Unleashed: The Power Within - week eight

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” Luke 4:18-19

This scripture is actually Jesus quoting from Isaiah 61. It’s easy to picture Christ reading these words and taking them literally. After all, He was and is the Savior, the Messiah: The One to usher in the favor of the Lord! But how often do we read this, and take it literally for ourselves?

It’s kind of a scary thing to think about:

First of all it says “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” In some translations it’s the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord! Wow! Quite a Spirit! And this says “upon me,” as in, all over me, covering me. I get the picture of something weighing me down when I think about it. One definition of this word here is “superimposition,” which can sometimes even mean taking unwarranted advantage of, or establishing authority by force. This isn’t some passive, ho-hum Spirit of God. This is a Spirit who takes action!

The second action here in the scripture is the anointing. Of course God anointed Christ, but me? I’m not an ordained preacher or evangelist with a degree and certificate. I haven’t really been trained to minister any news to anyone, much less the poor who are wary about anyone who comes to the door. How can this verse possibly be talking about me?

And although the rest of the verse in this translation is a little less aggressive, in other translations it doesn’t say simply to proclaim but it says to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering sight to the blind (and yes, that means walk them through that deliverance & recovery), to set at liberty them that are bruised… Easy enough… IF YOU’RE JESUS!! But really, God? Me?

The last part, though, is by far my favorite, and most definitely what puts me at ease. The time of the Lord’s favor has come! Not will come. Not might come. Not is available to all who go to heaven. No! It says: The time of the Lord’s favor HAS come! Here are some definitions for the word favor: approval, partiality, gracious kindness, a token of love usually worn conspicuously, a special privilege, endow, prefer, support, sustain, facilitate.

I don’t think that this verse would be meant for us without the favor of God. It is only by His favor, His grace, His blood, His righteousness, His holiness, etc. that we are able to be any form of Christ to the world. When we take into account that when we walk in the favor of God, we are literally putting on Christ and all the work that He has already done, it makes this verse far less scary to apply to ourselves! The favor of God even puts a whole new spin on that active Spirit that was mentioned before. Now it’s more of a relief that the Spirit rises up within us and takes over in those times that God calls us to minister His good news. (Hopefully, for most of us it isn’t taking unwarranted advantage of us all the time! If you’ve ever gotten a word for the church during worship that God just won’t let you keep to yourself no matter how long you wait, you know what that “unwarranted advantage” may feel like. I know I do!)

Because we have that promise of His favor, we can be assured that as we go out to the world, we can be effective in ministering His good news, which is that complete package of salvation. And by world I mean your office, school, home, next door neighbor’s, the park, the gym, wherever your “world” is. It is because of His favor that we can minister life, hope, healing, freedom, and love to the lost.

Take a moment and proclaim the promise of His favor by reading aloud the sentences below and remember that this is what the Lord has for you today, right now, in your daily life.

· God approves of me enough to give me the responsibility of His good news.
· God showed me partiality in anointing me with His power and might.
· God has gracious kindness in store for me even if I forget to minister the good news today.
· God has given me a token of love that I should wear out in the open for all to see.
· God has given me the special privilege of carrying His glory to the world.
· God has endowed me with the ability to minister freedom and healing to those around me.
· God prefers me the way He made me with my giftings, abilities and talents.
· God will support me as I work toward His calling.
· God will sustain me even when I feel lost and alone.
· God will facilitate the work that I am doing and will do for His Kingdom.

(I encourage you to look up the meanings of some of these words. I was amazed that facilitate means to make easier! That’s a promise I definitely want to take hold of!)

Walk in His favor today and remember: You have been called, you have been anointed, and you can be effective!

Much love & many blessings!

Staci Pace