Is. 61:3
…the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
Dear friends!
It is now September! Can you believe how fast the year is going by? It seems like it’s only been a few weeks ago since the pandemic hit, then at the same time, it hasn’t gone by fast enough! But you know what? As a pastor/leader in the church, I am seeing something that is very scary!
I am seeing a massive influx of christians who are suffering with severe depression! Did you know that depression is an inner “pressing down” and “pressing in” which causes your heart to be heavy? The bible calls it a “spirit of heaviness”. It is real. This spirit will lie to you and plant seeds of lies to take root in your heart. The lie will “seem” to be real and will concur with your circumstances. But today, I want to encourage you! Watch this!
In Luke 4:1 Jesus was tempted by the devil. Jesus was fasting! The devil came at the end of his fast and tempted him with the very thing that he wanted! FOOD!
Here are the three areas spoken in Luke where Jesus was tempted.
- Food/substance
- Worship/fame
- Suicide/death
These are the same areas that our world is suffering from right now in this crazy pandemic! Substance, worship and death!
Then after this, Jesus went into His public ministry and He quoted Isaiah 61 in Luke 4:14-18
“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”
PLEASE DON’T STOP READING! THERE IS A WORD HERE FOR YOU!
Then Jesus PREACHED….and he spoke truth over them….. it made them so mad, and so angry that they were ready to throw Him off a cliff! Imagine that! This is how Jesus began His public ministry…..in His home town where He had no honor…..people already trying to kill him…..and He just had a face-to-face conversation with the devil himself.
But after that!!! Say that out loud! AFTER THAT!!!
HE DID MANY MIRACLES!
So, let’s get back to Isaiah now!
Isaiah 61
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up (heal) the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty (freedom) to captives(from addictions), And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;( the coming of the Lord) To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland (to make beautiful) instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle( garment) of praise(tehilla) instead of a spirit of fainting (heaviness/depression). So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations, And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.
Please follow what I am about to say. I promise….it’s all going to come together!
- Jesus started off fasting and ended up having a conversation with the devil.
- He went forward on the first day of ministry just to be rejected by his home town and they were ready to throw Him off a cliff.
His first sermon was from Isaiah 61 and then the bible says in Luke, He was full of the power of the Spirit of God! He taught under a heavy anointing, He cast demons out, he performed miracles, signs and wonders and everyone was amazed and his fame spread throughout the whole city!
Today, I feel the anointing on me while I am writing. Since the pandemic, I have felt like the same three areas where Jesus was tempted by the devil are the same areas that have been attacked here in the United States and in parts of the whole world.
- Bread/substance
- Worship
- Suicide
Our substance, the way we make money, has been ambushed! Our houses of Worship have been ambushed! And suicide is on the rise…..ESPECIALLY IN PASTORS!!!
What’s the cure?
Isaiah prophesied and Jesus quoted it! Jesus is the ONE bringing the freedom and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord! He is saying, “I will give you beauty for ashes, I will give you hope for hopelessness, I will give you joy for sadness, I will give you a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and depression!
Did you know there are seven Hebrew words for praise!
- HALAL: To jump, dance, to be loud and clamorous.
- YADAH: To throw your hands up and forward while making a confession about God while being grateful and bringing recognition to HIM which includes thanksgiving.
- TOWDAH: To lift your hands in thanksgiving.
- SHABACH: A loud, joyous shout of testimony.
- ZAMAR: To worship the Lord while playing an instrument.
- BARAK: To kneel in reverence and submission
- TEHILLAH: To sing a spontaneous, unrehearsed song of the Lord, from your spirit.
Do you know which Hebrew word Isaiah used in this scripture for “garment of praise”? TEHILLAH: To sing a spontaneous, unrehearsed song of the Lord, from your spirit.
The Tehillah Praise is what cast out the spirit of heaviness! The Lord is showing me something here!
I believe now is the time for the church to arise with a Tehillah Praise! Not just on Sundays, but everyday of the week. Just make up your own songs of worship to the Lord, spontaneously! The spirit of heaviness can not take it! Heaviness will shake and crumble and he will be cast out!
TEHILLAH Praise is the cure for dry season! TEHILLAH Praise is the cure for brokenness! TEHILLAH Praise is the cure for depression!
After that! Jesus did many signs and wonders!
I believe once the church gets the Tehillah Praise in their hearts you will see the church of living God rise up in revival all over the world. I believe you will see miracles, signs and wonders! There is going to be an “endtime” revival to take place “world-wide”.
I believe God will restore as spoken in Joel 2:24-26
The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. I will repay you for the years eaten by locusts— the swarming locust, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust My great army that I sent against you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are satisfied. You will praise (halal is the highest praise) the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you. My people will never again be put to shame.…
Your Tehillah praise will usher in healing of your heart and to our land. Your Healing will turn into to a Halal Praise, which is the Highest praise you can give to God!
Now…you must PUT ON THE GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS!
Hear the Word of the Lord!
Isaiah 55:11-12
So, My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it. You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
