Ransom Paid – The Presidential Prayer Team

Who gave Himself as a ransom for all men, the testimony given in its proper time. – 1 Timothy 2:6

Television shows about kidnapping and ransom are fascinating to watch, but no one would ever want it to happen in real life. In a sense, all humanity has been kidnapped by the devil. On the road to Damascus, Jesus told Paul that He was sending him to Jews and Gentiles to “open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18). God the Father loved people so much He paid the ransom—the precious blood of His Beloved Son.
Picture the TV episode where the exchange happens. The parents are there with their satchel of money and the bad guys are standing there with the son or daughter. The trade is made. The child runs to the parent. But what if they do not run but decide to stay with the kidnappers to be mistreated some more? Is that not similar to what unbelievers do? The ransom is paid. The devil is conquered. But now the one who was kidnapped must run to the Father, not run back and live for the one who has him bound.

Praise God for the loving Father He is, and thank Him for paying the ransom with the blood of Jesus. Now you can be subject to the Father and live (Hebrews 12:9). Pray for the citizens and leadership of the United States to receive Jesus as Savior and live lives of joy, like grateful children running from their captors to their loving and generous Parent.

Today’s Verse: 1 Timothy 2:6

who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Acts 26:9-20

⁹“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. ¹⁰And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. ¹¹And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

¹²“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. ¹³At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, ¹⁷delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you ¹⁸to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

¹⁹“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.