Blessings Of The Freedom Series

Theme: Blessings of Freedom

Text: Isaiah 61:1-11

Introduction: The first and foremost larger prophetic book of Isaiah reveals the Secret of Freedom is the Anointing of the Holy Spirit. The anointing is the empowerment of a new life, and new vision. This is the prophecy about the work of Christ consequently becomes the work of the redeemed Church of God. Those who are freed are at liberty. The liberty is sealed with the anointing of the Spirit. The anointed will possess the present and future blessings. Those who are at liberty are entitled to spiritual blessings, material blessings, and posterity blessings. Let’s meditate and enjoy the blessings of God.

Blessings of the Freedom

Isaiah 61:1,11 mentions the word Sovereign Lord (Adonai, the Lord), making the line longer than the preceding and following (Clark). Give more power to understand the greatness of God through reading this passage. It also unfolds the truth that God would give blessings to his people that are far beyond anything they have ever expected or imagined. Those who repent and realize the creative, redemptive power of God could see the wonderous things in their new Life in Christ. God is the Master of Justice and righteousness. He will compensate them for the plundering they have suffered at the hands of their enemies during slavery, captivity, and evil authority. As surely as seeds sprout and grow, the just man will surely bring praise to himself from people of all nations. Those blessings are threefold in this passage, such as spiritual blessings, material blessings, and posterity blessings.

1. Spiritual Blessings (Isaiah 61:1-3)

The word “anoint” means sprinkle on; apply an ointment, lotion, or oily liquid. Literally, oil would be applied, but on the New Testament believers, it is a sign of the Holy Spirit upon their lives and service. Jesus quoted this passage on the day he read this scripture and declared being fulfilled (Luke 4:17-21). He is our forerunner for everything. He has believed and received the anointing and did great works for God. He also declared that those who believe in Him need to wait for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to utilize all authority (Acts 1:8). Jesus repeatedly told his disciples that those who believe in Him will do greater than what he did on the earth (john 14;12).

Prophet Isaiah said “The Lord hath anointed me”, Jesus also repeated this by reading it and made it his own. He wants to communicate to the listeners that He was commissioned with authority, qualified with gifts, and set apart, for important offices. He was holding offices of the Prophets, priests, and kings. Among the Jews, a few “were usually appointed and set apart to their several offices, by anointing them with oil, which ceremony was used by the express command of God.” (Benson). Both capacitating them with gifts and commissioning them with authority (Matthew Poole, Wesley’s Note).

‘Anointing was the sanctification of human nature by the Holy Spirit.’ (Pulpit Commentary). For Jesus, it commenced in the womb of the Blessed Virgin (Luke 1:35), continued as he grew to manhood (Luke 2:40,52), openly manifested at his baptism, and never ceased. This spiritual anointing, all material unction, whether under the Law as per Leviticus 8:10-12, 30; 1 Samuel 10:1, 16:13; 1 Kings 1:39, 19:15, 16 or under the gospel as per Mark 6:13, James 5:14, was symbolical (Pulpit Commentary).

Jesus Christ had the anointing of the Spirit to do ministry. Mere intellectual knowledge and bookish wisdom will not help anyone to serve the Lord. The oil on the head was an outward representation of the real, spiritual work going on inside. We have the anointing from God (1 John 2:20). Apostles became preachers, healers, and deliverers because of the anointing of the Spirit. All of us have that promise.

According to Prophet Isaiah, anointing leads to preaching, anointing helps to bind up the broken-hearted, and anointing motivates to proclaim the good news to the captives. Anointing releases the prisoners from the darkness. Anointing leads a person to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. It helps to comfort all those who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion. Usually, mourning disfigures the countenance of anyone and makes it unlovely. So, God bestows on them a crown of beauty instead of Ashes, oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair. They are oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, and display the splendours.

The spiritual gifts for evangelism, encouragement, pastoring, ministering, showing mercy, giving, etc are shortlisted by Paul (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4). We are each placed into the body of Christ to minister to one another through gifts. The Holy Spirit has been given to us as a comforter (John 14:26). He is a teacher and guide in our lives. Christians to be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)