The Lost Soul
A prisoner, but born that way.
J Oscar Wells was a missionary in China when Japan invaded. He and his wife were taken prisoner and forced to live, with hundreds of others, on a ship as prisoners of war. It was during those years that they gave birth to their daughter Shannon. Consider, she had her parents, food at least enough to survive. She had other children to play with. She had never known anything else. She didn’t know she was a prisoner.
The illusion of freedom
The lost soul is born a prisoner of the devil. He or she is provided well enough to survive and often to believe they are thriving.
Though they believe themselves to be thriving, the reality is, the keeper of the prison plans their final destruction. Like an animal that is fed well, giving plenty of clean fresh water and even doted upon by the farmer, the plan is to slaughter the animal, so the devil may provide everything necessary to keep the lost soul content and happy but the plan for them is death.
The battle of liberty
It is not until the lost soul realizes their condition, a battle begins, that they have hope of true liberty. The battle may be intense. There is the loss of all that they believe is theirs but is really only what the enemy of their soul wished them to have. There are feelings of helplessness, Dread at the prospect of destruction. There is the hope of escape but anxiety that it may never happen (what if it is not real?) There is the separation from other prisoners not willing to take the risk to fight for liberty.
Surrender
It is only after the soul battles through these that he or she comes to realize they can never escape on their own. They are hopelessly trapped without a Saviour. When they surrender to the battle, then Jesus steps in. They need not fight the battle. Jesus has won it already.
Liberty
The saved soul realizes that his liberty was gained, not by his struggle but by the Lord. Liberty is found in following the Saviour.
Marvin McKenzie
In the fields
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