“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19 KJV).
Jesus read this passage from the book of Isaiah (61:1-2). It referred to the year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25), a time of restoration—debts forgiven, prisoners set free, Sabbath rest. Good news, indeed! After closing up the scroll, Jesus sat down and said something that was quite startling. He announced to them all, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
It had not been very long since Jesus had been baptized by John in the river Jordan. There the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove. Being filled with the Spirit, He returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Having triumphed by the Word of God, He returned to Galilee "in the power of the Spirit" and began His ministry.
Now He was back home in Nazareth, preaching in the synagogue, proclaiming the year of the favor of the Lord, and applying those prophetic words to Himself: "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." For the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him, as at His baptism. And He was anointed, not with oil, but with the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Anointed One. Messiah in their midst.
Reading through the gospels, we find that Jesus’ ministry was powerful, indeed. Even before the end of Luke 4, we see Jesus preaching the good news of the Kingdom (vv. 31-32, 43 ), releasing people from demonic oppression (vv. 33-36, 41) and healing the sick (vv.38-40). His word went forth with authority, and no one who came to Him for deliverance or healing was turned away. No demon was too great to cast out, no sickness too difficult to cure. Everyone who came, received.
And so it continues—the year of the favor of the Lord—because “Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8 KJV).
Are you in need? There is good news for you! Are you brokenhearted? There is healing! Do you have a physical affliction? There is healing! Are you bound by addictions? There is deliverance! Are you a slave to lust or greed? Oppressed by fear, anger, or a spirit of unforgiveness? There is deliverance, restoration, healing, freedom, and forgiveness of sins!
