VOLUNTARY INCARCERATION

[prophetess m. brignac]

One would be hard pressed to find an individual who would surrender their freedom, choices, and safety, to sit in somebody's jail or penitentiary. We go through our whole lives making sure that we never become residents in one of these "paid extended vacations", in a hotel from hell. Now, of course we know about those who spend so much time in one of these diabolical 'resorts' that they become institutionalized and dependent upon the penal system to dictate their lives. These are the ones who are caught in a cycle of severe dysfunctionalism of their own making, that of "imprisonment-release-re-imprisonment, and the reason being that society and what was once familiar to them, has changed so drastically, that the thought of being released into the free world is intimidating and overwhelming for them, so they do something stupid to be incarcerated again.There are others who've come to prefer and settle for a life of daily risk of abuse, violence, and, even death, for the legendary "three hots and a cot"! They've so adapted and disciplined themselves to being known only as a "number, and not their given names, until living in this horrible condition becomes 'normal" and acceptable to them, because it relieves them of the responsibility of independently laboring to make a life for themselves. There's absolutely nothing enticing by sch an existence, and only those who are seriously 'special", if not 'deranged' choose this way f life. Those who established the penal system designed it to be so terrible and terrifying that it would be a deterrent to those released,to not ever find themselves there again, and to also deter those who're leaning towards getting a"suite", in one of their nightmare "resorts" , or finding themselves on the wrong side of the prison walls. Who, in their right mind, would volunteer to jeopardize their safety, liberty, and life to "vacation', in this barbaric, evil, jungle-like environment, where there's no guarantee you'll come out of it alive, whole, or in the same condition you went in ? The very concept of incarceration should be an abominably undesirable prospect for anyone, but that's not always the cost, but in some situations, had not ht individual been imprisoned, another fate would've overtaken them, and it's actually a rescue. Unfortunately for a number of God's servants, incarceration is one of the "hardnesses' they have to endure for the sake and furtherance of the Gospel. The Old Testament Prophets found themselves frequently, as guests in some dungeon or prison,and so did the New Testament Apostles and disciples of Jesus the Christ. There were also, numbers of God's people incarcerated during the Civil Rights movement, and others on the foreign mission fields face these circumstances, daily and they count the cost to preach the Gospel in the uttermost parts of the earth, and determine that it's a worthwhile sacrifice, and their posture is that of being persuaded "If I perish, I perish!"


It is one thing to be arrested by those who uphold the laws of the land, and left with no choice but to comply, but to boldly hold out one's hands to be handcuffed is the response f one sold out for whatever they believe. The Apostle Paul found himself in jail,so often that it became par for the course for him, and he as so persuaded that Christ, his Advocate would sustain him, that he counted his own like loss, and declared "To live is Christ but to
'die" is gain! He became so committed in his assignment to build the Church of Christ and to spread the Gospel, until he walked in a dimension of awareness that these earthly confines are not the home of his real citizenship. Paul was a man of such gratitude that the Lord rescued him from a life that was polarizing him towards hell more each day, that he made up and settled in his whole heart, mind, and soul that " It's for Christ I live, and for Christ I die'. His incarcerations were legendary,and if his jailers had had any wisdom, they would've left him, Peter, and Silas alone, because every time they imprisoned them, something dramatic and extraordinary occurred. When the Prophet, Agabus, ministered to Paul through prophetic illustration that "bonds/captivity' awaited him, he responded thus "What mean ye to weep and to break my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound only, but also to DIE at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus." This is the posture of a genuine disciple, who has set their vision upon the real, mark and the prize, and in these last days, many will be faced with choosing to drink from that cup of bitterness, or serving God by way of convenience with no demonstration of willing to be made a sacrifice, or advance the kingdom of heaven no matter the cost. This patriarch was a study in what it means to really be 'sold out" with a fixed heart, and he testified "I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that should befall me there; save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. "But none of these things MOVE ME, neither count I mt life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy."

There comes a time when we have to "arrest" ourselves, voluntarily,and to unselfishly step into bondage, the bondage of being a "prisoner for Christ"! As we o on to perfection, putting away childish things, we should willingly become P.O.W.S (prisoners of his Word, prisoners of wisdom, and prisoners of his will)! In arresting ourselves, we are forced to assess our walk with God,and measure our obedience to whatever mandate we've been assigned. Voluntary incarceration qualifies us for resurrection power, and the rescue executed by Christ, Himself, and it dilutes and neutralizes any power through threats of imprisonment, because we place ourselves under incarceration, in Christ and that 'prison' becomes our hiding place in Him.WHEN we voluntarily imprison ourselves, we become prisoners of hope, through demonstration that "live or die' we're going all the way with, and for Jesus! In assuming a posture of incarceration, we diffuse the power of chains, shackles and all other bondage in our lives, because we are freed from fear and anxiety. When we find ourselves overly discouraged, emotionally on edge, and shifting in our posture of steadfast hope, peace, and easily distracted from our walk with God and our kingdom assignment, we need to place ourselves, voluntarily, under arrest. Yes, we are admonished to be not entangled with the yoke of bondage, but being bound to God, to His divine will and purposes is one of our greatest weapons against the enemy. Now would be an excellent time for you to present yourself for voluntary incarceration, and gladly enter into the prison of His love, and to let your enemies know that you're a "convict', so you've got to be careful of whom you associate with. Let them know that you arrested yourself, on purpose, because You avoided extradition, by the One to Whom you're bound! Tell them that you're aware that the prison doors were opened millenniums ago, but you, being of the mind of Christ, are choosing this imprisonment, because you're bound to his promises, and captivated by His love. There's no need to shy away from this prison sentence, because you've been sentenced to "LIFE, eternal, and that more abundantly"!
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