Remember My Chains

This salutation by my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen. Colossians 4:18 (NKJV)

It can be easy for us to forget that there are multitudes of people around the world suffering for their faith. Persecution of Christians is still active today. While there is persecution of believers by terrorist groups and religious extremists, a large portion of such persecution is at the hands of governments.

Paul was imprisoned in Rome when he authored much of the New Testament. He mentions his bonds and chains several times in his epistles to the churches. He asked for their prayers and intecession. He asked them to pray for his deliverance and for him to be bold in his witness for Christ.

Today, our brothers and sisters in many nations are being persecuted, arrested, tortured and even martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. As individuals, do we have the ability to release them? No, but we have the power of prayer, which can send the armies of heaven on their behalf.

As we sit in our comfortable houses, let’s daily intercede for those sitting in prison cells, cages and other forms of imprisonment. Let’s decree their relase and freedom from tyranny and physical bondage. We can command that they be released. Let’s pray for them to be strengthened in their inner man to be able to stand up under whatever they must face. Let’s speak forth boldness and peace to their hearts, and strength to their physical bodies. And let’s pray that they are able to carry themselves with the conviction and courage that will be witness to their persecutors.

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:25-30 (NKJV)

Paul was no stranger to persecution and imprisonment, but even the worst situations were opportunities to be a witness. Let’s pray that those who are persecuted in various places around the world are empowered by the Holy Spirit to win others to Christ by the way they handle adversity. As we decree strength and encouragement to them, they will overcome and win many to the Lord in the process. Let’s be diligent to remember their chains.