Today, I have the honor of preaching a message of hope to the men at Okaloosa Correctional Institution in Crestview. These are souls longing for light in the midst of darkness, and I believe God is going to move in a powerful way. Would you join me in praying—for me, for our team, and most importantly, for every man who will hear this word? Pray that chains will break, hearts will soften, and that hope will rise in places many have written off. We are believing for transformation, healing, and the reminder that no one is ever too far gone for God’s grace. Thank you for standing with us!
I know some of you may not feel like it right now—but you need to hear this loud and clear: You are not forgotten.
Not by God. Not by grace. Not by the purpose placed on your life before you ever took your first breath.
You may feel locked down, caged in, overlooked, or counted out—but I need you to know: God still sees you.
He knows your name. He knows your scars. He knows every mistake, every failure, every moment of regret—and He still calls you His. He sees not just what you’ve done, but what you can become.
You might feel like your life has been buried under years of pain, addiction, betrayal, violence, or choices you can’t undo. But hear this—buried things aren’t always dead. Sometimes they’ve been planted. And when God plants something, it always has the potential to rise again.
There’s still life in you.
1. Grace in the Garden
Let’s start in a place most people skip over—the Garden of Gethsemane.
This wasn’t a place of comfort. It was a place of crushing. Jesus was in deep agony before going to the cross. His sweat was like drops of blood. He cried out:
“Father, if it’s possible, take this cup from Me.”
Maybe you’ve prayed the same thing:
- “God, get me out of here.”
- “God, this is too much.”
- “God, I can’t do this anymore.”
But then Jesus said something that changed everything:
“Not My will, but Yours be done.”
He didn’t escape the pain—but He overcame it with purpose. That prayer opened the door to resurrection.
Your Gethsemane might be a prison cell. A 20-year sentence. The face of someone you hurt. The haunting echo of your worst moment.
But this is not the end of your story. The place of pressing is also the place of preparation.
Grace in the Garden – Practical Application
When you feel like you’re being crushed under the weight of regret or pain, remember Gethsemane. Start your day with a short prayer: “Not my will, but Yours.” Write it down. Repeat it when anger, temptation, or despair rise. Practice surrender by choosing to respond differently—hold your tongue, walk away from the drama, or help someone else. These small acts of obedience, even in pain, prepare you for resurrection moments.
2. Grace is Greater Than Guilt
The enemy knows how to push your buttons:
- “You’ll never change.”
- “You’re just a number.”
- “You’re the sum of your worst mistakes.”
But Jesus already took your rap sheet to the cross.
Romans 5:20 says, “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more.”
That means:
- No sin is too dark for grace to outshine.
- No guilt is too heavy for grace to lift.
- No past is too stained for Jesus to redeem.
Grace isn’t ignoring what you’ve done—it’s God choosing to love you in spite of it. God is not looking for perfect people. He’s looking for surrendered ones. He’s not scared of your story. He wants to rewrite it.
Grace is Greater Than Guilt – Practical Application
Write down the lies you hear in your mind—then write a truth from Scripture next to each one. Keep that list in your Bible. When guilt comes knocking, read the truths out loud. Confession is a tool—talk to God about your guilt, then release it. And when you see someone else buried in shame, speak life over them. Grace grows when we share it, not hoard it.
3. When the Cup Doesn’t Pass
Jesus asked the Father to take the cup—and it didn’t pass.
Maybe yours didn’t either. The appeal was denied. The door stayed closed. The pain remained.
But here’s the miracle: Jesus didn’t quit. He surrendered.
And that surrender led to resurrection.
Surrender isn’t weakness—it’s strength under God’s authority.
It’s saying, “God, I trust You even when I don’t understand.”
When the Cup Doesn’t Pass – Practical Application
You may not be able to change your sentence, but you can change your surrender. Instead of focusing on what didn’t go your way, ask God what He’s trying to grow in you during this season. Journal your prayers. Serve someone else. Lead a Bible study. Write a letter of apology or encouragement. These aren’t wasted acts—they’re weapons of faith that turn your waiting room into a training ground.
4. God Meets You in Secret
Luke 22:43 says an angel came and strengthened Jesus—not to take the pain away, but to help Him endure. If you’ve cried in the dark… Begged for forgiveness… Whispered a prayer no one heard… I want you to know, Heaven heard.
You are not invisible to God. You’re not lost in the system. He knows your every word, every tear, every silent cry.
God often does His most powerful work in the secret places. While others see a cell, He sees a sanctuary.
God Meets You in Secret – Practical Application
Find a consistent place and time to meet with God. Even five minutes of silence and prayer before lights out can be sacred. Speak honestly to God—He can handle your truth. When others sleep or argue, steal away to the secret place. Keep a prayer notebook and record how God shows up. He may not change your surroundings overnight, but He will strengthen you within them.
5. Healing Comes in Layers
In Mark 8, Jesus touched a blind man who said, “I see people, but they look like trees walking.”
Healing had started—but it wasn’t complete.
So Jesus touched him again.
Some of you are between touches. You’ve started to change. Started to hope. But you still wrestle. Still bleed. Still question.
Don’t settle for blurry healing. Don’t stop halfway. Your second touch is coming.
Healing Comes in Layers – Practical Application
Don’t get discouraged if you still feel broken after making progress. Celebrate every small win: a calm reaction, a positive thought, a new insight from Scripture. Ask trusted mentors or chaplains to pray for your “second touch.” Healing isn’t a straight line—it’s a daily walk. Stay in God’s Word, and surround yourself with people who want to grow. The more honest you are, the deeper the healing goes.
6. A New Mindset Behind Bars
Romans 12:2 says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Renewing means daily. Constant. Repeated.
Your body may be confined, but your mind doesn’t have to be.
