Healing........ Part 1 of 6

Isaiah 61:1-4

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, ^[a]

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.

Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing, that HIS ministry was designed, at least in part, to bring about healing from emotionally-based problems that result from damages of sin. In these verses, Jesus mentions six components of HIS ministry that relate to healing emotional issues:

1. Proclaim the Good News to the poor.

2. Bind up the brokenhearted.

3. Proclaim freedom to captives.

4. Proclaim release to the prisoners from the darkness.

5. Proclaim the year of the Lord's favor/day of vengeance.

6. To comfort all who mourn.

The first aspect of Christ's ministry that contributes to recovery from "emotional damage" is the Gospel message, or Good News. He proclaimed his love and forgiveness wherever He went, seeking to draw people to Himself for salvation. Becoming a Christian is foundational to the recovery process. Non-believers can heal to some degree, but people can not heal fully until they experience HIS forgiveness and the new birth He offers.

A lack of forgiveness is a root cause of ongoing feelings of condemnation, and detrimental to the recovery process. To fully experience healing, we must receive forgiveness from God, forgive ourselves and forgive others. Jesus' death and resurrection provides the only real basis for substantial forgiveness.

It is not coincidental that God's offer of forgiveness was directed toward the poor. Everyone needs forgiveness, but people who have experienced poverty in any of its forms, are usually more aware of their need for help and forgiveness. The ability to acknowledge and receive forgiveness as a free gift from God through Christ, is the starting point for further recovery.