Percy’s Blog

Two spirits – One Seen

Luke 13:11 ….and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. 14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath." 15 The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"

Two Spirits, and Jesus could only cry out against one of them. One held the woman in pain and limited posture. The other held the synagogue leader in limited vision and hope. Jesus set her free and joy should have reigned in the place, but the spirit of “propriety” held him back from both rejoicing for her, but also from the presence of Jesus whose healing power could have set many free. The spirit of limits run in many of our lives these days. “It must be done this way for God to work.” And we cast out the tongue we do not recognize and the baptism of the little one and the loud call forward of the evangelist and so on and so on and so on. Yes, there may be better ways to look like we ought to look, but maybe we look too hard at where our Father offers Himself.

For your prayers, Afghanistan