THEME: THE SNARE IS BROKEN
TEXT: Psalms 124: 7-8
INTRODUCTION
If you have ever come across a rat trapped in a mousetrap, you know how it struggles and struggles to get free but no matter how much it tries, no matter the tactics it devises, it will still be stuck. When its energy runs out, it gives up and until someone comes to its rescue or the owner of the trap comes to take it away, the rat will be trapped forever.
A snare is a noose, hook or hidden trap: “The noose is hidden for him on the ground, and a trap for him in the road” (Job 18:10). The fowler’s snare in particular, is a hidden trap employed in catching or ‘snaring’ birds. What does this mean for the believer?
EXPOSITION
There are many snares on the believer’s pathway: unseen pitfalls to life in this fallen world; unexpected, deceptive dangers around every corner that we are often unaware of: “…in the way in which I walk, they have secretly set a snare for me” (Psa.142:3). God wants you to soar like the eagle in the spirit of grace and liberty, but Satan wants you to be captured in the snares of sin, deception, corruption, idolatry, foolishness, and worldliness. Satanic snares are laid diversely: “The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me” (Psa.140:5; 141:9).
Whatever may be the nature of Satan’s snares against your soul – traps, cords, nets or gins – God’s promise is to break every snare, dismantle every trap, set your soul free, and cause you to escape. What a comfort it is to know that God perpetually protects us from all snares! Beloved, the snare is broken; your soul is set free. God has promised that the enemies shall sink in the pit that they made, and their feet shall fall into the net they hid (Psa.9:15). This is His Judgement upon every evil snare-setter: “Let their table become a snare before them; and their wellbeing a trap” (Psa.69:22).
David knew that “if it had not been the LORD who was on” his side, he’ll have ended up in Saul’s snares (Psa.124:1). He was immensely grateful to God who had not left him “as prey to their teeth” (v.6). His conclusion: “Our help is in the Name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth” (v.8).
Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler…” (Psa.91:3a). Having experienced God as his Dwelling Place, Refuge, Fortress, and House of Defence, the Psalmist encourages us to do likewise. Yet, his assurance was not based on private wishes, but on God’s promise – “Surely He will…”! What a tone of total conviction and absolute certainty!
CONCLUSION
The devil failed woefully thinking that the death of Christ on the cross will mark the end of the
supernatural translation of men from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Col. 1:13 While on the cross, Jesus cried with a loud voice “IT IS FINISHED” which marked the end to every snare and enslavement of sin. At the shout of Jesus on the cross, there was a great earthquake, the veil of the temple
signifying a separation between God and man was torn in two from top to bottom, the graves (snares) were opened and many bodies came out of the graves after his resurrection. (Matt. 27:50-53)
The snare of Satan, sin, and death was broken and the saints of God were released as a bird out of the snare of the fowler to reign eternally with the father.
The death of Jesus is a glorious truth that is foundational to our Christian faith. Through the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, we have redemption and forgiveness of sins thereby having peace with God. Satan is full of wrath and wants men to remain in his snare through sin. You must understand that sin is a sinker and a bait to have one’s soul ensnared in the trap of the devil. 1 Cor. 2:8, Rev. 12:10-12.
The ultimate price for our sins has been paid on the cross at Calvary and it is our responsibility
to make the most of this great gift of salvation of God brought to the world through our Lord and saviour Jesus thereby living totally free from the entanglement of the devil, the enemy of our soul. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we can boldly declare, THE SNARE OF SIN, SHAME, REPROACH, AND DEATH IS BROKEN AND OUR SOUL IS ESCAPED OUT OF THE HANDS OF THE DEVIL (THE ENEMY OF OUR SOULS.)
