When Jesus Christ began His earthly ministry, He first went out and got baptized and was then led of the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, and there was tempted by the Devil. Then, in the power of the Spirit, He began teaching in the synagogues. When He came to His hometown of Nazareth and went to church on the Sabbath and stood up to read, the elders delivered the book of Isaiah to Him, and He opened the book to the place where He read these words:
"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 chose this passage of Scripture because it was known to be a prophecy of the coming Messiah, and it is a concise outline of the purpose and ministry calling of our Lord. The Holy Spirit living in the hearts of every born-again Christian is working to fulfill this Scripture for us all. Jesus Christ by the Spirit is also drawing all people to Him for their salvation through the measure of faith which our loving Father God has given to every person. It is will of God that no human being perish but that everyone would come to repentance.
It is therefore His will that we all hear and respond to the gospel, that our broken hearts be healed, that the chains of our captive bondage be broken, that our physical and spiritual eyes be opened, and that every bruise and wound we carry be healed.
That is the theme, calling, and purpose by which this daily devotional has been inspired to be written. The Word of God is clear in that our heavenly Father wants all people to accept His salvation, but just as true, He wants all to be healed and delivered. It is my prayer that this devotional will be used of the Lord to help accomplish this work in your lives.
