The Open Prison: Why We Stay Bound When Christ Has Set Us Free
Breaking Free from the Chains We Can’t See
There is a war raging inside each of us—a struggle between light and darkness, truth and lies. Often, unaddressed wounds, deep-rooted fears, and self-protective habits keep us from experiencing the fullness of God’s glory.
Remember Jesus didn’t come to overthrow Rome—He came to overthrow the kingdom of darkness. He came to conquer. He came to break every chain of sin and restore the dominion we were meant to walk in.
However, if we refuse to face our own darkness, we risk missing the deeper work He intends to do in us. Deliverance isn’t about improving our circumstances first; it’s about transforming our hearts so that we can see the outward breakthrough God so longs to bring.
Missing the Moment of Visitation
I once counseled a woman who had been a devoted believer for decades. She arrived at my office with tears in her eyes and a trembling voice. “I pray, I go to church, I read my Bible,” she said, her arms wrapped tightly around the pillow she placed in front of her. “But I still feel powerless. Why am I not free?”
She spoke of the countless prayer meetings she attended, the worship songs she sang everyday, and the bible studies she led. Yet a cycle of fear and shame held her captive. Her heart felt betrayed for years with disappointment and lingering doubts—an unspoken worry that perhaps God’s promises were true for others but not for her.
David wrestled with guilt after his grave mistakes (Psalm 51).
Elijah spiraled into despair even after a miraculous victory (1 Kings 19).
These stories prove that even the faithful can feel trapped in an unending battle within.
During my conversation with this sister in Christ, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the scene where Jesus wept over Jerusalem:
Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ”If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes… because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
(Luke 19:41-44, NKJV)
True freedom begins when we stop running from our wounds and start surrendering them to the One who heals. The battle isn’t just about what we overcome—it’s about who we become in Christ.
The Hidden Prison: When Buried Pain Keeps Us Bound
The Jews longed for a political conqueror who would topple Rome. In the same way, many of us want God to fix our outward challenges, never realizing He first wants to break the inward barriers locking us in cycles of defeat. Their hardness of heart blinded them to the depth of what Jesus came to do—and that same hardness can reside in us if we choose not to confront our inner darkness.
We spend so much of our lives burying painful experiences, believing that if we just move past them, they will lose their grip on us. But pain that is buried is not pain that is healed. Much like my precious client who genuinely loves the Lord, many of us find ourselves stuck in cycles we don’t know how to escape.
On the outside, everything seems fine—we go to church, we worship, we do what’s expected. But beneath the surface, we are barely surviving. And often, no one notices. Not because they don’t care, but because they, too, are hiding their own pain. The cycles keep us bound because they allow us to function just enough to convince ourselves and others that we are okay, when in reality, we are still imprisoned by the wounds we refuse to face.
A Vision of a Captive Church
Soon after that counseling session, the Lord gave me a vivid vision of His Church. I saw a massive fenced compound, ringed with tall barbed wire. Within this compound, believers went about their normal routines—attending services, singing worship songs, and talking among themselves. But a heaviness loomed over them; their eyes were dull, and their voices seemed burdened by a strange hopelessness. I could see their souls and they were emaciated. I have never seen such despair.
What was startling, however, was that the main gate stood wide open. There was no padlock or chain—just a long entrance that anyone could have walked through. And yet, hardly anyone did. Some gazed beyond the fence, drawn by the possibilities of freedom but held back by invisible restraints of fear and familiarity. Others paid no attention at all, as though they had accepted the barbed wire as a permanent fixture in their lives.
“And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt…”
Much like Israel, who longingly recalled their days in bondage even after God miraculously delivered them, these believers had grown comfortable in captivity. They had convinced themselves the fence was locked and unmovable, though it stood wide open. This is the tragedy in many of our lives: Christ has already set us free, yet we remain behind bars of our own making.
The real battle isn’t what’s happening around us—it’s what’s happening within us. We cannot conquer the darkness in the world if we refuse to confront the darkness inside.