Let this shift happen:
- From “I’m a failure” to “I’m forgiven.”
- From “I’m stuck” to “I’m being shaped.”
- From “I’m done” to “God’s not finished.”
Freedom starts in your thinking. Even in prison, you can live with purpose, with clarity, and with peace.
A New Mindset Behind Bars – Practical Application
Feed your mind truth. Read or memorize one verse a day. Say it out loud. Start your morning by declaring, “I am not my past.” Write down new goals—spiritual, emotional, and mental. Replace complaining with gratitude. Every time you’re tempted to say, “I can’t,” replace it with, “God can.” Mind renewal is a discipline, but every day you choose to think differently, you gain strength that no one can take.
7. You’re Still Chosen
Jesus didn’t run from criminals—He died beside them.
One mocked. The other said, “Lord, remember me.”
And Jesus replied, “Today, you’ll be with Me in paradise.”
Not after a lifetime of proof. Just one honest cry.
You are not too far gone.
You’re Still Chosen – Practical Application
It’s never too late to respond to grace. If you haven’t already, make that simple, honest cry: “Lord, remember me.” He hears it. Then, live like someone who’s been remembered. Encourage one person today. Offer forgiveness to someone you’ve been avoiding. Sit with someone who’s hurting. Like the thief on the cross, your surroundings may not change—but your soul can be set free in a moment.
8. Speak Life. Speak Truth.
Start saying what God says:
- “I am loved.” (Romans 8:38–39)
- “I am forgiven.” (1 John 1:9)
- “I am new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- “I am chosen.” (Ephesians 1:4)
These aren’t clichés. They’re weapons.
In a world that tries to define you by failure, God defines you by faith.
Speak Life. Speak Truth – Practical Application
Use your words as tools of transformation. Create a daily confession—something like: “I am forgiven. I am God’s child. I have a future.” Say it when you wake up and before you go to sleep. Share it with someone who needs hope. When negativity floods the room, be the one to change the atmosphere. Speaking God’s Word isn’t just for preachers—it’s for prisoners with purpose.
9. When You Feel Like Giving Up
In Mark 5, Jairus was told his daughter was dead.
“Why bother?” they said.
But Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe.”
He still resurrects:
- Dead hope
- Dead peace
- Dead identity
You may feel finished—but you’re not dead. You’re just asleep. And Jesus is calling you to rise.
When You Feel Like Giving Up – Practical Application
Make a “Don’t Quit” list. Write down the reasons you’re still standing—your kids, your faith, your desire for change. Add Scriptures that breathe life into dead hope. Post it where you can see it. When the voice of defeat whispers, “Why bother?” answer with faith: “Jesus said, ‘Just believe.’” Keep showing up—keep reading, keep praying, keep changing. Your breakthrough may be one step beyond your breakdown.
10. The Prison is Not the End
Joseph was in prison—but it was preparation.
Paul was in chains—but wrote letters that changed the world.
Jesus was in a tomb—but only for three days.
God can turn your cell into a sanctuary.
Your sentence into a sermon.
Your wounds into a witness.
The Prison is Not the End – Practical Application
Ask God to use your sentence for His glory. What message is in your mess? Start writing your story—whether for a testimony, a book, or to help others inside. Find one way to serve your unit: pray, lead, listen, or write. When you feel stuck, remember Joseph and Paul. They weren’t waiting to get out to start ministry—they let God use them right where they were. So can you.
11. Mephibosheth: From Lo-Debar to the King’s Table
In 2 Samuel 9, Mephibosheth was born into royalty—son of Jonathan, grandson of Saul—but his life was marked by tragedy. At just five years old, he lost his father and grandfather in battle. In the chaos, his nurse dropped him, leaving him crippled for life. He was carried away to Lo-Debar—a place of desolation.
Lo-Debar means “no pasture” or “no word.” It’s where many of us find ourselves emotionally and spiritually when we’ve been broken by life.
For years, Mephibosheth likely felt discarded, forgotten, and ashamed. The palace was his birthright, but desolation became his dwelling.
When David finally summoned him, Mephibosheth didn’t walk into that room—he was likely carried. And when he faced the king, he fell on his face and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
That one sentence reveals how completely Lo-Debar had shaped his identity. He no longer saw himself as a prince, but as worthless.
But David didn’t see a dead dog.
He saw legacy. He saw promise. And he said:
“You will always eat at my table.”
Mephibosheth’s crippled feet didn’t disqualify him. His shame didn’t define him. Grace carried him into a place of restoration.
Maybe you feel dropped—by life, others, or your own decisions. But like Mephibosheth, you’re not beyond the reach of grace.
Lo-Debar is not your final destination.
God knows where you are—and He’s calling you back to the table.
12. Closing Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for being the God who sees us, even in our most hidden, broken, and forgotten places. Thank You that no prison wall, no past mistake, no failure or label can keep us from Your love. Just as You called Mephibosheth out of Lo-Debar, You are calling us out of shame and into restoration. You are inviting us to Your table—not because we’ve earned it, but because of Your mercy.
We surrender our regrets, our guilt, and the false identities we’ve carried for too long. Remind us daily that we are not “dead dogs,” but sons of the King. That we are not buried—we are planted. That there is still life in us because You breathe life into dry bones.
Lord, renew our minds. Restore our hearts. Rebuild what was broken. Reignite what has gone cold. And raise up within us a bold and living faith that declares: “I am chosen. I am redeemed. I am not done.”
Use our story for Your glory. Even behind bars, help us be voices of hope, hands of healing, and vessels of grace. Let our lives reflect the goodness of a God who never gives up on His children.
In Jesus’ mighty name,
Amen.
Life-Giving Words of Hope & Encouragement 
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