The work of the Holy Spirit by Ps Jim Jung

When I was ordained as a church minister, part of the ordination ceremony had me (along with my fellow graduates) recite the verses from Isaiah 61 (specifically verses 1 to 9) that Jesus boldly declared in the Synagogue at Nazareth:  

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 4:18-19 NIV)

These verses became our launch pad. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me” is an incredible declaration of faith made by all who follow Christ (not just ordained ministers!). But what does it mean to have the Spirit of the Lord upon us?

Isaiah’s prophetic insight gives at least seven (7) examples of the work of the Holy Spirit through our lives. The Holy Spirit brings:

1.      Enlightenment (61:1) – giving the ability to preach the Good News of Christ.

2.      Encouragement (61:1) – compassion and care to help those who are broken hearted because of sorrow, disappointment, or loss.

3.      Escape (61:1) – delivering those who have been held captive by fear or oppression and seeing them set free.

4.      Exchange (61:3) – being able to swap sorrow and pain for joy and gladness, gaining a spirit of praise in place of an environment of mourning.

5.      Establishment (61:4) – rebuilding those places that have been desolate or demolished.

6.      Exaltation (61:7) – receiving a double portion of the blessing of God that re-establishes the expectation of the inheritance gifted from heaven.

7.      Example (61:9) – the anointing and filling of the Holy Spirit becomes an example to others of someone who is blessed by God.

Can you imagine being given access to these resources? Well, they are yours through the prayer of Jesus (John 14:16-17). All of these and more are yours (ref: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 2:4; Romans 12:6-8).

My prayer for you today is that you will be experiencing the fullness of the Spirit of the Lord being upon you. If you have never made such a declaration of faith about the work of the Holy Spirit, why don’t you spend a moment reading Isaiah 61:1-9; and then taking a moment, ask the Holy Spirit to anoint your life with the words you’ve just read.