SPIRITUAL DELIVERANCE – COMING OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

Judges 6:7-9 (NKJV)

“And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, 8 that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel:’ I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage; 9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you and gave you their land”

There are three stages of salvation and spiritual deliverance that are closely linked to the journey of the Israelites from a life of bondage in Egypt to the promised land in Canaan. This is typical of the salvation journey from a new convert to spiritually mature Christian, and involves the stages below: 

Up from Egypt – Confessing Christ

Romans 10:9 (ESV)

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

God brought the Israelites up from Egypt. This action of coming up from their bondage is where someone has just confessed Christ and is newly born-again – has confessed Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Thus one has crossed over, started the salvation journey but is not yet fully delivered.

The reason why God performs miracles is to take people from captivity to freedom. We read that the disciples “went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it” - Mark 16:20 (NIV). 
These and more were some of the wondrous works God did and still does in order to draw people to Him, and thus many confess Christ because of the miracles they witness in their lives and in the lives of others. So in order to come out of bondage - Egypt, you need to first accept and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and become born-again (John 3:5). 

The Exodus – Detach Self From the World

2 Corinthians 6:17 (NLT)

“Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you”

God brought the Israelites out of the house of bondage, which means quitting that family or group of people who do not believe what you now believe; and also emptying one’s heart of the old nature, thoughts and ways - Egypt. When you accept Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you also need to let go of things, behaviour, customs and practices that are unacceptable to Him. Any extra worldly baggage and deceitful distraction will take your eyes off Jesus. Paul puts it right very well in Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV) that;

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

The journey of getting someone out from the house of bondage is one of the greatest battles in Christianity. A Christian may have accepted Christ and fellowships or congregates but still in bondage in his or her heart. During the Exodus many disobeyed and rejected Moses and preferred to return to Egypt. We read in the book of Acts 7:39 (NIV) that;

“But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt."

It is very easy to leave Egypt outwardly but return back to Egypt inwardly because bondage is the captivity of the mind. A little challenge or setback makes one grumble and even draws their heart and mind back to the world. In a small crisis such weak-hearted people refer back to “life in Egypt” saying things like; “remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost” (Numbers 11:5-6). We see this when the Jews had just left Egypt and were hungry – they had left Egypt but Egypt was still in their hearts and mind. Exodus 16:2-3 (NIV) narrates;

“In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

One of the reasons we do not see the breakthrough is because we are still mentally stuck in the world. Most of us are still struggling with ungodly habits like sexual immorality, alcoholism, pride, bitterness etc. You still draw or have bad mental pictures in your mind or still in possession evil charms. If you are still in the house of bondage, you commit the same sin repeatedly and repent of it repeatedly; and when you are still bound in the mind, even during rapture you will not be taken because you will not be in right standing with God and too heavy to be uplifted.

It is important to make sure that we do not practice Christianity outwardly but inwardly as well and be transformed from the inside-out so as to do the will of God. Romans 12:2 (GNT) says;

“Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God–what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.”  

Out of Bondage – Delivered From the Tormentor

Coming out of the house of bondage is not a one-off event, but rather a process, which involves sitting at the feet of Jesus to receive the good portion, regularly attending fellowship to learn the word, how to pray and grow spiritually, submitting to the servants of God and transference of the anointing by association. You will easily be delivered and transformed if you belong to a local church and submit under an anointed servant of God – spiritual parent. This is where someone learns the word, has a revelation of the mysteries of the kingdom and the word. Deliverance is a process, and moves hand in hand with knowledge about God – as you go deeper into knowing God and His ways - truth, He sets you free. The bible says in John 8:32 (AMP);

“And you will know the truth [regarding salvation] and the truth will set you free”

He delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians, which means being delivered from the tormentor – evil spirits or demons and all power of darkness. If the second step is well done, then the third one is easy to execute. If someone has let off the worldly behaviour and thinking, has learnt the word and has self-control, then deliverance is comprehensive. The church today should endeavor to move out of the house of bondage by abandoning worldly systems and compromise, and embrace heavenly systems, and be filled and guided by the Holy Spirit; for without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to know and do the will of God

Leaving Egypt – the world is a mark of spiritual maturity and authentic Christianity – you have let go of the world systems, ways, beliefs and lifestyle and no longer conform to its standards and Christ is magnified in your life. Such a believer is content in all situations and has robust faith and thus delivered and free indeed. 

The Anointing Breaks The Yoke

Isaiah 10:27 (NKJV) says;

 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing”

The solution or answer to all bondage is the anointing – for the anointing destroys the yoke. The anointing comes from Christ, who is the head of the church, runs down to the five-fold ministries - priests, and then flows to the congregation. The flow of the anointing is devotionaly explained in Psalm 133:2 (AMP) which says;

“It is like precious oil poured [of consecration] poured on the head, coming down on the beard, even the beard of Aaron, coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body]”

You need to sit at the feet of the servant of God and be taught such that the anointing upon them will flow down and break the yoke upon you. The anointing works by association, which means that you must serve and submit to the servant of God. It is therefore very important to be filled with the Holy Spirit who is the source of the anointing and can ably take you out of the house of bondage and into a life of liberty.