It’s startling to realize that many of us are living under false imprisonment without even knowing it. Not behind bars, but behind the walls of a false self—the ego. This captor dictates how we think, what we feel, and how we respond. When we feel slighted, we hold resentments. When we are anxious, we live in fear. When we are weary, we search in vain for rest. The jailer Ego whispers, “This is who you are. This is how life must be.” And we believe it.
Like a jailer, the false self controls our inner prison. It locks us in cells of emotion, frustration, and fatigue. Sometimes that prison feels solitary, other times like a crowded yard where survival depends on fighting for scraps of validation. Either way, the captor decides the terms, and we obey.
Even when freedom is within reach, the mind resists. Like Pavlov’s dogs, conditioned to stay even when the door was opened, we remain in captivity. Our chains are invisible, yet heavy—made of fear, anger, pride, and self-will.
But the truth is this: the door has always been open.
The key is not found outwardly in circumstances, possessions, or the opinions of others. It is found inwardly—in the eternal gift God has placed within us: our soul.
Our being is not our flesh, our racing thoughts, or our anxious emotions. Our true essence is the life-giving Spirit of God, timeless and eternal. To be free, we must look past the noise of ego and return to the Presence within.
Jesus Himself said, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). True freedom is not found in escaping circumstances, but in surrendering to the One who holds the keys to every prison.
Today, my brothers and sisters, may we turn inward, not outward. May we refuse to listen to the captor’s voice and instead hear the still, small voice of God. May we cast off the shackles of ego and step into true freedom—the freedom of being who God created us to be.
For in Him there is no confinement, no time, no fear—only eternal life.
Now and forever. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We confess that too often we have lived under the rule of our false selves—chained by pride, fear, and anxiety. But You, Lord, are the One who sets captives free. Teach us to turn inward, where Your Spirit dwells, and to listen for Your voice above all others. Break the shackles of ego and open our eyes to the freedom we already have in Christ. May we walk today not as prisoners, but as children of God, living in the fullness of Your eternal life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
