God wants each and every one of us to have encounters with the Spirit. We can and will be transformed if we open up our lives to His Spirit and proclaim the truth!
In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus entered the synagogue and read from Isaiah: “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, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Those words proclaimed by Jesus are extremely relevant today and even essential to our very lives.
I am a proclaimer!
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. So I proclaim good news—that’s what I am meant to do! I’m going to build a relationship with others by proclaiming. I declare freedom, healing, and deliverance to the people in my life! I proclaim blessings, favor, and life to my kids, my spouse, my family! The Spirit is on me, so now I have become a fulfillment.
The Spirit of the Lord uplifts us, while the devil seeks to oppress.
“Nothing frees the heart, mind, and soul and nothing renews, heals, or delivers like the Spirit of the Lord coming upon you. That’s what God created church for.”
Steve Gray
Spiritual Encounters
We need spiritual encounters. Jesus encountered the Spirit of God in the Jordan. Today, the surest place to encounter God in is in church. As the Bible illustrates in the Old Testament, except for uniquely called individuals like Moses (who met God personally on the mountain), the ordinary people encountered God at His Tabernacle. We need to get group encounters—not a personal encounter.
When you encounter the Spirit of the Lord:
Staying mad is impossible.
Tension in relationships dissolves.
You won’t judge people.
Love and mercy are produced.
Forgiveness arises.
On the other hand, if we don’t proclaim, we might come to false conclusions that end up pushing people out of our lives. God placed those people in our lives to be a blessing. When we move away from God’s way of doing things and become upset, mad, and offended, we desperately need the Spirit of the Lord!
Let’s encounter the Spirit, embrace Him in our lives, and start proclaiming!
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “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,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Questions:
How will you encounter God?
Think of people in your life and your relationships that need Spirit-filled declarations of healing, freedom, and favor. How can you help them encounter God?
ACTION: The Spirit of the Lord is upon you, so activate it. Proclaim the good news.
Listen to past episodes of the Revive Us Now Podcast.
Quotes To Remember:
5:38The Kingdom of God is a lifting up. You feel the updraft of His Spirit; that’s what revival does.
7:28My role is not to get my way or be served. I’m going to build a relationship with you by proclaiming, proclaiming, proclaiming.
11:16Your goal is to have the Spirit of the Lord come upon you, or to have someone with you help you get a spiritual encounter.
12:07When you encounter God, you can’t stay mad.
14:44I’ve decided to walk by the Spirit, and that’s my job!
15:58Nothing frees the heart, mind, and soul and nothing renews, heals, or delivers like the Spirit of the Lord coming upon you. That’s what God created church for.
