The message which came to us when we accepted Christ and which we are called and appointed to take to the world, is that Christ, through His Holy Spirit, comes to the meek and poor in spirit, that He binds up the broken-hearted and sets the captives free. Our message is also to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord’s favour, giving people beauty for ashes. The process of going from ashes to beauty is started by a meekness and a mourning on the inside about the spiritual bankruptcy and the sorrowful state in which find ourselves, whereupon God comforts us, removes the ashes and crowns us with a beautiful diadem, a cloak or righteousness, the inheritance of all the earth and the oil of joy instead of mourning. We have a double portion of that which is good, with everlasting joy on our heads. We are flourishing trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord to the display of His glory and splendour. We are planted in Christ, in the anointing, and our leaves are for the healing of the nations. We, the trees, are bearing the fruit of joy, praise and gladness and it is a visible sign to every onlooker that we are genuinely approved of by God. Not only does God give us the oil of joy, but also the garment of praise instead of heaviness, which is the antidote for the ashes. Because of all these awesome things which God did for us, praise should be a first action for the Christian in every adverse circumstance and then the needed change will come, because praise magnifies God and diminishes every problem.
