(Read Luke 13: 10-17)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” In Luke 13 we find Jesus in a synagogue ministering the Word of God. John said Jesus was “full of grace and truth” (1:14). Jesus knew the Word, but so did the Pharisees. What distinguished Jesus from them was that Jesus was full of grace and He followed His teaching of the Word with demonstration and power. Jesus taught with authority and He operated in love. So it’s no mystery why a certain woman caught Jesus’ eye while He was teaching. This woman wanted to hear the Word, but she was clearly uncomfortable. She was bent over and she had been in this awkward position for 18 years. Pause for a minute to straighten up your back. Please do it now. Now imagine NOT being able to do that for 18 years straight. This woman was in a bad situation, but amazingly enough she did not allow her condition to keep her from going to church. She was in the right place, to hear the Word of God, and I am sure she had no idea that God would visit her that day. That’s grace!
I consider myself a teacher of faith and for years I highlighted how faith normally preceded miracles. However, as you can see in this series, there are many times where Jesus moved on grace alone. This was one of those times. When Jesus looked at the woman He discerned the root of the problem. This woman was not bent over because of a back spasm, a slipped disk, or a spinal irregularity. Jesus looked at the ‘force behind the scene.’ This woman was crippled by an evil spirit. So, in the middle of His teaching, Jesus called her forward and He provided the faith. Jesus did not speak what He saw, He spoke what He wanted. Jesus said, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” The traditional King James Version says, “Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity,” which is where Bishop T.D.Jakes got the title for his women’s conferences. Jesus then put His hands on the woman and she was immediately able to straighten up her back and she gave God the praise for her breakthrough!
The local ruler of the synagogue was highly upset because Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath. This is quite sad. No doubt this man saw the woman faithfully and painfully make her way to the temple for worship. She continued to worship and praise God, for 18 long years, in spite of her condition and when she received her breakthrough all those who knew her should have joined her in the praise. However, this graceless religious leader opted to focus more on a rule than a person. Jesus explained how hypocritical the man was. The same people who had problems with Jesus ministering on the Sabbath would lead their animals to water on the Sabbath. Could an animal be more important than humans?
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. Pray for discernment to see the ‘forces behind the scene’ when confronted with a situation.
2. The enemy desires to keep you bound – physically, spiritually, psychologically, and socially – because that is part of his purpose. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).
3. Jesus desires that you be free and full in every area, because that was part of His purpose. Jesus came that we might have life and that we might have it to the full (John 10:10).
4. There are times when God beats us to the punch, where without any exhibition of faith; when the Father manifests His glory in our lives by grace alone because He loves us!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for giving me spiritual discernment to see the root issue of anything coming against me. Jesus came that I might have life and have it more abundantly. That is Your desire for me and I accept it to the full. I make every attempt to live by faith every day. I live, walk, pray, fight, and overcome by faith, but on those occasions where I don’t have the faith or the discernment, I thank You for stepping in and blessing me anyway, by grace, because You love me. I have been “bent over” by situations in life and I can testify that You have come in and delivered me from what had me bound. I enter this day free, full, happy, blessed, and with great expectations that You will manifest You best in my life today. Not because I deserve, but because You love me! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
