Lk 4:18-19. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me” Reflection by Cynthia Abegail

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”  (Lk 4:18-19).

In order to work fully for the Lord, one has to be anointed.  It’s not just one goes preaching anywhere to his delight.  God must have consent and God chooses whom he likes to do the work.  That’s why when the Holy Spirit empowers a person, nothing can stop him or her.  

To bring glad tidings to the poor:  One may wonder this great love of God for those who are marginalised in society!  Those poor could not help themselves; the mentally ill, the helpless, the dregs of society, the forgotten ones.  Those whom society rejects are those closest to the heart of God Almighty.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives:  Well the greedy people are captives and slaves of their money; they have to be enlightened.  The drug addicts are slaves of addiction; they have to be emancipated only in the powerful Name of Jesus.  Those caught in the spotlight of love of fame and themselves have to freed from this narcisstic love of vanity, one of the deadly sins.  Those caught in lust have to be released from this awful web of sin.  But, we are not the one releasing them, only God can do that!  We can be instruments for God’s glory.

“Let the oppressed go free:  God is on the side of the people who are oppressed in one way or another.  The oppressor must be Afraid for the day of deliverance is at hand.  We have witnessed that situation in our lives.  God will never abandon one who calls him!

“Recovery of sight to the blind:  Yes, we could be blind sometimes.  We have spiritual cataracts; sometimes we could be  hypocrites the Pharisees; sometimes we are judgmental, sometimes we could gossip, and a few times we could bear hatred in our hearts.  We are all guilty, hence we all need healing but the anointed ones could help us just like the priests and the religious.

Lord, please deliver us, open our eyes that we can see clearly.  In the mighty Name of Jesus!  Amen.