Change Your Clothes Series

Stand & Read - Isaiah 61:1-3

?The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; [2] To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, [3] To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle (garment) of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.?

"Chang Your Clothes!"

Prayer?

INTRODUCTION:

Sing the song: Garment Of Praise

I want to help us to get moving in the right direction?as we gain for ourselves New Perspectives for this New Year?

-By knowing and walking in the Provisions of the Lord Jesus Christ?

-By partaking in what Jesus has provided for us in His work on the Cross?

What I want to share with you this morning is about CHANGING YOUR CLOTHES!!!

-No more walking around in the ways of this world?

-No more being clothed in the rags that are filthy and nasty?

-Casting off the lower things?and taking on the higher ones?

-Good-bye to the OLD MAN and HELLO to the NEW & IMPROVED!!!

*This change is made possible for you?by Jesus? wonderful and loving work on the Cross!!!

*Can you thank the Lord?!!!

No longer to be clothed with the garments (or schemes, tools of defeat, and weights) of this world?

But ONLY to wear what has been expressly provided through the blood of Jesus!!!

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I want to share with you some?GOOD NEWS FOR ZION (The Church)?this morning!

I want to bring you encouragement and blessing today as God has instructed me to!

I want you to leave this place BLESSED & REFRESHED this morning?ready to carry on with God and be the VICTOR He has predetermined you to be!!!

As the prophet wrote the book of Isaiah?there was a progression in thought that was being built with the previous few chapters?

-Chapter 58?talked of abuses that slowed the recovery of Israel.

-But then?Chapter 59?reminded the reader of the Mighty Hand of the Lord?and how it IS NOT shortened?and IT IS ABLE to help and save!!!

-Next?Chapter 60?chapter 60 gives the reader a picture of Zion?s future glory?that which will be had.

*And we notice a forward progression here in thought?

*But chapter 60 left one thing out, which DID come through in chapter 61 though?

-Chapter 61?brought the profile of the GREAT MESSIANIC KING?the King who would usher in the Glory that Zion was soon to see!!!

*Chapter 61 brought Him on the scene?

*And it introduced Him and His work that He would accomplish!!!

-Jesus Christ?the King of Glory!!!

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Now?here we are on the other side of this prophecy and Jesus has already done all that He needed to, to accomplish this in our lives?

-He already died?

-Was buried?

-And has risen again!!!

Therefore, the works of the enemy are defeated, and WE are victors with Jesus now!!!

ü BUT?we still FEEL like it hasn?t happened?

ü We still ACT like it never took place?

ü We still have a hard time BELIEVING that it can even be any other way?

But WHY!?!?!?!

Because we are still being defeated by the enemy of our souls?the devil!

ü He gets us in an uproar over nothing?

ü He messes with our days, and ruins our hopes of an easy life?

ü He muddies the waters in between our ears, and gets us to think on things that we NEVER should?

ü And by doing so?he gets us without even doing any REAL battle?

But this is not the way that it has to be?Do you believe that???

God has provided a way out for us, and has made a better way?

-Just read Isaiah 61!

-Let?s look again!

Isaiah 61:1-3

?The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; [2] To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, [3] To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle (garment) of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.?

What a wonderful thing to focus on!

Better yet?if we would live in it!