In Isaiah 61, we have a prophecy about the Good News that is in Jesus Christ. Jesus stood in the synagogue, took the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and unrolled it to this place and read these words.
Luke 4:18-19 NKJV “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Luke 4:20-21 NIV84 Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him, and He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus stopped reading from the scroll before we get to our text.
He was drawing attention to the fact that the Messiah had come and was going to do what the Spirit of the Lord had anointed Him to do.
Those in the synagogue were familiar with Isaiah’s prophecy. Everyone in Israel was looking forward to the day when the Messiah would come and bring relief and a strong recovery.
Isaiah was prophesying about the diversity of the Lord’s ministry.
Jesus Christ, the Messiah of God was anointed to achieve this great change for everyone who puts their trust in Him. Following this text, we are given some insight into God’s great plan for recovery. This prophecy is an introduction of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- He came to declare the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, poor, and afflicted.
- He was sent to bind up and heal the brokenhearted.
- He was anointed to proclaim liberty to physical and spiritual captives and opening of prisons to those who are bound.
- He was sent to bring people out of oppression and despair.
- He came to recover the sight of the blind.
- He came to declare the time of the Lord’s favor.
Isaiah continues this message of the Gospel of the Savior.
Isaiah 61:3-4 NKJV To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.
Are you interested in recovering what has been destroyed?
The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about recovery and restoration. God has always been a blessing God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the message of recovery and God’s favor. He wants us to know and be familiar with His mercy, grace and love. This prophetic word is a message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a declaration of His favor for Israel. Isaiah was not the first to speak this word of God’s blessing.
Deuteronomy 28:2–7 NKJV And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.
God wants you to be a blessed people because when you are blessed, it brings honor to His name.
The Lord wants you to have a strong recovery.
Isaiah 61:7 NKJV Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs.
Isaiah 61:9 NIV84 Their descendants shall be known among the nations… All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.
God has raised up His people as a testimony of His favor. Throughout history God’s blessed people have been under attack.
1 Samuel 30:1 NKJV Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire,
1 Samuel 30:2 NKJV and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way.
1 Samuel 30:3 NKJV So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.
The enemy of your soul is looking for opportunities to steal your children, your possessions, and your future. He wants to oppress, discourage, and bring a spirit of despair.
1 Samuel 30:4 NKJV Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
Have you ever cried until you had no more power to weep? The loss that they experienced greatly distressed these mighty warriors. Even the strong have times of great distress.
1 Samuel 30:5–6 NKJV And David’s two wives… had been taken captive. Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
The Good News of Jesus Christ is God’s help where we live.
God Almighty has a recovery plan for your life.
When David and all of the people were so overwhelmed with grief, heaviness, mourning and loss, David turned to the Lord for help.
You need to hear and know the Good News. The Redeemer has come to help you in all of your distresses. He has come to save, heal, and deliver.
Psalm 27:1 NKJV The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 18:2 NKJV The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
You need to remind yourself of what God has done and can do for you.
- He is the strength of your life.
- He is your Fortress and Deliverer.
- He is your Shield and the Horn of your Salvation.
- The Lord is your Stronghold.
David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
After David strengthened himself in the Lord, he asked Abiathar the priest if he should attempt to recover what had been stolen. Before you attempt a strong recovery, you need to strengthen yourself in the Lord.
1 Samuel 30:8 NKJV So David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
God has planned for your strong recovery.
When you inquire of God, you need to know that He is able to deliver you.
Don’t worry about how God can do it. Remove your doubt and fear. Don’t allow your grief, heaviness, mourning and loss to destroy your faith and trust in God. The Lord our God is going to lead His church in triumph. You need to strengthen yourselves in the Lord.
Start right now.
David’s victory was greater than expected.
As David and his men started taking back what had been stolen, they recovered more than they had lost.
They recovered their families and possessions. They recovered the spoil of the enemies of the Lord.
As a result of the victory that we gain in Jesus Christ our Savior, Isaiah prophesied about our recovery.
Isaiah 61:4 NKJV And they shall rebuild the old ruins, They shall raise up the former desolations, And they shall repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.
Isaiah 61:7 NKJV Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs.
Why will the Lord do this?
Why will He show us this kind of blessing and favor?
God wants to raise up a testimony of Jesus’ victory in your life.
The victory that Jesus gained through the cross and His sufferings will bring you into great victory. When He ascended back to the Father, He was given the place of honor and great power. At the Father’s right hand, Jesus Christ reigns in victory.
1 Corinthians 15:25 tells us, “He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet.”
The Lord of victory wants to bring you into His victory.
Listen to this word.
Isaiah 61:9 NIV Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”
Isaiah 61:10 NIV I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
That is what the Lord wants to do for you.
When the Lord starts giving you a strong recovery, you need to share the blessing with other people.
Somebody else needs encouragement. Someone else needs to know what the Lord has done for you. When you get your children back, let others know what the Lord has done. When God gives you your husband or your wife, you need to let others know. Their family needs to experience the Lord’s favor and great recovery. When you get a financial blessing, you need to be a blessing to others.
Someone else needs to know that God can do it for them.
You need to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ!
- He can bless you!
- He can heal you!
- He can restore your health!
- He can restore your finances!
- He can restore your future!
The prophet Isaiah’s message is reaching down through the ages of time to where you are living.
- You can trust Jesus to help you were you are living.
- You can trust Him even if you cannot see Him.
- You can trust Him even if there is no evidence of His presence or help.
- You can trust Him when you cannot feel it.
The evidence is all through the Bible.
- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego couldn’t stay out of the fiery furnace, so the Lord came to them in the fiery furnace.
- Daniel couldn’t stay out of the lion’s den, so God shut the mouths of the lions.
- Simon Peter was sinking in deep water, but the Lord lifted him up.
- Jarius’ daughter was dead, but Jesus touched her and told her to get up, (Mark 5:21-43).
- Ten lepers were cleansed when they called out from a distance for Jesus to help, (Luke 17:11-19).
God has promised to do this for you.
Psalm 46:1 NIV84 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
You are going to have a strong recovery.
Those ruined places are going to be rebuilt. The Lord has plans to take away the shame and pain and give you His blessing and favor.
