When Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-24), the Scripture tells us that it as the sabbath day or day of rest for the Jews. On this particular sabbath, Jesus stood up and read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah 61:1,2. It was then that He made the declaration that The Spirit of The Lord was upon Him in fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy. Please understand that the title Christ means, “anointed one”. Thus, when Jesus speaks of being anointed by The Spirit of The Lord, He is declaring that He is The foretold Messiah.

What I would like us to meditate on is what Jesus said the purpose of the anointing of God was for. The Spirit of The Lord was given to deliver hurting people from bondage to sin’s debt and sin’s effects upon their lives. The apostle John tells us that for this purpose was The Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.The prophet Isaiah told us that the yoke of bondage shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

Though there is no question that the purpose for Jesus performing miracles on earth was to validate that He was the Messiah, the Christ of God. It is wrong to say that God “closed shop” on ministering salvation, deliverance and healing to people today. Granted there are those spiritual counterfeits who so abuse the term “anointed” to speak of something that is more like the Shrine Circus than the work of God’s Holy Spirit, but let me ask you a few question in light of the passages read by Jesus in Luke.

Do people still need to hear the gospel?
Do people still suffer from being brokenhearted?
Are people today in need of divine deliverance from captivity to sin and all of the of horrible effects of sin?
Do blind eyes to the truth of God still need to be opened?
Have people who have been bruised by other people or the ravages of life in need of deliverance?

Of course, the answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes. Perhaps that someone is you. I have good news for you today. The Same One Who stood to read the book in the synagogue is now seated at the right hand of The Father, where He ever lives to make intercession for you. The Same One Who would close the book and proceed to cast out demons, heal the sick and go from city to city to preach the gospel has risen and invites you to come unto Him.

Jesus is no longer with us physically, but He is with us none the less. He dwells in our midst. He dwells in our hearts. It is in Him that we live and move and have our being. Whoever you are and whatever you are going through, Jesus Christ is only a prayer away. Be it a prayer of repentance to trust in Him for forgiveness of your sin and make Him Lord of your life. Be it a prayer for deliverance, or healing or guidance. Jesus Christ, The Holy and Anointed One, is there for you.

Ponder that truth in the depth of your soul, beloved. Your salvation or deliverance or healing cannot be obtained by any human resource. It cannot be purchased by observing religious rituals. It can only be received by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for it is not by might. nor by power, but by My Spirit saith The Lord!
Luke 4.16-22; John 20.30,31; 1 John 3.8; Isaiah 10.27; Hebrews 7.25; Matthew11.28-30; Zechariah 4.6