“The Lord hath anointed Me (Christ)…sent Me…to proclaim liberty to the captives.” Isaiah 61:1
Dear Ones:
Perhaps the most wonderful news about the Gospel is that God actually works in power through the truth expressed in it. This is GOOD NEWS. Paul declares that “…the gospel…the preaching of the cross…is the POWER of God.” (1 Cor. 1:17,18) Why is it that the proclamation of the truth of God is that very real, and active, POWER of God? It is because the good news, the truth, leads us to the person of Christ, who IS the “…power and wisdom of God.” (v.24) As is the phrase “…All roads lead to Rome,” so, all truth leads to Christ. But the purpose of revealing the truth to us is not just to bring us TO Christ. It is given that the power of Christ might be operative in our lives in a most tangible way. How?
Scripture speaks of mankind being “captive,” being under the domination of enemies without and within. The enemy within is “sinful self,” that very “natural” nature of man, which stands in opposition to God and His goodness. The enemy “without” is Satan, who is the prince of the power of the air, the “god of this world.” The “world” of which we speak is that faithless, godless mentality and perspective, which is so universally prevalent. Jesus came not only to cause His light to shine in our darkness (our ignorance of the truth, and absence of true Life), but to break the chains that hold us prisoner to our sinfulness, and Satan. When Jesus shines the light of truth into our darkened cell, the power of God accompanies it…a power to BREAK the bonds that hold us back. What are those bonds specifically? The words of F. Bottome’s hymn are so applicable here: “Care and doubting, gloom and sorrow, fear and shame are mine no more; Faith knows naught of dark tomorrow, For my Savior goes before.” Because of the domination of the principle and law of sin (independence of God) in our hearts, all that Bottome mentions in his hymn applies to us. It is when we receive, and grasp the knowledge of the truth, which leads us to Christ our power, that the domination and “government” of sin is broken. Then care, doubting, gloom, sorrow, fear and shame ARE MINE NO MORE. There is freedom from these terrible weights imposed upon us by our sin, this world, and the enemy of our souls. We walk out into the warmth of the light and Life of Christ, into the sunshine of the Love of God, to breathe the air of freedom at last.
Dear Father, give us to realize that the Bible is Heaven’s declaration of “good things” that ARE and WILL BE. Open our eyes to see that You have the power and authority to speak to our bonds, the weights of shame and sorrow, and to dissipate fear, giving us hope and a future in Christ. Lord Jesus Christ, BE our power this day, to love and serve Thee, and those around us, for Thy glory. We thank Thee. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad