"The Lord Can Heal You"

"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."
Isaiah 61:1

According to Isaiah 61:1, Jesus has His heart set on helping three different groups of people. See them there? The afflicted, the brokenhearted, the prisoners. Who are these people? They're us! If you haven't figured out that you're that person yet, then you're not ready to get what it is He has to offer. But if in your heart you're saying, "You're right - I see myself there," then hang on. Christ has something phenomenal to offer you.

He offers good things to humble people

The first specific people in this passage that need help are the afflicted. Some translations say poor. A good translation from the original Hebrew would be humble. This humility thing isn't a surprise. In Matthew 5:3 Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," that is, people who aren't always 100% out for themselves. Are you the kind of person who lives your life for others and don't always think about what's best for you? You say, "Well I'd like to be, but then who is going to take care of me?" God is! This verse tells us that God takes care of the humble who will let Him meet their needs. Christ brings the good news - but you must be humble to hear it.

He offers healing to the brokenhearted

Is your heart broken? This word describes people who have been hammered by some devastating blow. This difficult circumstance may have scarred you emotionally. There might be a profound sadness to your life because of something terrible that happened in your past. Isaiah 61:1 says that Christ came into this world to bind up the brokenhearted. Like a doctor attending a broken limb. Like someone ministering salve over an open sore to bring soothing and comfort to some emotional pain that's part of your life. Even here Jesus is "the great Physician." Now how great is that?

He offers to set the captives free

If you've had a week of failure and feel trapped in a cycle of sin/confess and sin/confess and sin/confess then you know what it's like to be held captive. You are so tired of that same old sin. "When will that ever be gone from my life?" What you desperately need is some freedom. If you are chained to some sin, Christ wants to break that cycle in your life and bring release from that bondage and give you freedom. I tell you in Jesus' name that is what He came into this world to do - to bring freedom to those held captive to sin.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to Others!

Dawn