Transforming lives, transforming the city (Isaiah 61:1-4)
Gregory Bishop
(Audio: English)
SUMMARY: The prophet Ezekiel had a vision of a temple being rebuilt in the last days, with a river flowing out of it that brings life to everything it touches. This river represents the Holy Spirit of God that flows out of the Church and brings life to the dead places in the world. Jesus rules on the basis of the power of an indestructible life, which is contagious and transforms those who touch it. The spirit of God is essential to changes that can happen, and it's not by might nor by power but by His spirit that people's lives can be rebuilt. Lion of Juda Church believes in the moving of the spirit of God, and it's more important than anything else, including education, intelligence, political actions, and economic development. Out of spiritual transformation comes progress, education, political, and social change. We need to become poor to really experience God's blessing in our lives, recognizing our brokenness and emotional brokenness.
The speaker discusses the process of rebuilding that happens in a person's life when they recognize their need for God. This involves healing broken hearts, breaking chains of addiction, and opening eyes to see the spiritual world and God's presence. The speaker also emphasizes the reality of spiritual warfare and the enemy's desire to degrade and deface the image of God in each person. However, the speaker reminds listeners that Jesus came to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and restore what has been lost to Satan's influence. The good news is that God wins in the end.
The passage from Isaiah 61 speaks about God's ability to restore and renew the things that have been lost, broken, or devastated in one's life. It's a spiritual warfare, but the good news is that God wins. The passage talks about how God wants to heal grief, give comfort, and put a crown of beauty on one's head. God wants to make people over again and reflect His beauty through them. One of the outcomes of this restoration is that transformed people transform cities. God's purpose for each person is unique, and in their own way, they can be agents of transformation in their city. The end of the chapter speaks about the blessings that come from being a people that God has restored and renewed.
The speaker discusses the process of rebuilding that happens in a person's life when they recognize their need for God. This involves healing broken hearts, breaking chains of addiction, and opening eyes to see the spiritual world and God's presence. The speaker also emphasizes the reality of spiritual warfare and the enemy's desire to degrade and deface the image of God in each person. However, the speaker reminds listeners that Jesus came to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and restore what has been lost to Satan's influence. The good news is that God wins in the end.
The passage from Isaiah 61 speaks about God's ability to restore and renew the things that have been lost, broken, or devastated in one's life. It's a spiritual warfare, but the good news is that God wins. The passage talks about how God wants to heal grief, give comfort, and put a crown of beauty on one's head. God wants to make people over again and reflect His beauty through them. One of the outcomes of this restoration is that transformed people transform cities. God's purpose for each person is unique, and in their own way, they can be agents of transformation in their city. The end of the chapter speaks about the blessings that come from being a people that God has restored and renewed.
It’s a great vision that the prophet Ezekiel had. He had visions were God would open his eyes to see things of the spirit and he saw the temple of God being rebuilt in the last days in the vision he had, and out of the temple there was a big beautiful river that was flowing and I love the story and in the story of the vision he had the angel actually walks him into the river to actually get wet in it. It’s an amazing story of how God has a special type of water, that is living water and I’m going to start in verse 6.
“Then he led me back to the bank of the river and when I arrived there I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river and he said to me: This water flows towards the Eastern region and goes down to Arabah where it enters the sea. When it empties into the sea the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh. So where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore from Engedi to Eneglaim. There will be places for spreading nets, the fish will be of many kinds, like the fish of the great sea, but the swamps and marshes will not become fresh. They will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river, their leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail ever. Every month they will bear because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
“Then he led me back to the bank of the river and when I arrived there I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river and he said to me: This water flows towards the Eastern region and goes down to Arabah where it enters the sea. When it empties into the sea the water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh. So where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore from Engedi to Eneglaim. There will be places for spreading nets, the fish will be of many kinds, like the fish of the great sea, but the swamps and marshes will not become fresh. They will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river, their leaves will not wither nor will their fruit fail ever. Every month they will bear because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
