SCRIPTURE: Acts 16
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. [Luke 4:18-19] Jesus reads these words to his hometown audience, then declares, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’ Paul and Silas, filled with the same Spirit, following the same Jesus, now continue the ministry of setting the captives free.
The mission is to proclaim the good news of God in word and deed. Wherever Paul and Silas go, they tell people about the Messiah, and His Spirit anoints their testimony with power. Lydia’s heart is opened, she and her family believe. Captives set free! Paul sets the demon-possessed girl free, another captive released. And while in prison, they themselves are free, singing with joy and confidence, despite their physical chains. The result, not only are they freed through the earthquake, and the city leaders set them free, but the jailer and his family believe and are set free.
This passage oozes with the Spirit’s movement. Jesus has indeed baptized with the Holy Spirit, and His followers are overflowing. They have believed the good news, they have surrendered to the Messiah, and they are now free. Whether physically free or not, their inward freedom is real, and life-changing. Now the Spirit compels them to share this message with still others. It keeps flowing and overflowing.
If only we could overflow with the same confidence. They go through a flogging, they are thrown into prison, and they sing, they speak! And they see still more captives set free. We are not promised an easy ride, but we are promised fuel for the journey and a certain destination. Therefore we can travel with confidence.
The Spirit of the Lord is also upon me. He has also anointed me to bring good news to the poor. Will I allow this Spirit to flow in and through me? Will I allow myself to keep on being filled by the Spirit in me, allowing Him to have me, to use me [Ephesians 5:18]? Will I choose to sing in my prisons, through my struggles, confident in He that is in me?
PRAYER:
Lord, Your power is great. You are able to set people free… through me. Anoint me again with this kind of confidence, and inspire me to sing!
LORD, open my heart so much more. Thank You LORD that growing in faith is a continual process. I want to know You more!
Enlarge my Spiritual vision LORD. Increase my faith so greatly that my heart songs spill out into all areas of my life.
LORD, help me be completely open to all that Your Holy Spirit is doing in my heart and life. May I never doubt the new things You are doing in me.
LORD, thank You that I may live in the power of Christ, in and through the workings of the Holy Spirit. More LORD, more so that the walls in my life may come crumbling down…….