Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised

Jesus is speaking under God’s authority and he declares God’s will to the brokenhearted, the captive and those who have lost their way. The will of God for those who identify is freedom. The will of God for those who are bruised or stuck in life due to trauma or emotional pain is emancipation. Jesus’ declaration is deliverance  from the dulness and depression of life.

Salvation is best understood in sacrifice. Sacrifice is best understood as exchange. Jesus carried your sorrows, he absorbed your grief. Jesus became your failure and underwent the necessary penalty for your deliverance. You are qualified for joy and happiness because Jesus has traded places with you.

Yes, you’ve experienced failure and pain but Jesus has secured your salvation. Behold him in his glorious state and personalize his victory. He became your pain, now become his joy.

This is a season where our past is inescapable for some. Christmas is truly a wonderful time of year but it comes with baggage. I find myself still having to make the choice to let go of the past in certain Christmas situations. Of course, it’s all about Jesus but there’s still stuff to deal with. I encourage you in this season to remember why he was born, to rescue from death and the power of sin, to set you free from your failures and heal those wounds that seem to never heal. He is with you, he is for you, he knows what it’s like to be you and he is pouring his grace into you heart as you read this.

I pray you find peace in his finished work and open your heart to let healing flow.

The post Has Your Heart Ever Been Broken? appeared first on Forward Ministries.