“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim 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,”(NIV)

About 2,000 years ago, on the Sabbath, a Rabbi walks into a synagogue in Nazareth (about 40 miles north of Jerusalem) and is handed a scroll. The Rabbi reads aloud the verse on the scroll, hands it back to the attendant, sits down, and proclaims for all to hear: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” The scripture? Isaiah 61:1. The Rabbi? Jesus (Luke 4:16-21).

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Isaiah wrote these words 700 years before Jesus read them, and with these words Jesus declared that He was the fulfillment of prophecy. So, what are the chances that Jesus would be handed this specific scroll to read at this specific time? 100 percent.

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Many things in the life of Jesus seem to be incredible coincidences, but we know from the Prophets that they are not. They are part of a plan orchestrated by God when He created the Heavens and the Earth to occur at exactly the right moment in time.

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Do you realize that you are part of that plan?

God created you. He designed you and placed you at exactly the right time in exactly the right place (Ps. 139:13-16).

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God planned you. As Paul says in Ephesians 2:10, you were created in Christ Jesus to do good works that God prepared in advance for you to do.

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God equipped you. You are equipped with the Holy Spirit, whom the Father sent to dwell in you (John 14:16-17). If you don't quite understand the Holy Spirit, think Jesus. Jesus is dwelling in you (Gal. 2:20).

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How does this apply to me, you might wonder. Read Isaiah 61:1 again. How many times did you read the word “me?” 2,000 years ago, Jesus proclaimed that “me” was Him. Now, 2000 years later, the Holy Spirit makes the “me,” you. God is talking specifically to you here. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on you. The Lord anointed you to proclaim good news to the poor. He sent you to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release darkness for the prisoners. That is your calling. And the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you, equips you to answer this calling. A beautiful way to feel the full impact of this verse is to read it aloud to someone substituting “me” with their name. Beautiful!

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So, what are the chances that God purposely placed you where you are at this very moment? 100 percent.

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Only you can share the gospel, aid those suffering, give hope to the forlorn, and shed the light of God's love in your unique manner, to your unique circle of family, friends, coworkers, and strangers. You are not a coincidence. You are a fulfillment of prophecy; prophecy orchestrated by the Creator from the beginning. Let this truth sustain you, help you persevere, fill you with joy and thanksgiving, and give you hope. Whatever your situation, ground yourself knowing you are fulfilling God's prophetic plan.

Father God, you are perfect and your plan for me is perfect. Thank you for creating me, planning for me, and equipping me. Help me be a beacon while fulfilling your prophecy. But Lord, know how much I need You. Please don't give up on me when I stumble. Please bless and encourage your anointed, for truly I want your light to shine throughout the world. Lord, I humbly thank you for the opportunity to serve you, the Creator of all things. All for your glory Lord, Amen.

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P.S. For a wild read, continue reading in Luke 4:22-30. This is early in Jesus' ministry. Talk about starting things off with a bang! Wow, I love reading the Bible!