"When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south." - Psalms 126:1-4
For some days now, the Holy Spirit has laid the above Bible passage in my heart. Whenever that nudge comes from him, I clearly know that there is someone somewhere he wants to talk to on the subject of captivity.
There are some questions we will consider as we go on and they are;
What is captivity?
Zion in captivity?
Why will Zion be in captivity?
WHAT IS CAPTIVITY?
Captivity refers to a state of being imprisoned or confined. It means that such a person is probably taken away from his accustomed environment, denied the right to do what he wants and when he wants it. While in captivity, ones basic rights to movement, association, choice of food, etc. are usually taken away. His life comes fully under the control of the captor. He no longer lives his life as he wishes but as ordered by the captor. The captive's life is under the total control of his master. He does just what the captor wants or receives punishment for disobeying. The Bible says that the children of Israel served with rigour while in captivity in Egypt. Their lives were bitter and they were placed on forced, hard labour.
"And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour." - Exodus 1:13-14
Nobody enjoys captivity. It comes with frustration, emotional and physical torture. A captive never works for himself but for his captor. Just like the slave girl in Acts 16:16-19, the money a captive makes is for his master. Captivity dehumanizes.
Beyond humans taking humans into captivity, spiritual forces can also take people into captivity. Spiritual captivity is the worst form of captivity because here you are dealing with spiritual powers that can't be seen physically but their destructive works manifest every day in the life of the captive. Destinies are rendered stagnant, marriages are destroyed, people are infested with sicknesses and diseases, jobs are lost, businesses are closed by stubborn captor-spirits and demonic powers. Most demonic captors are stubborn and resistant to spiritual battles to oust them and free the captive. That was what Jesus saw in the spirit realm when he told his disciples that this type (demon) does not go except by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:14-21). I pray that God will deliver you from every form of captivity in Jesus name.
ZION IN CAPTIVITY?
"When the LORD turned again the captivity of ZION, we were like them that dream." - Psalm 126:1
Who is this Zion the Psalmist is referring to? Zion as used in the Old Testament is another name for Jerusalem, the city of David (2 Samuel 5:7, 1Kings 8:1, 1Chronicles 11:5). By extension, Zion refers to the people of God. It refers to the universal church.
The psalmist in Psalm 126:1 revealed that Zion was in captivity. It means that the inhabitants of Zion were captured held in captivity. They lived in stagnancy and retrogression. They were placed under forced labour for the gains of their captor. They cannot go beyond certain limits in everything they did. They must get the permission of their masters before they can do something meaningful with their lives.
Beloved this is the story of the church today. Forces of darkness have placed so many believers under satanic captivity of sin, worldliness, masturbation, pornography, prayerlessness, demonic oppression and suppression.
In recent times, I have come across so many Christians who are regularly assaulted by spirit spouses. Others are afflicted by the spirit of fear, sicknesses, poverty, near-success syndrome, mediocrity, hallucinations and more. It is often heart-breaking to see hopelessness and helplessness of some Christians who have found themselves under demonic captivity. People have been frustrated out of their Christian faith because of the oppressive activities of satanic forces. Samson was so frustrated in captivity that all he wished was to die while taking his revenge on his captors. May that never be your portion, to die with your captors in Jesus name.
In the second part of this article, I will be revealing to us how God's people get into satanic captivity.
May God deliver you from every form of satanic captivity. May he help you to escape every drag net of the devil set to capture and take you captive in Jesus name.
This article is written by Pastor Fortune Ihunweze.
Kindly like my pages on Facebook:
War Against The Prince and Kings of Persia
You can also join my Facebook prayer group:
Comments
Post a Comment