“The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.” — Colossians 4:18
When Paul says, “Remember my chains,” he is not merely asking for sympathy or recalling physical suffering — he is revealing a psychological key to inner transformation.
To the casual reader, these words might seem like a simple sign-off from a man in prison. But through Neville Goddard’s symbolic interpretation, we see Paul’s chains and prison as rich metaphors for the process of spiritual awakening and manifestation.
Paul as the Awakened Imagination
Paul represents the awakened imagination — the part of us that recognises its creative power and knows consciousness is the only reality. When Paul writes “with his own hand,” he asserts authorship; he claims responsibility for the states he inhabits. In the same way, we are called to take full ownership of our assumptions, as they determine the course of our lives.
The Symbolism of Chains
The “chains” Paul refers to are the inner limitations and bindings we feel when we assume a new state but the world has not yet conformed. These are our doubts, habitual thoughts, and old self-concepts that hold us back. Neville often described the tension felt between the imaginal act and its physical manifestation — the discomfort of holding to a vision that is not yet seen.
These chains are not symbols of defeat but signs of fidelity. They represent the invisible commitment to our new identity. To be “in chains” is to remain steadfast in the assumption of the wish fulfilled, regardless of outer evidence.
The Prison as Gestation
Paul often speaks of being in prison. In Neville’s framework, this is not about literal confinement but about the conscious self being “locked in” to a new state of being. You cannot return to your former self, yet the new self has not fully appeared in your external world. This is the psychological prison — the sacred womb where the new creation grows in silence.
Neville likened this phase to pregnancy: the seed of assumption has been planted, but the visible birth has not yet occurred. The prison, then, becomes a womb — a quiet space where transformation takes root, unseen but alive.
During this time, you may feel isolated or restless, as if nothing is happening. But this "imprisonment" is actually the period of most vital growth. The outer world is not yet reflecting your inner change, and so you feel confined. Yet this is the sign that something is gestating — the new identity is preparing to emerge.
Chains of Conviction
Paul’s call to “remember my chains” is not a plea for pity. It is a sacred reminder of what true conviction feels like. Assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled is not always blissful. Sometimes it feels like loneliness or tension — that is the chain.
Yet these chains are sacred. They are the link between the unseen and the seen, the inner and the outer. They are the invisible bonds that keep us faithful to our new assumption until it hardens into fact. The chain is not a sign of failure, but evidence of your unwavering commitment to your chosen state.
Grace and the Seal
Paul ends with “Grace be with you. Amen.” In Neville’s terms, grace is not effort but flow — the natural, effortless unfolding of your assumed state into outer reality. “Amen” is the seal, the final act of fixing your imaginal creation, the commitment to stay loyal to your inner vision no matter how the external world appears.
Prison as Gateway to Freedom
Paul’s prison becomes not a place of defeat but a symbol of faithful assumption. It is the conscious decision to remain fixed in your new identity, even when there is no immediate evidence. It feels like confinement, but it is actually the gateway to freedom — the passage from the old self into the fully embodied new self.
“Dare to assume you are what you want to be. Remain faithful to that assumption, and it will harden into fact.” — Neville Goddard