Breaking free!

The Lord says: 

"If you've been bound in a cycle of sin and sorrow, it's time to break free now! If you've been bound in a cycle of sickness and disease, be set free now! Whatever you've been bound and trapped in, I am releasing My anointing for you to walk free now!" 

The Lord says further: 

"For the time has come for you to walk into a brand new future and My promises for your future! Declare the yoke has been broken! Declare the bondage has been broken! Declare the 'cycle' has been broken! Curse-free! Sickness-free! Sorrow-free! My power is at hand!" 

Beloved of God, if you feel like "history is repeating itself" in your life, whether it is another round or 'cycle' of sorrow, failure, disappointment, or whatever bad memory from the past is "sticking out its ugly head" and repeating again in your life, this is your time to receive God's power to break free! 

Also, if you see like "history is repeating itself" in the areas of sin in that area or sickness, receive God's anointing to set you free right now! 

Or you simply have this feeling of "so near yet so far", God's power is at hand to break and destroy whatever the enemy is trying to hinder you from progressing in your life! 

The Scripture has the answer for you. 

In Isaiah 61:1-3 (NKJV), the Lord says: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn... To give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." 

See the exchange taking place here? When you receive this power, this anointing of the Lord, your "ashes" is being exchanged with His beauty, your mourning is being exchanged with joy, and your heaviness, or whatever that burdens you, is being exchanged with praises of the Lord! Hallelujah! 

By the way, 'ashes' speaks of 'hopelessness'. When something turns into ashes, there's no way to restore it again or to make it whole again. That's how the world sees it and how the world thinks. But here, to God, even ashes can be restored into something beautiful again! Not only that, He is turning your mourning into joy! This joy doesn't come from anyone on earth. This joy comes directly from the Lord! And then your heaviness is being exchanged with garment of praise! You can begin to sing praises of the Lord like never before!

In Isaiah 61:4 (NKJV), the Lord says further: "And they shall rebuild the old ruins... and they shall repair the ruined cities..." 

The word 'repair' here is 'chadash' in Hebrew. It can simply mean 'to make new' or 'to be new'. In other words, everything has become new again! A brand new future! A brand new start! Looking forward to all of God's promises for you in a fresh new way! Looking forward with a new hope! Why? Because you have been set free from whatever that holds you back or entangles you in your past! 

A few verses later in Isaiah 61:7 (NKJV), the Lord says: "Instead of shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double." 

Beloved of God, whatever you have gone through in your life recently or so far, receive this promise of God for you! Past is past, be it your shame, your sorrow, your despair, or whatever that's undesirable that you've been bound in. All these have been carried by Jesus on the cross! And you know what? Now! Now is your time to walk in double honor! Now is your time to possess double! Now is your time to receive the joy of the Lord, and rejoice! Rejoice in all that God has promised you and shown you!

Let's look at the book of Jeremiah now, specifically Jeremiah 31:3-4. You see, Jeremiah was known as a heartbroken prophet with a heartbreaking message. He was lamenting about what's happening to God's people at that time. But in spite of all that, he still had a wonderful message of hope for those who believe. In Jeremiah 31:3-4, this is what he quoted the Lord saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt... You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice." 

Even though Jeremiah 31:3-4 here is speaking specifically for the people of Israel, this can apply right now in your life too. The Lord is telling you, beloved, that there's hope for restoration and renewal in your life, whatever your past may be! 

Maybe you have gone through a time of mourning or sorrow recently. Maybe you have encountered a very sticky situation in your life recently. Or maybe you seem to be like at a dead-end road right now. Whatever you've been facing, take heart, beloved. Because the Lord has a good news for you! He wants you to know that He has loved you with an everlasting love. He wants you to know that He has begun His work of restoring you and making all things new in your life. Amen! 

You know what? These are reasons enough for you to rejoice. The joy of knowing that God remembers you! The joy of knowing that God hasn't forgotten you! The joy of knowing that God loves you with His unfailing and everlasting love! The joy of knowing that God has a new hope and purpose for you, going forward! The joy of knowing that your time of restoration and renewal has come! Amen! Somebody shout Hallelujah! 

Prayer: 

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your message of hope and renewal today. We thank You for Your power and anointing to set us free! Free from curse! Free from bondage! Free from whatever that traps or ensnares us! We receive Your anointing right now by faith! We receive Your oil of joy right now! We receive Your crown of beauty right now in exchange of our ashes! Hope is rising! Joy has been released upon us! We receive it by faith. We give You praises, O Lord! We rejoice with this joy that comes directly from You! We walk free now! Free to be who and what You've always wanted us to be. In Jesus' name. Amen!"

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Looking at the beauty and loveliness of Jesus

Song of Songs 2:14b (NKJV): ... let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

This book Song of Songs is arranged like scenes in a drama with three main parties: the bride (Shulamite), the king (Solomon), and a chorus (daughters of Jerusalem). In today's context, the bride here speaks of you (God's beloved), whereas the king here speaks of Jesus Himself.

In Song of Songs 5:8, the Shulamite then said, "I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am lovesick (I am longing for him)!"

