It's Not Just a Thought, It's a Fact!

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” These were words that Jesus read and personalized in the synagogue in Nazareth on that Sabbath day, so long ago. They are words that inspire hope and promise in our hearts! The knowledge, there is good news for the hopeless, gives us hope. The assurance that God can heal my broken heart again, gives me hope. Hearing that God can deliver me and my sight can be restored, gives me hope. Along with the promise of liberty, there springs up hope. Yes it is a message of hope for the hopeless. The beautiful part of the message is the reassurance that now is the time for this to happen. It isn’t just wishful thinking, but it is for us today. Just as it was for those in the times of Jesus, we have the assurance that today is the time that God has chosen this to happen. Life is unfair and in its passing leaves behind many witnesses of itself. People are left feeling hopeless. Where can we turn? To whom can we turn to for help? It leaves behind broken hearts. These are the results of sin, shame and the events of life. It holds in captivity many, with reminders of past failures, rejection, shame and addictions. Life blinds the eyes of faith, hope and charity. It leaves behind bruised victims that the unwanted, undeserved events of life have punched. Then life laughs and says there is no hope! It has to be this way and will always be this way! However, the good news is that Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and that you might have life that is superabundant and to the fullest extent. That is his purpose for us. He spoke of the results of life being as a thief that came to steal, kill and destroy. With that dark cloud and the realization of that truth, comes the assurance that all isn’t hopeless. Because of his care for us, he has brought life to be our blessing. A while back I received a call from a Pastor friend. While we were talking, he reminded me of a service where I had ministered in the Church he pastors. A young man had been in the service who had just recently begun attending his Church. God had touched the life of this young man and he had responded by seeking after God. In fact, in the service the Pastor was speaking of, the young man had testified of a great hunger he felt in his soul to have more of God. After the message that afternoon, many people had come to the front to pray and seek God desiring to renew and further their relationship with him. I began to work my way among the people praying with and for several. This young man approached me and asked us to pray for him. As we began to pray with him, I felt led to lay my hand on his chest and to pray for his broken heart. When I did so this young man physically reacted by doubling over and would have fallen to the floor if I hadn’t been holding him up. Tears flowed and sobs wracked his body as cleansing began to take place in his life and healing happened. This Pastor went on to share that the young man had told him that as the Spirit of the Lord washed over him he felt a physical change happen. All of the pressure, from the hurt that was inside him, was released. The pain that resulted from the hurt, rejection and scorn of a loved one was gone. Not only was there this instant healing, the young man went on to say that things that had held him captive for years were gone. Feelings, desires and fears that had held him in torment for years had not bothered him since that night. God had fulfilled his promise in this young mans life. Rest assured, there is hope! When the thief tries to tell you, there is no hope in life, the good news is, there is hope! The thief will break your heart with sin or the events of life but don’t despair because God heals the brokenhearted. As life tries to blind you to the hope that only Jesus Christ brings, he will reopen your eye of faith and help you to see there is hope. When the thief has bruised you, leaving you battered and hurt, the blood of Jesus Christ will restore liberty and healing, bringing with it hope! Well, this time it isn’t just a thought. It’s a fact! There is hope!