The Way To Setting Captives Free
Trennie L. Williams
Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church
Sunday, January 15, 2017

“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men.”
(Eph 4:8)

Many times in life we don’t realize how captive we may be. In our minds and I also our hearts. At anytime we are held captive by the things that occur day to day. When we look at this word captive, it means to be imprisoned…to be caught up and not able to be free from that very thing that is holding you down…that keeps you out of success…that’s allowing you to not grow but to be stunted in your progress. What should you do when you’re held captive?

You know, a lot of times we’re held captive in ways never even imagined. When you get frustrated, stress can hold you captive. Negativity can hold you captive. Hatred can hold you captive. Lack of joy holds you captive. No self-control holds you captive. So, we see a lot of things. A captive mental and spiritual state that can imprison you from the inside, and eventually show itself on the outside.

“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all. But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ; from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.”
(Eph 4:1-16)

How to Set The Captives Free:
By Locking Up Captivity
1. Walk in Your Calling
2. Be Humble, Unselfish, Patient, and Love
3. One in Body, Spirit, Lord, Faith, Baptism, God, and Father
4. Speaking the Truth
5. Grow Up in Him
6. Increase and Build In Love
7. Jesus Sets You Free

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.”
(Joh 3:16)

“So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. They answered Him, We are Abraham’s offspring (descendants) and have never been in bondage to anybody. What do You mean by saying, You will be set free? Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Whoever commits and practices sin is the slave of sin. Now a slave does not remain in a household permanently (forever); the son [of the house] does remain forever. So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.”
(Joh 8:31-36)