Ok - I have been working on this awesome Bible study for several days. Some may not understand how this could possibly tie into a blog for Lupus & Chronic pain sufferers, but if you will bear with me and read it all the way through - I feel you will be blessed as I have been by this study. We are in the Lord's jubilee and my God is on the throne and He performs miracles, every - single - day. Every day that I go without pain or minimal pain - I count it as blessing and I count it as a miracle. On the days that I am ravaged with pain - I count it as time to lean on Him. I count it as time to study His word and as time to share his word. So, here we go:
Luke 4:18-19 "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." - (this scripture is in red, meaning it is spoken by Jesus. Do you see it???? He has come to preach deliverance to the captives; aren't chronic pain sufferers a type of captive? We WILL BE delivered) Jesus is giving the purpose of His Spirit-anointed ministry. All those filled with the Holy Spirit are called to share this message.)
Isaiah 61:1-2 "The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he that sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;" - (When Jesus began His ministry, He quoted these verses and applied them to Himself. Jesus did not include the end of Isa 61:2 when he quoted this prophecy, since the "day of vengeance" would not occur until his 2nd coming.
Isaiah 58:6 "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?" - (The fast that God approves, comes out of love for Him and genuine concern for those that are oppressed. Giving tithes and offerings does not free us from the responsibility of giving to the poor. And there are MANY wealthy, poor people. Oxymoron? I think not. Wealth does not only refer to money.)
II Chronicles 20:20 " And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established (stay safe); believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper (succeed)." - (Also reference Isa 7:9 "...if ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established." Are you safe? Do you listen to the prophets?)
John 9:39 "And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into the world, that they which see NOT might see; and that they which see might be made blind." - (This is a reference to opening spiritual eyes of those blinded by the world and satan. Satan is the king of lies - do not hear him. He will convince you that you are sick or broken and that no one cares for you and that you cannot hope to move forward. But I have a HOPE! And I have a future! And He is the KING OF KINGS!!!!)
Do you want freedom from sin, fear and guilt? (aka - satan's domain) - Here is how: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:36. "To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified (set apart) by faith that is in me." Acts 26:18. Both of these scriptures are written in red, meaning - JESUS declared this! Oh sweet freedom!
We must gain a deep realization of the need and misery of all people, resulted from sin and the power of satan.
Isaiah 34:8 "For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion." - Even though this scripture is speaking in the context of destruction of the Edomites that is coming soon from God. Isaiah is prophesying of a coming judgment on all the unregenerate. II Samuel 8:13-14 shows where all Edomites became servants of David. Psalms 137:7 shows that there will come a time at the end of history when the Holy Spirit will lead His people to pray for diving retribution upon the arrogant, unrepentant and ungodly.
Satan's "lease" on this earth will not last forever. Why not take that freedom now? Why wait until the children of God can no longer hold out and begin to pray for final judgment? "And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Revelation 6:10. This is not to say that as children of God, we do not cry out for the lost, but the day is coming that the children know it is a losing battle and we need the Son of man to come and end the war!
Revelation 6:10 is NOT a prayer of personal vengeance, it comes from concern for God, righteousness and the suffering of His people.
Lamentations 4:21-22 "Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover (reveal) thy sins." - Jeremiah prophesies Judah's captivity will come to an end when God's purpose for her affliction is achieved.
Let's rejoice in the acceptable year of the Lord! We do not have to be bound by sickness and pain. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Now pick up your sword and put on the whole armour of God and get in the battle!