The Prison of the Mind

I would like to share with you a vision I received one morning in prayer.

"I was walking down this corridor in a  State prison when suddenly one of the cell doors swung wide open. Inside the cell was a man sitting in a corner in a curled up position.  As I was thinking about entering the cell, the Lord appeared  in His long white robe and sandals. He went over to the man who was huddled in the corner of the cell and reached out his hand to help him up. But, when the man stood up, I noticed that there were three balls and chains still locked to his leg. He couldn't have walked out even if he wanted to.  The Lord bent down, and graciously unlocked the chains.  The man stepped out of the chains, took Jesus' hand and followed Him out of the prison."

I stood amazed and asked the Lord what He was trying to show me. He took me to Isaiah 61 where the Word says, "I have come to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound, to  proclaim the year of the LORD"S favor." That was it!

This man was born again, the door was open, but he was still sitting in a prison cell, chained to three balls. Now, I understood why the prison door was opened and why he could not leave.  It was the chains. He couldn't walk without dragging the balls and chains. Why didn't he realize that he had been set free from the chains too!

The Lord took me to Numbers 13, where the ten spies were sent out into Canaan.  When they came back, this was their report, "We came to the land which you sent us.  It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.  However, the people who dwell in the land are strong and the cities are fortified and very large. and beside we saw the Anak there. " As you read on, the eight spies tell a great tale of  unbelief and fear.  No way were they going to be able to fight in Canaan. There were giants in the land. They thought that God must be crazy to sent them in there.  Their questioning God cost them another forty years of wandering in the desert. They thought they knew MORE than God. They did not trust what He said to them.

"Lord, I asked, I still don't understand, why the chains?  If, the prison cell door is opened and the prisoner is free, why is he still sitting in his cell?  His answer was so clear and it broke His heart. " The three balls were FEAR, DOUBT AND UNBELIEF.  It is the same three sins that kept my people out of the Promised Land and wandering in the desert for forty years.  They just didn't believe what I told them.  Even in my own hometown, I could not perform many miracles because of their unbelief. It is a deception" (Mark 6:6). 

Now, it all made sense.  FEAR, DOUBT AND UNBELIEF  were  Satan's greatest weapon to keep the church from moving ahead.  The truth is Jesus is FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE.  There is NO fear, doubt and unbelief in God and if we struggle with fear, doubt and unbelief, it is only in the PRISON OF our MIND.  It is a lie and Jesus meant what He said, "I HAVE COME TO SET THE PRISONER FREE!" Repent and believe the gospel. Everything we have ever desired,  we will find in Him.  He is more than enough to meet our deepest need. He alone is the ONLY ONE who can  release us from the prison of our mind.  He is our NEW LIFE,  full of hope and glory,  enabling us to cast off all fear, doubt and unbelief.  We too can become a Joshua or a Caleb. They believed God and lived to see the promised land. The prison doors are opened, the chains are unlocked.  We are free.  Come out in the Name of Jesus and be set free. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty."(2 Cor. 3:17)