The Isaiah 61 Lifestyle

In the Gospel of Luke we read about Jesus going into the Synagogue and reading from a passage in Isaiah. He reads Isaiah 61 and then declares that what he had just read was being fulfilled. As believers we must take on this same attitude and take up this life style. This is where Jesus was reading from.

Isaiah 61

The Year of the LORD's Favor

¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

² to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

⁴ They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.

⁵ Aliens will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

⁶ And you will be called priests of the LORD,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.

⁷ Instead of their shame
my people will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance;
and so they will inherit a double portion in their land,
and everlasting joy will be theirs.

⁸ "For I, the LORD, love justice;
I hate robbery and iniquity.
In my faithfulness I will reward them
and make an everlasting covenant with them.

⁹ Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the LORD has blessed."

¹⁰ I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

¹¹ For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise
spring up before all nations.

Before we go out and do any type of ministry or even call ourselves Christians we must take upon us this same calling and start living it out as Jesus.

Jesus was a living example of this chapter and we, being "Christ-Like" must have the same attitude. (Phil. 2:5)

Now, going out and just doing this stuff may seem like a great thing we can just go out and DO. Unfortunately works without Faith are dead (James 2:17) SO, i am presenting this passage to you not so that you can have a nice guideline on how to be a good Christian. This is just good information, if you want to step into the power that comes with being a christian you must have a real relationship with Christ. So, before anyone goes out and decides this is going to be their guidelines for their Christian walk you must STOP.. And spend some serious time alone with Jesus. Go on a personal retreat, go fast somewhere for a while and wait for God to come and fill you up.

It was only after the Spirit fell at Pentecost that the disciples where able to go out and see crazy things done, like 3000 new believers in a day, miracles and signs left and right, and demons scattering whenever one of them would walk by. You must also have a time of waiting. (Acts 2:41)

Jesus says that "²⁰Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." (John 15:20)

In the same way Jesus, at the ripe old age of 12, was in the temple talking to the teachers there and asking questions knowing that it was there that he was suppose to be, but had to submit to his parents and wait.(Luke 2:41-51) In the same way we know about Jesus' 40 day fast in the wilderness before he went out and stepped into the fullness of the ministry that he was called into.(Luke 4:1-13) Jesus had an 18 year waiting period before he was even able to be baptized and prepared for his ministry and when he had been baptized he had to wait an intentional 40 days before he could even step out into the fullness of what was in store for Him.

So, we need a REAL encounter with Christ before we can step out and do the work of God on this earth. It may take a day, it may take 40, but you will be no where close to how effective you will be if you wait.