Cling to Jesus and you will walk free and victorious

Jul 29

4 min read

Updated: Jul 31

A message from the evangelist and prophet

“Where others see someone who is lost, Christ sees a soul that can still be rescued.”

A prophetic and evangelistic message

There are places many refuse to enter. There are people whom society has singled out, condemned, and—at times—forgotten. There are men and women behind bars; young people trapped by drugs, gangs, and violence; broken families; migrants crossing borders in fear and uncertainty; and people bearing the consequences of poor choices.

But the Gospel knows no borders; it does not stop at prison gates, nor does it reject the sinner.

Jesus Christ declared:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives…” — Luke 4:18

This is also the heart of the evangelistic calling: to go where the captives are.

Not only to those held captive behind bars, but also to those imprisoned by hatred, fear, drugs, violence, sin, and a past that seems to haunt them.

A word for the one who thinks there is no hope left

Perhaps someone has told you: “You will never change.”

Perhaps society has already labeled your life: criminal, prisoner, drug addict, gang member, failure, outcast.

But that label does not have the final say over your life.

Scripture says:

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” — Luke 19:10

Jesus did not come only for those who seem to have their lives in order. He came to seek the lost.

That is why the message of Christ can be preached inside a prison, on a dangerous street, in a forgotten community, at a border crossing, or to someone who has just made the worst mistake of their life. As long as there is life, there is an opportunity to repent and turn one’s heart to God.

Chains Can Fall

In Acts 16, we find Paul and Silas imprisoned. They were wounded and locked away, yet they began to pray and sing hymns to God.

Then, something extraordinary happened:

“Suddenly there was a great earthquake... and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.”— Acts 16:26

That prison had iron doors, but no door was strong enough to stop the power of God.

And here is the word for the person hearing this message:

Your prison might go by a different name.

It might be called addiction. It might be called violence. It might be called guilt. It might be called resentment. It might be called the past. It might be called hopelessness.

But Jesus Christ still has the power to break chains.

This does not mean that the legal consequences of our actions automatically disappear. It means something even deeper: a man can be serving a sentence and yet find true freedom in Christ.

Jesus said:

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”— John 8:36

A Church That Crosses Borders

The Gospel of Jesus Christ was never commanded to stay within four walls.

Christ said:

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”— Mark 16:15

That is why there are men and women called to bring the good news to prisons, streets, vulnerable communities, and also to border areas—places where people of different backgrounds, histories, and circumstances meet.

Many nationalities may exist at a border, but before God, there is a common reality:

we all need salvation.

It does not matter on which side of a border a person was born. It does not matter what their nationality is. It does not matter how much money they have. It does not matter what language they speak.

The cross of Christ continues to proclaim the same message:

There is forgiveness. There is restoration. There is new life in Jesus Christ. Remember the prisoners

The Bible also commands the Church:

“Remember the prisoners, as if you were prisoners together with them.”— Hebrews 13:3

And Jesus Himself said:

“I was in prison, and you came to me.”— Matthew 25:36

That is why preaching inside prisons should not be viewed as a minor work. There, too, are souls who need to hear that their story does not necessarily end behind those walls.

A criminal can repent.

An addict can begin a process of restoration.

A violent man can become a man of peace.

A broken person can surrender their life to Christ.

The Apostle Paul was able to say:

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”— 1 Timothy 1:15

A final word

To you who are in prison:

Christ can meet you inside that cell.

To you who are at a border, not knowing what tomorrow holds:

God knows your name and your story.

To you who have lived amidst crime, drugs, or violence: