May 5

Charles Spurgeon · Faith's Checkbook

WHY REMAIN CAPTIVE?

   "The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity" Deut. 30:3

   God's own people may sell themselves into captivity by sin. A very
   bitter fruit is this, of an exceeding bitter root. What a bondage it is
   when the child of God is sold under sin, held in chains by Satan,
   deprived of his liberty, robbed of his power in prayer, and his delight
   in the Lord! Let us watch that we come not into such bondage; but if
   this has already happened to us, let us by no means despair.

   But we cannot be held in slavery for ever. The Lord Jesus has paid too
   high a price for our redemption to leave us in the enemy's hand. The
   way to freedom is, "Return unto the Lord thy God." Where we first found
   salvation we shall find it again. At the foot of Christ's cross
   confessing sin we shall find pardon and deliverance. Moreover, the Lord
   will have us obey His voice according to all that He has commanded us,
   and we must do this with all our heart, and all our soul, and then our
   captivity shall end.

   Often depression of spirit and great misery of soul are removed as soon
   as we quit our idols and bow ourselves in obedience before the living
   God. We need not be captives. We may return to Zion's citizenship, and
   that speedily. Lord, turn our captivity!