As we bring to a close our series on Ransoming the Captive, I want to challenge you now to go and do the word that you’ve heard over the course of these last few weeks.

To do that, I want you to think about all the people for whom you performed a Work of Mercy in Jesus’ name in this last year.  Think of someone to whom you’ve done good, shared your bread with, opened your home to, visited and remembered, healed and comforted, proclaimed the Gospel to, forgiven and been reconciled with, or made a disciple of.  As you do, prayerfully consider what we shared this entire month about the lifelong, whole life love that is called for in ransoming captives in Jesus’ name.

Pray for God to transform your heart to “go the distance” in loving that person with God’s own love for the rest of yours and their days, should Christ permit.

Share with someone in your church or small group about the person whom God has put on your heart. And then work together with other believers to lay out a wise plan for moving forward. Remember: Scripture commends mission work to be done in twos. It was Peter and John who healed the man at the Temple gate; Peter and John who went to prison; Peter and John who got beaten for it; Peter and John who rejoiced with the church over being counted worthy to suffer in his name.

What should be your next step with this person? What should you do now?

Then, go back and begin to “finish the job,” (to use the image of Jesus the Businessman in Revelation 5:8–10): regularly update the group on your progress and how God is developing the relationship. Share what you’re learning about what it means to lay down your life in Jesus’ name to ransom captives with him.

As always, I commend to you an “After Action Review” so that your doing of this word might serve as a continual learning process.  Here are the questions to process through as you do the word of ransoming captives in Jesus’ name:

• Step 1: What was the intent?
• Step 2: What happened? Why? What are the implications?
• Step 3: What lessons did we learn?
• Step 4: Now what?