by Dan Jones
Many of the songs you hear on Kinship Christian Radio have a theme or a message of chains being broken. One of my favorites is “Chain Breaker” by Zach Williams:
If you need freedom or saving
He’s a prison-shaking Savior
If you’ve got chains
He’s a chain breaker
And Scripture is not short on references to breaking chains. Of course, we think of the Israelite’s captivity in Egypt, but it’s also used in conjunction with the deliverance of the Jews from the Babylonians, the Chaldeans, and the Assyrians.
When we get to the New Testament, the phrase easily brings to mind what happened to Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25&26.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. (NIV)
Of course, that’s the very verse Zach Williams is referring to in “Chain Breaker.”
And we’re all certainly familiar with Jesus saying:
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NIV)
Now, into all of this discussion of chains and being set free, I’d like to interject a quote by St. Augustine who said, “Love God and do whatever you please: for the soul trained in love to God will do nothing to offend the One who is Beloved.” (That’s a paraphrase. St. Augustine lived over 1600 years ago and the original language is a bit loftier that.)
So, here’s where I’m going with this: If we truly believe God is omnipotent and sovereign, what kind of freedom does that mean for us?
Long ago, I was told there are three answers to prayer, “Yes.” “No.” and, “Wait.”
I submit that there is a fourth answer: “Do as you wish.”
There are so many of us that spend so much time trying to ascertain God’s will that what we end up with is inaction –which is the one thing I’m pretty sure most pleases the enemy of our souls.
If I sit around trying to decide whether I should have meatloaf for supper or a radish sandwich but end up doing nothing, how does that bring glory to God? How does that serve as a witness to the lost and the hurting? I could have decided to have neither and instead fasted and prayed and that would have been more effectual than however many minutes of indecision and doubt I experienced.
I so often forget Romans 8:28:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)
If God can use Joseph being thrown into a hole and sold by his brothers for His glory, why am I worried about what I have for supper?
If I truly believe I have been given His own Holy Spirit that dwells within me as Advocate and Counselor to guide me, why am I worried about such things?
Yes, I can still be deceived. Yes, I can still make mistakes. Yes, I can still go down the wrong road at times, but where is my faith? I’ve been given His own Word to hold in my hands and, with the tools we have today, I can easily search it for answers. And in it, I find clear teaching on that whole meatloaf vs. radish sandwich conundrum:
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)
And that, applied to all the aspects of my life, breaks chains without number.
God is indeed omnipotent. He is not constrained or held back in any way by me or what I do. He asks for faith and trust in Him and even THAT is not of my own doing, but by His power in me, even in my weakness. God does not need me –He wants me. HALLELUJAH!
And that is why He is so very worthy of our praise. The God of the universe, the God who created you and I and everything around us by speaking it into being loves us and sent His only Son to die for us so that we would have not just a life, but a full and abundant life! (John 10:10) We live for His glory!
So, I am not in chains. I am free indeed because He is mighty and sovereign over all!
AMEN!
Today’s Praise
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 (NIV)