Day 10 - Dedicate Your Freedom
By Pastor Tim Escamilla
Luke 4:18-19
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
These are the words that Jesus read in the synagogue after being tempted in the desert by the devil. I want you to remember something special about this: Jesus had returned from that desert in the power of the Spirit! Recall yesterday's post? Rather than being surprised at the trial He went through, He was able to fully defeat that temptation AND return in the power of the Spirit. His temptation brought forth the power of the Spirit!
In the power of the Spirit, He proclaims good news, proclaims freedom (liberty), recovers sight for the blind, brings freedom, and proclaims the Lord's favor. We are called to live in each of these today. We are empowered to live in each of these today! The one I want to focus on is one that was (and is) very important to Jesus: freedom. He did what He did, endured what He endured, and overcame what He overcame so that we could live in freedom!
How do I know this? It's mentioned twice in the passage. When things are mentioned more than once, that's where the emphasis should be. But I also know this because of another portion of Scripture:
Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
It's for freedom that He's set us free! He wants us to stand firm in the freedom He proclaimed in Luke 4, reciting the words of the prophet Isaiah. He's longing for us to live in freedom; He's done everything He could so that we would live in freedom. So today, I want for us to go after freedom. What past habits are you free from? What past ways of thinking? What past destructive cycles are you free from? Dedicate the freedom you're living in to the Lord right now!
Are there any areas in your life in which you're needing freedom? I've got good news; you can ask the Lord to bring freedom to you there. The Lord Jesus can bring you freedom right now! And when He does, I encourage you to dedicate that freedom to Him. In doing so, we rightfully credit the only one who could ever bring us true freedom: Jesus!
Pray with me:
"Lord, I thank You for freedom. Thank You for freedom from the past, my sins, and my mistakes. Thank You that I don't have to live like I used to! I am no longer captive nor oppressed; I am free. For the areas in my life in which I need freedom, please bring freedom. Bring freedom, and as I walk in freedom, I dedicate it all to You. I am free because I belong to You. I ask this in the name of Jesus', amen!"
Luke 4:18-19
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
These are the words that Jesus read in the synagogue after being tempted in the desert by the devil. I want you to remember something special about this: Jesus had returned from that desert in the power of the Spirit! Recall yesterday's post? Rather than being surprised at the trial He went through, He was able to fully defeat that temptation AND return in the power of the Spirit. His temptation brought forth the power of the Spirit!
In the power of the Spirit, He proclaims good news, proclaims freedom (liberty), recovers sight for the blind, brings freedom, and proclaims the Lord's favor. We are called to live in each of these today. We are empowered to live in each of these today! The one I want to focus on is one that was (and is) very important to Jesus: freedom. He did what He did, endured what He endured, and overcame what He overcame so that we could live in freedom!
How do I know this? It's mentioned twice in the passage. When things are mentioned more than once, that's where the emphasis should be. But I also know this because of another portion of Scripture:
Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
It's for freedom that He's set us free! He wants us to stand firm in the freedom He proclaimed in Luke 4, reciting the words of the prophet Isaiah. He's longing for us to live in freedom; He's done everything He could so that we would live in freedom. So today, I want for us to go after freedom. What past habits are you free from? What past ways of thinking? What past destructive cycles are you free from? Dedicate the freedom you're living in to the Lord right now!
Are there any areas in your life in which you're needing freedom? I've got good news; you can ask the Lord to bring freedom to you there. The Lord Jesus can bring you freedom right now! And when He does, I encourage you to dedicate that freedom to Him. In doing so, we rightfully credit the only one who could ever bring us true freedom: Jesus!
Pray with me:
"Lord, I thank You for freedom. Thank You for freedom from the past, my sins, and my mistakes. Thank You that I don't have to live like I used to! I am no longer captive nor oppressed; I am free. For the areas in my life in which I need freedom, please bring freedom. Bring freedom, and as I walk in freedom, I dedicate it all to You. I am free because I belong to You. I ask this in the name of Jesus', amen!"
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