THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - MEDITATIONS ON ISAIAH 61
OUTLINE
1.ENLIGHTENMENT
2.ENCOURAGEMENT
3.ESCAPE
4.EXCHANGE
5.ESTABLISHMENT
6.EXALTATION
7.EXAMPLE
THE MESSAGE
THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - MEDITATIONS ON ISAIAH 61
1. ENLIGHTENMENT- PREACH THE GOOD NEWS
The Holy Spirit comes upon a person and causes him to be a messenger of good news. In this world which is filled with bad news the spirit filled child of God comes as a carrier of good news with a message of hope to this dying world. We will preach the Gospel of salvation , the forgiveness of sins and the obtaining of eternal life. We will be soulwinners for the Kingdom of God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Isaiah 61:1 - 2
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
2.ENCOURAGEMENT - BIND UP THE BROKEN HEARTED
The Holy Spirit comes upon a person and causes him to be a healer of broken hearts. In this world filled with people who are broken hearted due to sorrow, disappointment and loss , the spirit filled child of God comes with a healing ministry.He will not add to the suffering with insensitive remarks and cruel criticisms but will be a channel of peace and restoration.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Isaiah 61:1 - 2
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Acts 9:31
Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
John 14:16
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
3.ESCAPE - SET THE CAPTIVES FREE
The Holy Spirit comes upon a person and causes him to bring deliverance to people who are bound by various satanic oppression and fears and curses. In this world filled with people under bondage to so many evil forces the spirit filled child of God comes as a deliverer to set the captives free.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Isaiah 61:1 - 2
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
4.EXCHANGE - BEAUTY FOR ASHES-OIL OF JOY FOR MOURNING-GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS
The Holy Spirit comes upon a person and causes him to exhange his sorrow and pain and mourning for joy and praise.When we surrender our mourning and sorrows and pain to Him, He will remove them from our hearts and will replace them with His joy and peace and cover us with a garment of praise.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Isaiah 61:3
and provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
5.ESTABLISHMENT - REBUILD THE WASTE AND DESOLATE PLACES
The Holy Spirit comes upon a person and causes him to rebuild those places and areas in his life which are broken down and desolate.In this world which is filled with people with broken down relationships and desolate lives the spirit filled child of God comes as a rebuilder and helps others to rebuild their lives.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Isaiah 61:4 - 6
They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.
Isaiah 54:11
Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with lapis lazuli.
Isaiah 58:12
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Isaiah 60:10
Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion.
Jeremiah 33:7
I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before.
Amos 9:11
In that day I will restore David's fallen shelter. I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins, and will rebuild it as it used to be,
Amos 9:14
and I will bring my people Israel back from exile. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.
6.EXALTATION - GET DOUBLE BLESSING FOR YOUR SHAME AND CONFUSION
The Holy Spirit comes upon a person and causes him to experience a double blessing for all the shame and humiliation and confusion he has experienced in his life.In this world which is filled with tribulation and persecution the spirit filled child of God has a hope and confidence of a double blessing for all the pain he has endured.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Isaiah 61:7 - 8
Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
“For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them.
Psalms 34:5
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
Joel 2:25-27
I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten, the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you.
You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed.
Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.
Isaiah 60:18-20
No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.
The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.
Isaiah 62:4
No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah,and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married.
7.EXAMPLE - YOU WILL BE AN EXAMPLE OF GOD'S BLESSING BEFORE OTHERS
The Holy Spirit comes upon a person and causes him to be blessed with all the blessings of God so that others would look upto them as a example of one who is blessed of God .The spirit filled child of God will bring praise and glory to God
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Isaiah 61:9 - 11
Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed.
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
Isaiah 60:14
The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you; all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Psalm 126:1-3
When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. then it was said among the nations, The LORD has done great things for them.
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
