“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Ephesians 4:1)

I just started reading Ephesians 4 and couldn’t get past this first verse.  Think about what Paul is saying here for a moment: “As a Prisoner for the Lord.”

How many of us actually live with the understanding that our lives are not our own?  How many of us have really left our fishing nets in order to take up a life sacrificed completely to our Lord?

We certainly have examples of people through history who live this way, but how many in our own time are willing to surrender all and become a Prisoner for Christ?

What does it mean to be a prisoner for Christ?

I am not certain that I know this completely, but I do believe that there is a measure of no longer living by my own desire and coming into agreement with the desire of the Lord for my life.

The only way I understand the desire of God for my life is to seek that answer in prayer.

Many hours of our lives should be spent in seeking the Lord’s desire.  Our passion in this life should be what he wants for us, and this is not just so that an all powerful God will be happy with us, but rather when we come into agreement with God we actually find rest for our souls.

Being a prisoner for Christ is really the safest place to be.  When I am a prisoner for Jesus, the enemy might try to hurt me, abuse me and accuse me, but his fiery darts have very little weight.  My Father’s arms are fast around me and I feel safe.

“Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” 

We can’t practice cheap grace in Christ.  Our faith is not for the appearance of men.  What we do in secret is not in secret at all, but is in plain view of God and all those that are discerning of spirit.

You cannot hide what you are in the inmost being from anyone.  It is there for all to see in plain view.  You are only lying to yourself if you think that your sin is hidden.

To be a prisoner for Christ means we must wrestle against the flesh.  What we inherit in Christ is by faith, but we must lay down the old in order to inherit the new.

And the wrestling is not difficult because grace has paved a way for us to be set free without much of a fight.  Our own desire, once dead is dead, and the desire of Christ begins to burn deep within our hearts for all the world to see.

I did not and do not know how to lay down my own life, but Christ inside of me knows all things.  Holy Spirit is able to make a smooth path for us to walk as long as we are obedient.

There are many stubborn hearts and many people who do not die easily.  But blessed is the soul that sees the way of God and walks obediently into it without a fight.

The quicker you learn to walk to God’s voice the more your life will radiate the glory of God inside of you.

And being a prisoner of Christ has rewards and honours both on this side of life and much more in the next (Mark 10:30).

Don’t be afraid to become his prisoner.  The journey is marvelous and the peace is great.