The Real Battle: The Kingdom of Darkness vs. The Kingdom of God
Often, we wait for external rescue—deliverance from financial struggles, relational troubles, or health challenges—while ignoring the deep-seated issues within. Yet the Word reminds us that Jesus came to break the very power of sin:
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
(Hebrews 2:14–15, NKJV)Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us… And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
(Colossians 2:14–15, NKJV)
God orchestrated a cosmic turning point through the Cross—Jesus didn’t merely conquer Satan; He disarmed him. Every demonic power arrayed against humanity lost its legal right to hold believers captive. Yet many of us still live as though the chains remain intact. We keep praying for a “deliverance” that has already been accomplished, trapped by wounds or sins we refuse to face.
The Power to Conquer Our Own Darkness
Picture a prisoner hunched in a dark cell for years. The door is unlocked, but they never venture outside because they can’t imagine life beyond captivity. Many Christians are in that same predicament—technically free, but functionally bound.
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
(1 John 4:4, NKJV)
If we truly believed God’s power within us was greater than any stronghold, fear, or shame, we wouldn’t stay huddled in spiritual dungeons. Yet stepping out means confronting what lurks in our own hearts—old hurts, secret sins, learned helplessness. Real freedom isn’t about trying to manage our pain; it’s about surrendering every fragment of ourselves to the crucified and risen Christ.
Manifesting the Glory of God in Our Lives
We yearn to see revival in our churches, breakthroughs in our families, and transformation in our communities. But Scripture consistently shows that true revival starts at the altar of our own hearts. We cannot pray for the city’s chains to break if we keep clinging to hidden chains in our souls.
Israel missed their hour of divine visitation because they fixated on the outward manifestation of freedom (an earthly kingdom) rather than the deeper liberation Jesus offered. In our day, many still focus on the external—wanting God to fix circumstances while ignoring the pride, bitterness, or sin that hinders His transforming power.
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
(Romans 8:37, NKJV)
We become more than conquerors when we allow the Holy Spirit to invade every corner of our being. Healing, deliverance, and renewed authority flow from a surrendered heart, and that’s what ultimately spills over into our world, manifesting the kingdom of God.
The Call to Rise
Christ didn’t just claim victory; He called us to walk in it. We, the ekklesia, were never meant to be passive onlookers waiting for a rescue. We are invited to shape culture, bring heaven to earth, and live out the authority Jesus modeled. But first, we must relinquish whatever keeps us shackled behind the fence.
Below are some practical steps you can take:
Identify Strongholds
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the hidden fears, shame, or offenses that still color your thoughts and decisions. Writing them in a journal can help you see patterns you never noticed before.Seek Godly Counsel & Accountability
A trusted mentor, counselor, or small-group leader can be instrumental in breaking old cycles. A dear friend of mine once battled anger and resentment for years. Joining a small group where she could openly share and receive prayer not only exposed the root issues but enabled her to walk out real forgiveness.Expose Lies with Truth
Saturate your mind with the Word of God. If you tend to believe you’re unworthy of freedom, meditate on verses that declare you a child of God, loved and chosen (John 15:16, 1 Peter 2:9). Replace every lie with the liberating truth of Scripture.Walk Through the Open Gate
Stepping into freedom might mean extending forgiveness to someone who hurt you, apologizing for a wrong you’ve committed, or deciding to lay aside a sinful habit. These intentional acts are how you actively leave the false security of bondage behind.Don’t Go It Alone
Real transformation is sustained in community. Whether it’s a prayer partner or a supportive fellowship group, let others walk alongside you. Freedom is not a solo endeavor; it thrives in transparent relationships.
Will you remain behind imaginary bars, or will you step into the freedom Jesus bought for you?
A Prayer for Victory
Father, I come before You with every dark place within me. I repent of the fears, sins, and wounds I’ve tried to hide. Thank You, Jesus, for paying the ultimate price and disarming the powers of darkness. Help me believe and live as though I truly am free. Flood my heart with courage to walk out of every prison—real or imagined—and into the life You designed for me. May I, in turn, become a beacon of hope for others, pointing them toward the open gate of Your liberating grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Some things to ponder:
Are there areas in your life where you’re still waiting on deliverance Jesus has already purchased?
What fears, past hurts, or lies need to be confronted so you can walk through the open gate?
Who can stand with you—praying for you, holding you accountable, and reminding you of God’s truth?
Freedom is not a distant promise; it is a present reality, already won by Christ on the cross. Take the next step—walk through those open gates. Let your life become a testimony of God’s power to conquer darkness and release His people into glorious light.
With love and grace,
Cyndi
