here we see the power of prayer that Daniel lifted up before God. His prayer was able to accomplish the deliverance from the chains of the demonic powers in the spiritual realm.
Arise and Shine
The name of Jesus Christ is El-Shaddai – the Almighty and Omnipotent God. Prayers lifted up in the name of Jesus are the most powerful weapons. Nothing can stand against that name, and the enemy will tremble and flee out of our lives when we stand in His name in prayer. Yes, my dear friends, always remember that God is our very present help at all times, and prayer is our direct hotline to God. Persistent and fervent prayers will shatter any kind of shackles the enemy may put around us.
We are not called to be complacent as losers under the demonic powers. But we are called to be more than conquerors in the most powerful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So be aware and proclaim the deliverance that Jesus came to give you and live a life of victory by breaking free from every bondage in your lives! Nothing is impossible through the power of prayer in the name of Jesus! I would like to encourage you to keep in mind what Isaiah 61:1 says. “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord that was upon Jesus, is also upon you and me, to break every yoke of the enemy and to set the prisoners free”. The Chain Breaker is within us and works through our prayers. Be bold and declare against the powers of darkness in the Most High name given to us, so you will become the channel to bring God’s deliverance in the lives of those around you!
The famous song ‘Chain Breaker’ by Contemporary Christian Artist Zach Williams is a good reminder of who we should look up to when we go through the captive experience. Here’s the chorus to encourage you. Sing aloud and be aware that you’re free and you can help others break free as well through the power that works within you!
If you’ve got pain
He’s a pain taker
If you feel lost
He’s a way maker
If you need freedom or saving
He’s a prison-shaking Savior
If you’ve got chains
He’s a chain breaker!
–RANJANI KARTHIK
