We started studying Philippians as a team at the beginning of this month. We were reading and learning about how Paul was never really captive but that others were held captive for the gospel. On the second day of our study one of my honest teammates Hery shared that she just couldn’t get into today’s study. Hery also shared that she had been distracted while we were reading and that she couldn’t stop thinking about her friend who is in jail for false charges. What a perfect opportunity to write to a modern day Paul and encourage her that we are all partakers of God’s grace and that she can use this as a time to share the gospel. I personally don’t know what it would be like to be in that situation separated from my family and wondering what God is doing in all of this. “What does it mean to be free?” I thought. Paul knew that He had everything in Christ so he didn’t see his circumstances taking away his identity of freedom and satisfaction.
I knew it was no coincidence that we were assigned prison ministry this month.
I have always said I could never do prison ministry. I am a person that can tend to get too passionate about justice and honestly I thought I couldn’t look at these criminals and have forgiveness and grace for them as Christ has for me (me not believing in what I preach).
We were put not only in prison ministry but in men’s prison ministry. I knew God was trying to move in my heart because there was absolutely no way I could do this on my own. It’s natural for me to blame men for most of the things that have been done against me. So I knew I wasn’t just going to share the word with these guys.
We got there and I just had to keep meditating on “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Romans 8:15
Each one of my team members shared from their heart and I’m so proud of all of them. I too stood up and said that I am the same as them and that I deserved to be judged but Jesus stood and took that judgement for us. No matter what you done Jesus forgives each one of you and desires to make you new. We are all in need of a savior and we are in that together. I could look at them with love and thankfulness that they are my brothers. When I was saying this I knew they didn’t need my forgiveness but they needed Jesus. In that moment I was doing the last bit of my forgiveness towards the men that have hurt me. Only the Holy Spirit could bring such a great and powerful prodigal love. I never thought I’d be standing in this place and I never imagined that I could. God had bigger plans and He is breaking chains in all sorts of prisons. God is calling out to His children to set us free from our own grave and He has rolled away the stone.
