“Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever? Your head is injured, and your heart is sick.”
Isaiah 1:5
I believe that there is nothing more distressing than to think of the Author of life suffering for the crimes that others committed. “Just as there were many who were appalled at him— his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 52:14). “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering” (Isaiah 53:3). “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
“I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me” (Isaiah 1:2). He sought for a way to save us, just as a compassionate father would. He found the only way for redemption was by His Son, Jesus Christ. God had to make a decision – either destroy all of humanity with eternal condemnation, or penalize all of humanity in the person of His only Son.
We know that Jesus decided to take our place and be tormented in the crucifixion. God already knew beforehand all of the adversities that His beloved Son was going to face, so He sent a prophetic word through Isaiah, saying, “From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil” (Isaiah 1:6). The wounds from Jesus’ beaten body became our medicine.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
I asked one of the Pastors in church what experience had made the biggest impact on his life and he replied, “In 1995, a year after having met the Lord, I had the greatest experience of brokenness in my life. I saw my daughter in agony in the hospital. It was horrible to hear her painful screams crying for help when I could do nothing. On one of those nights, my wife was staying in the hospital with her, so I went home to seek the Lord, determined to find an answer. The images of my past and the fear of a bad outcome for my daughter troubled my prayer for several minutes. In my struggle to focus, I understood that my iniquities had left a decree of death over my daughter. I began to renounce the curse and confessed a blessing over my daughter’s life instead. This gave me definitive peace and, of course saved my daughter’s life! It was the confession of forgiveness and justification through the blood of Jesus. After that I made a covenant with God. I told Him that if He healed my daughter I would serve Him for the rest of my life. Each time I feel weak I remember this day as a historical moment in my life and I am strengthened”.
TODAY’S DECLARATION
“All of the arguments that were against me have been canceled because of Jesus, Who gave me the victory.”
Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume One.
TODAY’S BIBLE READING
- Old Testament: Genesis 39-40; Psalms 18:1-24
- New Testament: Matthew 7:15-29; Acts 10:24-48
