Many of the people we generally come into contact with are captives of the devil, but have no clue as to their condition much less how to get free. In the natural such spiritual captives may be successful business men, athletes or role models of some type who are the envy of multitudes because of their money, physical appearance, power, etc. There are also the little known ordinary people, who few may know. Don’t be deceived, such people are hurting and are in dire need of help. They have no rest for their soul (Mt. 11:28,29) or peace with God (Isa. 48:22; 57:21; etc.). That is where the true servants of God, especially true spiritual leaders, are to come to their assistance and help rescue them, as one may rescue a drowning person from the water:
And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (2 Tim 2:24-26)
Until a person comes to repentance and a knowledge of the truth, he is in spiritual captivity and is a spiritual prisoner of war! He is bound up by sin (John 8:34-36; Rom. 6:18-22) and darkened in his understanding (Eph. 4:18) of spiritual things, including his own condition before God. He does not have eternal life, but instead travels on the broad road to hell, even though he may be highly religious, profess to be Christian and perhaps even be an esteemed well-known preacher! The clearest way to know if you (whoever you are) are among those in spiritual captivity without eternal life, is revealed by your answer to this question: Are you living holy now? If you are a slave to sin, who has only known such spiritual captivity, or are again enslaved since the time you were set free at salvation (2 Pet. 2:20-22), you are without eternal life, even if you pray often and read the Bible. Here is proof:
The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:4)
Are you in spiritual captivity? If so, Jesus of Nazareth is the one and only answer for you. The way is narrow to God’s holy paradise and only the holy minority will enter through those gates (Mt. 7:13,14).
