IN OR OUT?

In February of 2001, national news media sources reported a man was arrested after trying to scale a prison wall—from the outside! Wayne Starkey was charged with burglary after trying to climb the west guard tower of the Volusia County Correctional Facility in Florida, according to police. Starkey said he climbed the tower in search of mail from his girlfriend who was detained in the prison. He claimed that her letters to him had not been properly delivered.



While most folks want to stay out of prison, a story about someone breaking in grabs your attention. However, this bizarre event sadly reflects the spiritual habits of countless professing Christ-followers. Every day, multitudes of people climb back into prisons—prisons of addictive behavior and enslaving attitudes. Others live behind bars of abuse, pornography or even workaholism. Within these cells reside anger, bitterness and an unwillingness to forgive. Some are prisons of our own making. Others are prisons of our culture. And all such prisons are looked upon with favor by Satan, our adversary.


Jesus Christ came to set us free from enslaving behaviors and attitudes. He opens the door of our cells and gives a full pardon to every prisoner who comes to Him in faith. It is the ultimate irony that any professing Christ-follower would try to climb back into prison after receiving release and forgiveness.


Jesus said He had been sent by God “to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised…” (Luke4:18).


Instead of seeking captivity—climb out! Realize the full freedom that His forgiveness brings and begin serving others in Jesus’ name.

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