Good morning, Lord Jesus. Align my heart with Your heart and my will with Your will, O Lord, my God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This. morning I read Isaiah chapter 61. Usualy I ost a few verses from a chapter I am reading that are speaking to me as I write my devotion. This morning I am posting the whole chapter. As Isaiah 61 in it’s entirety is. one of the most powerful, beautiful, amazing chapters in the whole Bible that speaks into the heart of God’s restoration and grace for all mankind.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen me.
He has commissioned me to encourage the poor,
to help the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives
and the freeing of prisoners,
2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,
the day when our God will seek vengeance,
to console all who mourn,
3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.
4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins
and restore the places that were desolate;
they will reestablish the ruined cities,
the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
5 “Foreigners will take care of your sheep;
foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’
You will enjoy the wealth of nations
and boast about the riches you receive from them.
7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion;
instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive.
Yes, they will possess a double portion in their land
and experience lasting joy.
8 For I, the Lord, love justice
and hate robbery and sin.
I will repay them because of my faithfulness;
I will make a permanent covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will recognize that
the Lord has blessed them.”
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God.
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication.
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry.
11 For just as the ground produces its crops
and a garden yields its produce,
so the Sovereign Lord will cause deliverance to grow
and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations.”
Isaiah 61 is such a powerful chapter on the the complete restoritive plan of God of love and grace, that it is the chapter the Jesus quoted from at the start of his ministry on earth to announce his presence in the world and the promise redemption that is now fullfilled in Him.
"Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about Him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Then He began to say to them, 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hear'" (Luke 4:14-21).
Lord Jesus, You're still healing the brokenhearted and setting the captives free in the power of Your Spirit. You're still fulfilling the scroll of Scripture, the Word of God, confirming Your identity and living out Your destiny. To which I say “Praise God!”
Just as the Father sent You in the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit, so You send us, you send me saying "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you" (John 20:21). As we abide in You and You abide in us, Your Spirit flows through us in the power of Your love and grace everywhere You send us (John 15:5).
Fill me with Your Holy Spirit today! "Here am I; send me!" (Isaiah 6:8). Send me with the character of Your nature in my heart and the authority of Your name in my words, as You make me more like You each day (Romans 8:29). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you read Isaiah 61 this morning, clain it over your life and ministry, and stand in prayer and declare the Spirit of the Lord God will be upon you today and every day, as the Lord sends you to minister His love and grace with nature of Jesus in your heart and authority of His name through your words, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
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