And the daughters of Jerusalem replied, "What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you so charge us?" (Song of Songs 5:9). They were actually asking, “Why is your beloved so special? What’s so great about him?” They didn't know why, but somehow they also acknowledged the beauty in the Shulamite when they said, "O fairest among women". The word ‘fairest’ here in Hebrew is ‘yapheh’, which means 'beautiful, comely'. In cross-reference, 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, 'But we all, with unveiled face, beholding (i.e. seeing, looking at) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord'. You know what? The more you behold (see, look at, long for) Jesus, the more people will notice the beauty of Jesus in you! Psalm 34:5 also says, 'They looked to Him (Jesus) and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed'.

The Shulamite then described about her beloved (a typology of Jesus in today's context) this way:

Song of Songs 5:10 (KJV): My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. 

‘White' here means 'dazzling, shiny, radiant', without spot, blemish or flaw, like the glory seen during transfiguration (see Matthew 17:2).

’Ruddy’ here is ‘adom' (from ‘adam’) in Hebrew, which speaks of 'manhood, red-blooded, or someone in the pink of health', like David (see 1 Samuel 16:12). 

The above shows that Jesus is completely God and completely man. 

'Chiefest' here speaks of 'the pre-eminence of Jesus'. He is superior to all others, and rightly so, He is also the most beautiful and distinguished among all. 

The expression ‘ten thousand’ speaks of ‘the multitude’.

Song of Songs 5:11 (KJV): His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as raven. 

‘Head’ here speaks of Jesus' thoughts (or mind), whereas ‘gold’ here speaks of His divinity. It means His thoughts for you are always divine, pure, and heavenly thoughts. 

‘Bushy (fertile) and black (not grey) locks' here implies that Jesus is forever young and strong. In other words, He is in perpetual youthfulness, and He is a God who never gets old!

Song of Songs 5:12 (KJV): His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. 

The expression ‘eyes of doves’ means He sees you with gentleness and peace in His eyes, not with legalistic, 'Phariseec', or condemning eyes. 

The expression ‘rivers of waters, washed with milk’ here speaks of the outflowing of His love (and all the fruit of the Spirit) and His comfort to you. 

His eyes are also always set on you, because He is a God (Shepherd) who watches over you and is faithful to you.

Song of Songs 5:13 (KJV): His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers; his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. 

‘Cheeks as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers’ here speaks of the fragrance of Christ, the sweet-smelling aroma wherever He goes. 'Cheeks' also shows the health of a person, say a red, rosy cheek. It means He is also overflowing with health and healing.

The expression ‘lips like lilies’ means He speaks words of grace to His beloved. ‘Lilies’ here is a 'picture' of His grace (i.e His ability, and not ours) that supersedes any natural or human ability (self-effort), including toiling or spinning (see Matthew 6:28-29).

'Myrrh’ is used to embalm, preserve, and soothe. This speaks of Jesus who releases words that 'embalm' your heart in times of need (e.g. in John 14:27, He says "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid", or in Matthew 11:28-30, He says "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light").

Song of Songs 5:14 (KJV): His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl; his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. 

‘Gold rings’ here are likened to the ‘signet rings', which speaks of His authority, and whatever He touches (with His hands) will surely multiply and prosper (e.g. what He did with the five loaves and two fish). 

‘Beryl’ (a gem also known as topaz) here is a 'picture' of stability and strength.

‘Belly’ here speaks of His feelings (emotions) for you. He feels for you like no other. In other words, no one can ever feel for you the way Jesus feels for you. When He saw Lazarus' dead body, He wept (see John 11:35). 

‘Ivory’ is not gotten like gems, but gotten at the cost of suffering. The elephant has to die to provide ivory. There's no other way around it. Likewise, Jesus also died to demonstrate His love for you (see Romans 5:8). 'Sapphire’ is blue in colour. This speaks of heaven, and His heavenly compassion for you, like a good shepherd, not a thief (see John 10:10-11).

Song of Songs 5:15 (KJV): His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold; his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. 

‘Pillars of marble’ here speaks of Jesus who is solid, firm, and immovable, like the two pillars at the entrance of Solomon’s temple (one pillar means ‘established’, the other means ‘strength’), and founded on 'gold' (speaks of heaven). 

'His countenance' (or appearance) is pure ('Lebanon' means 'white mountain from its snow'), yet majestic, magnificent, and excellent ('Cedars' are majestic, magnificent, and excellent among all trees).

Song of Songs 5:16 (KJV): His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. 

Another word for ‘mouth’ here is 'taste'. The psalmist wrote, 'Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good' (see Psalm 34:8). Beloved of God, taste the sweetness of His love for you today.

Finally, the Shulamite summed it up by saying, 'he is altogether lovely'. Indeed, one can never describe the fullness of His beauty and His loveliness all in all.

And guess what? In response to the Shulamite's description of her beloved, here's what the daughters of Jerusalem had to say, "Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with you?" (Song of Songs 6:1). Wow! Upon describing the 'beauty of the Lord' to them, they too wanted to seek 'Him' together! And that's exactly what happens when a Christian falls in love with Jesus, because it can be so 'highly-contagious' to others around them. Glory be to God! May the Lord captivate the heart of many more lives through us too. Amen.