Escape Your Personal Alcatraz

Busting Out by the Power of God

by Pastor John Hamel

“There hath no temptation [test or trial] taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted [tested] above that ye are able; but will with the temptation [test or trial] also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

There is a twelve-acre island, a rock actually, that sits smack in the middle of San Francisco Bay.  It was used as a Federal penitentiary from 1934 to 1963.  It was known as “Alcatraz” and was considered to be “inescapable.” 

“Alcatraz” means “Island of Pelicans”.  This inescapable prison was built of solid concrete and literally covered with bird droppings known as “guano.”  

Some people called it “Devil’s Island” or “The Rock." 

Surrounded by ocean, the current is so forceful that anyone who attempted escape would simply drown and be washed out to sea.  

For the most part, those who were sentenced to “The Rock” resigned themselves to the fact that there was absolutely no hope of escape.  In their minds, life was over.  There was nothing to do but wait for the end.  They were the living dead.  

Does this sound like your life?  

Do you feel as if you are living your own personal “Alcatraz”?  

Does your life seem to be nothing more than an inescapable prison covered with “guano”?  

Do you feel both disgusted by it and hopeless? 

Well, I would like to present you with a plan of escape.  However, it is imperative that you make up your mind to stop believing that escape is impossible and that life is not worth living.  

The Bible says that you cannot possibly make such a hopeless mess out of things that even God can’t bail you out. 

The Bible says no matter how inescapable and unchangeable it seems, God has a means of escape so that you may be able to bear up under it. 

If God says that He has a way of escape, HE HAS A WAY OF ESCAPE. 

Your prison may be physical or emotional sickness.  It just might be financial or family sickness.  It may be school or job-related.  

No matter how inescapable your personal prison may appear to be to you – GOD HAS A MEANS OF ESCAPE.  

However, there are three things that you must do.

First, you must make Jesus the Lord of your life.  Cry out, “To You, Jesus, I cry, Oh Rock of my Salvation.  Forgive me for this mess.” (Psalm 28:1)  

By doing this, you become a member of God’s Forever Family. (John 1:12)  You now qualify for His plan of escape. (Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 91:14) 

Second, you must ask God, Who is now your Father, for wisdom. (Matthew 6:6; 23:9)  God knows what your problem is.  No need to rehearse the ugly details with Him.  

Ask Him for the wisdom to see His plan of escape and then start thanking Him for it, in Jesus’ Name. (Mark 11:24; John 16:23) 

Suddenly the solution will start looking bigger than the problem and you will begin to realize that it’s not as bad as it first appeared.  It never is.  

Jesus, your “Rock,” will deliver you from “The Rock,” your personal Alcatraz.

Third, don’t forget Who bailed you out when His plan of escape works for you.  

Lots of folks have “used” God to bail them out only to find themselves in an even worse situation later, when they forgot all about Him. (Matthew 12:43-45)

Be Blessed and Be Free! ... John and Barbara Hamel

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