Behind Bars

Behind bars I John 5:1-5

• Last week Pastor Crystal spoke on “what does love got to do with it”. And the answer is an overwhelming “Everything”
• I would love to continue to speak on love especially in this era to hummer the point, to rebuke those that have taken this love of Christ and thrown it around without regards of the Price that it took – and what it still takes to restrain the hand of God against our sinful self 
• I heard a preacher say “We are not the ones that keep this love going” – We are inconsistent- with our mood swings, attitudes, highs and low – How can we take credit for this consistent love 
• Its Christ that is consistent, He never changes, and His love is the same- If anyone is holding this thing up – Its God! – so when you speak about Love, you better be careful what you speak of
• The next time you serve, do something good, read your Bible consistently, Pray and have your prayers answered and see blessings in your life 
• Remember Paul writing in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31(Nlt) God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

Victory 

• This evening I want to speak to you about Victory/Freedom/Overcoming 
• John writes and asks a question: 1 John 5:5 – Who is victorious and overcomes this world?
• And without a heartbeat, he responds – It’s the one that BELIVES that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
• It is by believing in Jesus Christ – and this is not just a mere believes,  it Faith that He is who He says He is  – song to see you as you are
• 1 John 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith
• It is one thing to believing that yes, that plane will fly us to an altitude 30,000ft , yes I will be strapped to a professional, and yes its possible to jump out of a perfectly good airplane and that for the next 170 seconds (2.5 min) I will land safely
• Believing is one thing but stepping out in Faith and doing it, is a whole different animal
• Victory starts by believing then by acting on this Faith. We have a part to play 
• The Bible tells us that the price for our sins has already been paid. Victory is ours…as a believer in Christ Victory is ours
• Deuteronomy 20:4 ( Nlt) For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’
• John 16:33 (Esv) I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:57 (Nkjv) But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Knowing this and having this reassurance – My main question for the evening is?
• What are you still doing behind bars?

Nelson Mandela

• When I think of been behind bars, I can’t help but think of Nelson Mandela – A man who was imprisoned for 27 years. He fought for the freedom of South Africans and ended up being the first president of South Africa 
• When you have been in prison for that long, things start happening in you mind (27 years are years that will change a man)
• You become a prisoner not only physically but mentally, your identity changes – hope hangs on a tread if any
• I heard some say that the minute you take away a mans hope you have killed him 
• Think about the mind battles that Mandela had to deal with when he was in prison and even when he got out ?
• He had to have a whole new life, the way he talked, dressed, how he approached relationships had to change. He had to get new friends, had to learn how to relate with his wife Winnie Mandela – his children and many other social aspects 
• You could say that with this new freedom we had to be made a new man- that he Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela had to appropriate this newfound freedom 
• Against many odds released in 1990 – in 1999  he was inaugurated as the first South African president – 9 years later 
• As I prepared this message, I wondered, what kind of history would we be reading is Nelson Mandela was set free and though the prison doors were open, he choose to stay in?( after all this is all he knew)
• What if he gave in to fear, he left prison but allowed all the fears he faced stop him from stepping out to that which he was called to do?
• There was justification of fear to the outside world, what if I am not truly free?, where do I go, where do I start?
• I am sure there were things that had been said to him that would have kept him but what I love about this story is that he stepped out afraid
• “I was not born with a hunger to be free. I was born free – free in every way that I could know ~ Nelson Mandela 

Voluntary imprisonment 

• The Bible tells me in John 8:36 (Nkjv) Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed
• Then why are so many of you still prisoners to your past even thought the prison doors are open 
• The very hour that Jesus died on the cross the curtain was cut, physical to show you that not only were you freed from your sin and death but that we had full access to God the father 
• Not only that but He has resources for us – He knew that you would be discouraged, reminded of our past, hear back from some people you used to be in prison with, remind us of the smell of sin – thing that still wanted to remind you of your past 
• And that is why He says in Psalms 50:15 – Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” 
• And still He gave us the Holy Spirit – the comforter– that make us feel safe and yet we choose to still be behind doors even when the door is open 
• Why are you still in voluntary bondage 
• This is not foreign to my family
  • Vision that God gave me of Eva – Mind battles that = fear 
  • 6-9 months later God showed me Eva reaping out of the cage – so much so that there were waves – flash character – I went to her and I told her that she was finally out 
• This evening I see you, you, yes you- the enemy knows that he has no power to keep that prison door closed. The stone was rolled away, and the curtain was torn – It is was finished for you by Jesus Christ
• Its like Balaam said, you can’t curse the people of God but you can make them sin by sending your women to seduce them 
• Yes, he can keep you tied behind bars with your own consent 

Peter is imprisoned 

• In acts 12 Herod Agrippa – Is arresting Christians and intending to harm them 
• He had James the brother of John put to death with a sword and this pleased the jews – no believers 
• He has Peter arrested, put in prison and intended to kill him after the passover 
• Acts 12:4-11(Esv)  And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. 6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 
• When I read this (tied to two soldiers, prison cell and guards all over) I can’t help but think about life, how sometimes we feel just like this – things that look like we couldn’t overcome/impossible
• For all you in Christ you can attest that as John puts it – The overcomer is the one the one that believes in Jesus Christ  
• Lets continue to read and see what Our God can do with those bondages that feel impossible 
• 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 
• I wonder if the side that Peter was hit was his head – dude get up, your chains have been broken, the door is open- Lets go!
• This evening someone needs to hear this “ Your chains are broken, you are not who they said you are, you are no longer the old you 
• You are a new creation and its time to “ Get up quickly” loose your former identity and watch the chains will fall off (sound of victory)
• Today – right now – its time for you to take action- Get up quickly, dress yourself and put sandals (You have a crucial part to play )  and follow me Jesus
• The Lord already has a plan for you, the angel told him – Follow me! 
• 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
• You may be behind bars, you see the door but you are scared of what the next step is – the command is simple -“Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 

Testimony 

• Why did God go to all this trouble of setting Peter free?
• Because Peter had work to do 
• You have a work to do as well – And been behind bars you cannot accomplish that 
• Remember Mandela – he couldn’t lead a people or a country from prison 
• Acts 12:12( Amp) – 12 When he realized what had happened, he went to the house of [a]Mary the mother of John, who was also called [b]Mark, where many [believers] were gathered together and were praying continually [and had been praying all night].
• He knocks on the door and a servant girl called Rhoda – refuses to open 
• Peter continues to knock – yo let me in- I just got out of prison -lets go
• Acts 12:17 ( Esv) But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.”[a] Then he departed and went to another place.
• My friends – you cannot be able to declare Victory of what God has done in your lives unless you step out of those prison doors. 
• 1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
• Friends, part of loving each other is by loving God, keeping His commandments and having stepped out when He says “Get up and go”
• The enemy has convinced you that it’s difficult to step out. I want to remind you that there is freedom is Christ – and His commandment to get up and go where He leads you is not burdensome at all
• Matthew 11:28-30 (Esv) Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
• Matthew 28:19-20 (Nkjv) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
• Prayer night – Challenged to share my testimony 
• Tonight, start by crying out to the Lord…Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of your freedom 
• Set me free this Anniversary week Lord – start a work in me now that I can truly be free 
• “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” “Wrap your cloak around you and follow JESUS!

For more sermons please visit our SERMON PAGE

Please subscribe to our YOUTUBE PAGE