What Does that Mean?

Warriors Arise: December 14, 2021

Isaiah 61:1-3 (NKJV)

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

3 To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Does this seem like an odd phrase, "To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord"? What pops out to you? Are there some years that aren't acceptable of the Lord? Is it referring to a specific year? Jesus proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord and those who heard didn't know what to do with it. Would you know what to do if Jesus were to declare to you, "This is the acceptable year of the Lord."? If Jesus said those words to you, what would it mean?

It makes me think that the years leading up to this one are not what God intended or wanted for me but if I will believe what He is telling me right now, "This is the acceptable year of the Lord" for me, then I walk in a new beginning. From this point forward, the Lord has directed my steps. All I have to do is agree with what Jesus is telling me. When I say agree, I mean there will be action to what I believe. I will do my part in living in the fullness of the acceptable year of the Lord. I will not turn to the left or to the right. I will keep my eyes on the author and finisher of my faith. I will seize each opportunity He sends me to be a part of. I will draw from His strength achieve what He has positioned me to do. I will align my will with His will. When Jesus tells me this is my acceptable year of the Lord, I want the fullness of what He dreams it will be for me. However, I also believe when Jesus declares this in Luke, it changed permanently.

Luke 4:16-21 (NKJV) So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

This was a turning point, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." What was prophesied about in Isaiah was a reality that day. Everything Jesus would do was lining up for the fulfillment of the year of the Lord. The year of His reign would never not end. God's kingdom has no end. The release of God's power has no end. The demonstration of His love has no end. The extention of His grace has no end. Now that it has begun, it cannot be stopped. The prayer Jesus taught His disciples and us to pray, "Kingdom of God come, will of God be done, here on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10).

It doesn't stop, but we can prevent our crossover into the year of the Lord by not accepting it. We decided, just like the people did when Jesus spoke this truth in the synagogue that day. We decide if we are going to accept the year of the Lord. It has happened, just as many of the people who heard Jesus say it didn't believe Him. But it didn't mean the year of the Lord didn't happen. What you and I believe about what God says and does, doesn't necessarily determine whether it will happen or not. It's going back to the question you have been asked, "If a tree falls in the forest and no one sees it or hears it, did the tree fall?" The fact that someone started with "if a tree falls" says the tree fell!

Jesus said, This is the acceptable year of the Lord; whether you believe it or not is irrelevant to the fact. Is is relevant to your belief, because your belief will determine your action. If you do not believe it then you will not act according to the power of Christ working in you. Jesus did only what He saw the Father doing; therefore, He knew God had said this is the acceptable year of the Lord. Why was that?

Do you remember Jesus' first miracle. His mother came to Him and said the host is out of wine. He knew what His mother wanted Him to do; because He responded, "Woman, it isn't my time." She turned to the servants and told them to do whatever He says. Everyone had the best wine of the wedding. I want to see the film of this scene in heaven. Jesus was having fun at a wedding with His friends and His mother called Him out, exposed who He really was. Can't you hear His friends laughing when she turned to leave, "What does she think you are going to do?" Then Jesus must have heard God giving Him the instruction to change the water into wine, because that was His first public miracle.

The shift begins, the year of the Lord, from this point forward. Will the people accept this?

Will you?

Father, in this time, in this season, accepting today the beginning of the year of the Lord in my life and circumstances is earthshaking. It is a transfer of power. The enemy no longer has control. Jesus is in control. The Lord, my God, my Savior is supreme authority from this day and forevermore. Jesus, born to save us all. Jesus, lived to demolish the power of satan. Jesus, died to give us victory over sin. Jesus, rose again to display His kingdom being established forever here on earth as it is in heaven. I will celebrate the birth of my Lord and walk in the fullness of this being the beginning by accepting the year of the Lord in every area of my life in Jesus' name amen.

A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,

Veridee Joy Hand

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