Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me
to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release
to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those
who are oppressed" (Luke 4:18).
It is electrifying when you are conscious of the anointing of the Holy
Spirit. This anointing is real, and we have evidence of it. The most
powerful evidence is our deep conviction of sin. John 16:8 says, "And
He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and
righteousness and judgment." Where, O where, do you see any conviction
of sin today? The world has done all it can to squelch any feelings of
guilt from wrongdoing. Even Hollywood actresses used to have
convictions against nudity, but nowadays, they seem to gloat about it,
and their popularity rises. They are not even ashamed. "Were they
ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even
ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush" (Jer. 6:15).
But the Bible says, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a
broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise" (Ps. 51:17).
Have you ever seen someone come to Christ with a "broken and contrite
spirit"? Isn't this ever powerful?
Isaiah wrote, "For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives
forever, whose name is Holy, 'I dwell on a high and holy place, And
also with the contrite and lowly of spirit, In order to revive the
spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite'" (Isa.
57:15). He also wrote, "To this one I will look, to him who is humble
and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word" (Isa. 66:2). My
heart cries out for me to have that contrite spirit. What about you?
Paul wrote, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature;
the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Cor.
5:17). That anointing offers deliverance to the captives. Today,
people are captives to sin and Satan, to drugs and depravity, to lust
and licentiousness. Real deliverance comes through our new birth.
Let's tell people the good news that Christ suffered and died for our
sins, paid the debt in full and rose again so we can receive Him and
be new creatures. Let's tell them, shall we?
Prayer: Father, thank You for anointing us with Your Spirit. Teach us
to have broken and contrite hearts. Help us to live as new creatures,
freed from the bonds of sin. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Quote for the Day: "One of the best-kept secrets among Christians
today is this: Jesus paid it all. I mean all. He not only purchased
your forgiveness of sins and your ticket to Heaven, He purchased every
blessing and every answer to prayer you will ever receive. Every one
of them—no exceptions." —Jerry Bridges
