The Snare Is Broken

 

"Once like a bird in prison I dwelt,

No freedom from my sorrow I felt,

But Jesus came and listened to me

And glory to God, He set me free."

(- Praise Song - "He Set Me Free" - written by Albert E. Brumley)

 

 

Our God is a Mighty Deliverer. More than anything, He desires to see His people set free from every bondage, trap, prison, and assignment of the devil - every "snare of the fowler."

 

What a glorious feeling it is to be set free. Oh! To be once bound by sin and Satan and then to enjoy immeasurable liberty in Christ Jesus! It makes you want to jump, skip, run around the block several times, shout, cry and laugh at the same time, as well as sing with all your might for the Glorious Anointing and Power that is found in Jesus' Name, Word, Blood, and Holy Spirit. Glory! Glory! Glory!

 

David said it so well in Psalm 124:7-8 - "Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth."

 

Like a little sparrow, entangled in the net of Satan's subtle and spiteful trap of sin, confusion, and trouble - our soul was gloriously set free by the Blood of Jesus. The snare of iniquity and shame was indeed broken and we have truly escaped. Today, we shout from the highest rafters - "Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth."

 

Nonetheless, just because we have escaped one snare does not mean that we can never be trapped again.

 

The Scriptures speak repeatedly about snares. Some are set by other men, while others are caused by our own wrongdoing.

 

Let's examine the Word of God so that we can glean wisdom and insight into the ways of our enemies and recognize the traps that our own sin can lead us into if we are not walking in the fear and admonition of the Lord all the day long.   

 

1. Snares Set By Others

 

Psalm 119:110 - "The wicked have laid a snare for me..."

Psalm 140:5 - "The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside, they have set gins for me."

Psalm 142:3- "When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me."

Jeremiah 18:22-23 - "...for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet. Yet, LORD, Thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me..."

 

Who were the ones responsible for laying the snares for David and the Prophet Jeremiah? The wicked or proud men - the haughty, arrogant, and oppressive men - who were subtle and crafty in their ways.

 

What exactly did they do?  David said that they secretly and covertly "hid a snare" and "cords" for him. They "spread a net" and "set gins." The Prophet Jeremiah said that his enemies "digged a pit" and "hid snares" for his feet.

 

The image presented here is that of a mighty hunter setting traps, snares, and gins in order to entrap a dangerous beast. Figuratively speaking, the "cords" were strings or twine that made up a net which was spread in the place where David was expected to walk - "they spread a net by the wayside" - "in the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me."

 

Usually, at a time when we are at our weakest, the enemy strikes. David expressed his condition in this way - "When my spirit was overwhelmed within me..." He was in distress. He was experiencing troubles, sorrow, and darkness over his soul.

 

It was at their lowest point when the wicked plotted and schemed to overthrow both David and Jeremiah. They sought to bring them into sin and trouble when it was least expected - "privily." Like a snare or trap suddenly and surprisingly springing upon an hunted animal, they planned to capture these two men of God and destroy their lives.  

 

There is a certain judgment that comes upon all those who dig pits or set snares, traps, and gins to overthrow another. The way we treat others is the way that others will treat us in return. Whatsoever we sow, we will reap. What goes around, comes around. If we stop our ear at the cry of the poor, we will cry some day and not be heard. If we harden our hearts and mistreat others, then there will come a day when others will harden themselves against us and harshly mistreat us as well.

 

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David prayed for all those wicked and proud opposers who sought to bring him down from his place of excellency in God - "Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap"(Psalm 69:22). 

 

He prayed for a just and proper recompense of their evil deeds to fall upon his enemies. Just as they privily sought to spring upon him, ensnare his soul, and oppose him in his work for God - even so would danger spring unexpectedly upon these haughty ones. Their blessings would be turned to curses. When they  would be in need of help, no one would come to their rescue. Enemies would rise up and set gins and snares for their souls - even as they did for David. 

 

2. Snares Caused By Sin

 

Proverbs 22:5 - "Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward..."

 

Those who choose to walk in a way that is contrary to God's Word will meet with "snares" along their way. These "snares" will take on the form of difficulties, trials, and sufferings.

 

Isaiah 24:17 - "Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth."

 

For a people who choose to go their own way and refuse to turn at the Lord's admonition through the Preacher or Prophet, they meet with one tragedy after another. It is as though one trouble is the beginning of another. If per chance, through the abundant mercies of God they escape one danger, another is meeting them around the corner. The Prophet Amos depicted it this way - "As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him: or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him"(Amos 5:19). At least, this is the way it is until they repent and turn back to God. 

                                                                                               

Isaiah 42:22 - "But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses..."

 

The "holes" - which the Prophet Isaiah spoke of in this particular verse - refer to caverns or even the houses of the people. They were their places of refuge - places where they sought for security and safety.

 

Because of their wilful disobedience and rebellion toward the Lord God, these people found no "hiding places." They had no place to run to or hide from their calamities. Their caverns, "holes," or houses became snares unto them instead of places of refuge.

 

Proverbs 7:23 - "Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life."

 

Here we have the picture of a young man who is driven by lust and evil passion to the whorehouse - as the ox unknowingly is led to the slaughter house and the bird hurries to consume the bait hidden in the trap. His uncontrollable desires blind him to the "snare" at hand. Little does he realize the danger, misery, and death that lies ahead of him in exchange for one moment of pleasure.

 

3. Snares Caused By False Prophets

 

Hosea 9:8 - "The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all of his ways..."

 

These pretenders which called themselves preachers deceived the people with their false doctrines. They justified and excused sin on every turn. Instead of turning God's people from all their transgressions, they taught them to live in rebellion toward Him and His Law. Instead of teaching the way of Holiness and Victory, they issued them a license to sin. With their "easy-believism," they entrapped and ensnared the hearts and souls of the multitudes.

 

Perhaps today you find yourself in a "snare" of some sort. You may have fallen for one of Satan's manifold schemes, yielded to sin, and now you are trapped. As much as you have tried feverishly to be set free, you find yourself falling deeper and deeper into sin. Jesus - the Strong Deliverer - is here to help you.

 

Or you  may feel that others are plotting and scheming against you to bring you down from your place of excellency. There may be those who want nothing more than to see you fail. There is Deliverance for you today from every fowler's "snare."  His Name is Jesus!

 

Lastly, you may be in a "snare" - entrapped in your own soul and mind - because you once sat under false teaching and are very confused as to what is the Truth.

As Pilate asked, you also ask - "What is Truth?"(John 18:38)

Once again, I turn your focus to Him alone - Who is the Truth - the Lord Jesus - and to His Amazing Word.

 

No matter which "snare" you may find yourself in this day - one of your own making or one that others have caused to come your way - You need not fear! Just take hold of the Powerful Promise to you  found in Psalm 91:3 - "Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler..."

 

God said "surely."

That means - It shall be done just as He said!

You can count on that!

 

At this very moment, why not call upon Jesus for His Delivering Touch and watch Him break every snare in which you find yourself?

 

God will put a new song in your heart - a song of praise and adoration to the Mighty Deliverer - the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

You will be able to sing along with David and say - "Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth"(Psalm 124:7-8).