HE is moving, setting captives free!!

Isaiah 61:1-11

Exaltation of the Afflicted

¹    The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

    Because the LORD has anointed me

    To bring good news to the afflicted;

    He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

    To proclaim liberty to captives

    And freedom to prisoners;

²    To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD

    And the day of vengeance of our God;

    To comfort all who mourn,

³    To grant those who mourn in Zion,

    Giving them a garland instead of ashes,

    The oil of gladness instead of mourning,

    The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.

    So they will be called oaks of righteousness,

    The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

⁴    Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,

    They will raise up the former devastations;

    And they will repair the ruined cities,

    The desolations of many generations.

⁵    Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks,

    And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.

⁶    But you will be called the priests of the LORD;

    You will be spoken of as ministers of our God.

    You will eat the wealth of nations,

    And in their riches you will boast.

⁷    Instead of your shame you will have a double portion,

    And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion.

    Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land,

    Everlasting joy will be theirs.

⁸    For I, the LORD, love justice,

    I hate robbery in the burnt offering;

    And I will faithfully give them their recompense

    And make an everlasting covenant with them.

⁹    Then their offspring will be known among the nations,

    And their descendants in the midst of the peoples.

    All who see them will recognize them

    Because they are the offspring whom the LORD has blessed.

¹⁰    I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,

    My soul will exult in my God;

    For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,

    He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,

    As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

    And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

¹¹    For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

    And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,

    So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise

    To spring up before all the nations.

 

Take a real good look at the wording, and sit still with it til the HIS word resonate with your very being.  Isaiah was prophesing , In Luke, Jesus read the exact words to the people to show them that HE has come and that HE was at work doing exactly what it said.  Later in the Gospels, Jesus also told the disciples that the day would come when we would do greater things than this…Why are we not able to do it? Or are we?  Maybe we aren’t walking the closeness we think we are, Maybe we are compromising the truth for a lie?

We are HIS priests sent out to spread the fragrance of knowing HIM.  Sometimes that is just a smile for a very sad face we encounter, sometimes it is to boldly take HIM into places where most don’t want to go.  Most of you know that my heart is in Outreach, random kindeness, and just shining where ever and when ever I can.  Our church is taking the leap…we now have an outreach team, and we are leading the way together for our faith family to see God at work here in the street, in our parking lot..and watching God build a bridge to the community. 

Oh Praise HIM! Praise HIM because HE fulfills all that HE has said, Praise HIM because there is none like HIM who reaches into the slimey pits to lift up a broken heart, and wipe the tears away.  Praise HIM because when HE speaks the enemy runs and hides…..Just praise HIM…HE alone is worthy of our praise.  Then take the keys of the kingdom and start setting some captives free!!  Believe HIM…as HIS child..speak into the darkness and say “let there be LIGHT”…

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