Imagine a lion, full grown. Golden mane waving gently in the afternoon breeze, razor sharp claws and jaws powerful enough to snap your bones. 200kg of rippling yellow muscle well-toned by the lifestyle of the hunt and with one swipe of his paw, he can break your neck. His roar is deafening when it comes; eliciting shivers from the most fierce of men who understand that alone, they are no match for him-for he is the untamable king of the jungle, and he is fierce. 
Would you dare to venture so close to him so you would be within his reach? Or in healthy self-love, you would dare not make him angry? Because you fully understand that he is not a tame lion? Now, what about if he was blindfolded, and his mouth enclosed by a mouth guard?
Would you happen to be bolder? To want to place you hand on his back just to feel what it’s like? Or maybe just to drive him crazy by pulling his tail? Or poking his belly from both directions with a friend because you both understand that without the gift of sight, his reach is limited; and with his mouth shut; one of his most potent weapons is gone? Would you in this moment then feel that he is tame, and at the very least no longer a danger or that much of a danger to you? Whatever it is, I have no doubt that your reaction now would be different from your reaction above? But what does all this have to do with being a prisoner of Hope you may ask?
What if I then told you that in the latter image, is the picture of how wittingly or unwittingly we have presented Christ both to the world and to believer? That when we cease to present him for who He is in full; and preach a gospel without power, what in essence we do is present a maimed lion to the world-a glorious image of potential; but that to the real problems people face in their lives has no effect? That when we choose to partner with fear, and not proclaim that we he shows in His Word, in Prophecy, in Visions and in Dreams we in essence put a muzzle on his fierce jaws-and make his power to be of no effect in our lives? What if I told you that too many a modern day believer does not have quite an adequate conception of who Christ really is? And we though we do not yet perceive it, we in essence relate to Him as though He were in some way limited.
Have we ever taken the time to take stock of this bold statement-that says “demons tremble” when Paul is exhorting believers to trust God. Do we realize that to tremble at the presence of someone or someone’s name means you understand you stand absolutely no chance of winning and if they are to challenge you, you are doomed? Do we realize that a fight between the devil, his demons and cohorts and Jesus is never a fair fight because Jesus will annihilate the enemy forces every time? Do we realize just how incomparable the Power of God is in relation to the devil-and therefore see why we need not fear anyone ever? Do we realize just how completely the name of Jesus is a guarantor of victory in every circumstance and situation that we face?
Because if we did, surely it ought to change the way we see these challenges that prop up in our lives and the lives of the people around us-the diseases they tell us are incurable, the addictions they tell us are unbreakable, the spells of witchcraft from a Chipinge or a Zaka, or the need to family cycles of poverty, bad relationships and demonic possession. Surely, if we know that the Lion of the tribe of Judah is neither domesticated nor tame, we would allow his roar through us to change the environment around us.
Peter, James and John. Paul the Apostle. St Patrick of Ireland. Smith Wigglesworth. John Wesley. Martin Luther. Maria Woodworth Etter. John G lake. Mother Theresa. And so many others whose names I cannot mention have before us given us glimpses to say this can be done. The baton now is in your hands and mine my friend; and I have this one question for you. Do you realise HE is not a tame lion.
Now before I go; I hope the video below will stick in your head if nothing else does when you try to remember the position that the devil and all his cohorts are when they hear the name of HE who said he would never leave nor forsake you—they tremble.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o2rhkD67S8&w=854&h=480]
Selah