Isaiah 61:1-3
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound."
Jesus told those in Jerusalem years later that the words of this prophecy were fulfilled before their very eyes. The gospel, or good news, promised centuries before had come to the world . The Lord's salvation was upon Israel and the entire world.
Isaiah prophesied of this coming of good news and pointed to the Spirit's touch as the force which would initiate our salvation. Christ, in his humanity, needed the Spirit upon him to do the will of the Father, just as you and I need the Spirit's touch on us to preach the gospel.
As believers, the Spirit is at work in us to usher in the news of the gospel to those poor in spirit, to those whose hearts are overturned and in need of the Savior, and to those who need release from sin's captivity. While we've got good news to share, it is the Spirit's touch on us and those who heart which makes the delivery of this news successful in the face of spiritual opposition.
We need to become a people who cry out to the Spirit to initiate the gospel through our witness. This cry honors and glories our Father, admits our personal unworthiness to preach the good news, and empowers the Lord's supernatural working in the hearts and minds of a people blinded by Satan's deceptions.
As a pastor, my preaching cannot draw people to Christ without the initiation of the Spirit. I'm powerless without the Spirit.
LORD JESUS
Lord, I thank you for the Spirit's purpose in initiating the good news of the cross to all of humanity and working in my life and in the church to bring this good news of Jesus Christ to a world in great need. Amen.
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