“. . . the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound… to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness . . .”
Isaiah 61:1, 3
After several decades of ministry, I have found that only the preaching of God’s radical grace brings hope to believers. Only the finished work of Jesus can bring us wholeness, shalom-peace, and freedom from condemnation and a painful past. Let me share with you a heartfelt praise report I received from Alena, who lives in New Zealand. Listen to how God put her heart back together:
Pastor Prince, I grew up in a home with an abusive father whose difficult ways strained our family relationships to the breaking point. When his health deteriorated with multiple diseases, the Lord placed in my heart my parents’ need for help. I asked Him, “Why me? I can’t stand my father’s ways!” In the end, I told God that although I didn’t want to, I would do it for Him.
My care for my parents lasted many, many years, and I sacrificed much to take care of my father. I put my entire heart into it, praying for him and keeping him company when he was lonely. Yet, right up to the moment he died, all I received from him was rejection. Whenever I went to him, he would just turn his face away. He never relented, not when I asked him for forgiveness for anything I may have done to cause him hurt, and not even on his deathbed.
You can imagine how heartbreaking that was. During his funeral preparations, I was so devastated that I couldn’t even think straight. I was totally broken. I couldn’t breathe through the pain and overwhelming guilt in my heart.
Reading your book has brought a healing release that I needed so much because of all the guilt and condemnation that had built up inside me. The release was so tremendous that I jumped for joy, cried my heart out for days, and felt God’s peace in my heart and life. I feel so free! Free from the weight of legalistic teachings, rejection, and bondage. The weight that came off me was phenomenal. My heart that was once so full of pain became so light, so at peace.
Thank You, Jesus, for Your finished work on the cross! I am free from condemnation! Every day, I confess over my family and myself that I am greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved! Hallelujah!
You may be familiar with the guilt and condemnation Alena experienced during that devastating period in her life. Perhaps condemnation has also imprisoned you in a suffocating grip over some things that may have happened in your past.
Beloved, God in His love and grace wants to set you free today. What you need to know is that no amount of trying to fulfill God’s law can ever bring you the wholeness and restoration you need. But where you could not and cannot, Jesus fulfilled the law on your behalf and paid the price for your sins at the cross.
Today, your part is to believe in your Savior and receive from Him the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. That’s how you receive healing for your broken heart and body, wholeness for your mind, and His strength and victory to overcome every area of defeat and darkness in your life. It’s time to step into a life of rest in Christ Jesus and His finished work, and watch Him give you the breakthrough you need.
This devotional is taken from the book Reign in Life—90 Powerful Inspirations for Extraordinary Breakthroughs. Joseph Prince