In May, 2013, three women were rescued from a home in Ohio, where they were held in captivity by their abductor since between 2002 and 2004.

Also rescued was a six-year-old child fathered by the abductor.  They were acquaintances of his children, and he lured them into his home, where he tortured them and kept them locked up.  They were beaten, restrained by chains, sexually abused, and starved.  They were allowed in the backyard of his home only a few times, but had to be disguised in wigs and sunglasses.  They finally escaped when the abductor was gone by standing at the front door and screaming until neighbors heard them and broke down the door.  The abductor was sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus 1,000 years, but hanged himself in his cell with a bedsheet one month later.

        “Words from Above” in the Bible tell us that a few thousand years ago, in the Garden of Eden, the devil deceived Eve into eating fruit forbidden to her and Adam to eat or touch, resulting in the captivity of her soul and that of Adam.  This captivity extended to every single descendant of Adam and Eve born into the world thereafter until the present time.  He lied to them about what God had told them, twisting His words and making promises to them which he failed to keep. He promised that they would not die like God had told them would happen, but their soul into which God had made alive by breathing into the nostrils of Adam did die that day.

        Jesus told His audience in John 8 that the devil was a liar and the father of lies, which means that he convinces people to lie.  The apostle Paul says that he blinds the minds of people so that they do not believe the message of the gospel, so that the light of the glorious gospel cannot shine into their hearts and minds.  Paul said in Romans that he believed that the gospel had the power to save their souls, and knew this was the reason the devil tried to blind their minds.  He consistently uses every possible trick and strategy to keep the souls of people in spiritual captivity.

        Fortunately for Adam and Eve and all their future descendants, God promised that one day He would send someone to deliver the people of the world from their captivity.  This deliverer was called the Messiah, or the Christ, and this deliverer would be His very own Son Jesus.  He can not only rescue us from the devil, but He will throw the devil into a bottomless pit without the possibility of release.

Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.