Lesson 6 - October First Week
Victory Is Available for Prisoners
Background Reading:
Genesis 39:20-22; Psalm 102:18-22, 146:7; Zechariah 9:11-12; 1 John 5:4
Devotional Reading:
Acts 16:25-40
Central Verse:
“For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not His prisoners.”
Psalm 69:33, KJV
“The Lord hears the cries of the needy; He does not despise His im-prisoned people.”
Psalm 69:33, NLT
Key Terms:
Incarcerated– Confined in a jail or prison; constricted, but not strangulated.
Separation– The act or process of setting or keeping apart; the state of being separated; to make a distinction between.
Confined– Kept within something that restrains or encloses; to be kept within limits.
Introduction:
God has made victory available for every person who desires victory and is willing to do what is required to obtain it. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world. even our faith”(1 John 5:4). God gives His children hope, and He equips us with tools for fighting battles His way. Believers must remember that no one is perfect. All of God’s children have made mistakes and bad decisions, as well as had failures and breakdowns. But we must be willing to learn from our mistakes and allow God to lead us to lives of victory.
In some societies, committing a crime and going to prison seems like the worst thing that anyone can do. Yes, it can be a bad occurrence, but once a person commits the crime and later pays for it by doing time in prison, they should not have to pay for the rest of their life. He should be able to know that God has love and mercy for His people even when they are prisoners.
Discussion:
Many biblical characters made mistakes and later repented, and God used their lives mightily. People can become trapped in many prisons that are not physical. Some people are imprisoned by emotional chains, including loss of peace and love, and they get involved in evil deeds and habits, becoming trapped in the darkness of this world. These mental prisons leave people hurting and struggling to survive from day to day. But God wants to heal, deliver, and set every captive free. God’s children get trapped in these various prisons because we fail to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. We fail to remember that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. To win this race to victory, the believer must keep our eyes on the prize, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. God loves the poor, and He has compassion for the prisoners.
“Victory” means a divine gift – a result of faith and obedience towards God. Victory is not limited to worldly accomplishments, but it also includes over-coming personal struggles, standing firm in the faith during trials, and com-mitting to God in every way. Victory allows the believer to triumph over sin, as we realize that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But, because of the love and the grace of God, he, the prisoner, can emerge victorious from life’s fiercest storms and battles, because he has Jesus in his life. The prisoner must remember that victory was won when Jesus defeated death on the Cross, rose from the dead, and made eternal life available to all who believe.
A prisoner’s road may be marked by pain, suffering, rejection, failure, disappointment, and great sacrifice, but he can gain comfort, knowing that Jesus loves him and is waiting to embrace him when he surrenders his life to Him.
Anxiety and fear are very destructive emotions that many prisoners face when they recognize the uncertainties that they must face in life, but if they can confess their faults and anxieties to Jesus, He will help them to gain the upper hand and allow them to find a solution that will lead them to victorious, faith-filled lives. The prisons in our countries are filled with innocent people who were wrongly convicted of crimes that they didn’t commit.
Many of these men and women have suffered greatly, not understanding why God has allowed them to endure such perplexing times. Sometimes, they search for answers and can’t find them, but they try to hold onto the fact that God has a purpose and a plan for their lives. Believers must constantly intercede for the men and women who are incarcerated in whatever prisons they are in. The prisoner’s faith is often stretched to its limit; yet, the prisoner tries to persevere faithfully, resting in the assurance that God will ultimately give them victory and an eternal reward.
We have the story of Joseph, who was wrongfully put in prison because of the hatred of others. He had to deal with separation from those who loved and cared for him and the uncertainty of what would happen to him. But, because he knew God, he was able to maintain a good spirit. Because of his good spirit, God gave him favor wherever he went. Joseph refused to allow his life to rob him of love, because love is a vital aspect of life to God. Believers must remember that if there is no love in our hearts and spirits, then there can be no victory.
Life eventually causes all people to deal with tough times. Joseph, however, knew that to have victory, he had to overcome the tough times by maintaining a relationship with God. He refused Potiphar’s wife because he wanted to maintain his walk with God. He refused to become bitter about what his brothers did to him because he understood that his life was in God’s hands.
Conclusion:
Prisoners must learn and know that God is love and His love is the most powerful force that exists, and love never fails, because God never fails, and His love leads to victory. For anything that has you bound and is holding you as a prisoner, you are in spiritual warfare, and you need to declare the Word back to the enemy. Praying the Word of God is your defense against the enemy’s attacks. God gives you all the power and authority over Satan and victory is yours. Declare and decree victory over your life daily.
Prison is a place of confinement and limited freedom. It is a place of many restrictions, where evil spirits reside. It is a place where it’s easy to become depressed, discouraged, and hopeless, but it can also become a place of victory. God took Joseph from the pit to the palace and allowed him to be-come a mighty man in Egypt, because Joseph allowed his life to be directed by God.
Questions:
1. What causes a person to be incarcerated in prison?
2. What can he do to be released?
3. How can he attain victory as a prisoner?
4. What does love have to do with a prisoner’s victory?
Essential Thought:
Where there is no love, there is no victory!