Craig Clouston

Ransomed

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all men.
1 Timothy 2:5

The voicemail sounded like a line out of a Hollywood movie. “Bring five hundred thousand dollars to the mall parking lot tomorrow at two-thirty or your kid dies! Small bills, none in sequence, nothing larger than a twenty or smaller than a five. Drive to the southwest corner of the lot. Pull in beside the dark blue van with tinted windows. You’ll see a NY Yankee’s pennant on the antenna. Even trade: your daughter for the money. Don’t do anything stupid. Tell anyone and she dies!” There was a muffled “Mommy!” cut off as the caller hung up.
Terrifying thoughts threatened to overwhelm Jennifer. She fought for focus. How were they supposed to come up with that kind of money? Who did these people think they were? Five hundred thousand dollars was impossible! How did they get Beth? She speed-dialed Peter’s cell and franticly told him about the message and ransom demand. Peter immediately called his father, a city police officer, and explained the situation.
At two-thirty the following day, the SWAT team converged on the van just moments after the switch was made. Beth was safe! The kidnappers were on their way to jail.

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There are two states of existence: captive or ransomed. We experience one or the other. Every day, Satan takes hostages. Jesus waits for their cry to be set free. Many of us live in fear of Satan’s authority, believing his power can keep us in bondage. But Jesus didn’t die for us to remain ignorant of the enemy’s limitations. We have authority to break the chains of oppression.
Satan is running a bluff! Jesus’ authority over sin is superior to Satan’s hold on our lives. But we have to ask for the deliverance. Jesus paid the price for our freedom. Satan is counting on you not understanding that when Jesus gave Himself as a ransom for all men, He did it for you!

Prayer

“We cry out for freedom, Lord. Come break the chains that bind us, Holy Spirit. The enemy says we can never get victory. Show us the way to walk into Your power. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”