ARE YOU FEELING RESTRAINED, IMPRISONED, OR OPPRESSED?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“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”
(Luke 4:18)

MEDITATION:
Are you poor in Spirit? Jesus was sent for you.
Are you a prisoner to something or someone? Jesus was sent for you.
Do you have an affliction? Jesus was sent for you.
Are you having trouble seeing God’s offer of salvation? Jesus was sent for you.
Are you suffering from oppression of any kind? Jesus was sent for you.

After being tempted by Satan for forty consecutive days, Jesus emerged victorious.
The scriptures tell us that, 
“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath 
day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.” (Luke 4:16)
(Hopefully you noticed the phrase “as was his custom”. 
If we sincerely want to be more like the One we worship, 
then we should be making His customs our customs).

While in the synagogue, He stood up and read a portion of Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1-2).
Then He sat down and made this statement,
“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)
In the Old Testament, the scriptures alerted the world 
of the coming of the Messiah and the purpose for His arrival; 
Jesus confirmed this prediction had come true.

We can only imagine how the people felt back then, but, at the same time
we should realize what His presence and sacrifice means to us today. 
We live in a world today where we can become oppressed physically, 
mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually as Satan tries to create gaps 
in our relationship with the Lord.

ACTION:
How should we respond to our feelings 
of being restrained or oppressed by anything or anyone? 
We should take the same action the Psalmist did 
and ‘cry out to the Lord for help’.
Hear my prayer, LORD; let my cry for help come to you. (Psalm 102:1)

When we ‘cry out to the Lord’, our words are not 
thrown into some cosmic area of space where they float around forever.
The Psalmist assures us that the Lord not only hears our cries, 
but He responds to them.
He takes the time to listen to our cries (“does not despise their plea”). 
He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; 
he will not despise their plea. (Psalm 102:17)

The Psalmist also tells us that this assurance was included 
in the scriptures so that future generations would be able 
to know of the Lord, and praise Him for His goodness 
(including our rescue from whatever has imprisoned us).
Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created 
may praise the LORD: “The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from heaven he viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners
and release those condemned to death.” (Psalm 102:18-20)

We are one of those ‘future generations’ who have been ‘condemned to death’,
but God sent His Son to rescue us from our death sentence.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for assuring me that You are not only 
aware of my circumstances and everything that creates a gap in my 
relationship with You, but You also hear my cries for help. Thank 
You for sending Your Son so that I could be released from all 
oppressions and imprisonments, and so that I can receive a pardon 
from my death sentence. Help me to embrace and enjoy my 
fellowship with You and to appreciate all that You have done, are 
doing, and will do for me. I praise You from Whom all blessings 
flow!”

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