Eternity's Little Ray of Light to the Heart

By David Pam McQuel

Twenty-five years ago I served as a pastor for a mission-like church in rural Central Nigeria. A young woman called Esther who had lived a rough life and was despised by most people including her family came to church and had an encounter with God.

Suddenly she had a heart change in 3 days and became the most noble young lady in the community in less than 6 months. Jesus touched her heart!

This encounter started during an evening service as I taught on the work of transformation that the ministry of the Holy Spirit brings to reality, when the gospel is taught and man response approximately.

This transform is what Ezekiel prophesied in Ezekiel 36:25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

God promised to deal with man's inability to obey Him, man's rebellion in a different way. His priority is not punishing man always but rather He will change the man's heart.

How does that happen?

Isaiah revealed how it will happen in his documented prophecy to Israel and to the Nations. 

In Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners

This portion of Isaiah's prophecy came by full inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is equal in revelation and application as any art of Scripture. Isaiah Amoz was speaking in regards to the great ministry Christ Jesus would fulfill both when He will walk amongst men and when He would have gone back to heaven and the ministry will be carried on, here on earth as His witnesses will be led by the Holy Spirit.

Among other things spoken of here in this verse that carries a revelation of eternal treasures, Isaiah said, "...to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners."

The interpretation is that Isaiah was speaking about an incarcerated people. A people locked in prison.

That sounds strange!

You may say, "I am not a felon", or " I have never broken our civil or criminal law, I'm not a convict. "

Isaiah is speaking about a spiritual prison. He is referring to a spiritual incarceration. He was speaking about a state where men are bound by the devil.

He meant that they are either partially or totally taken captive by Satan to do as he pleases. He meant that they were in a state where they do only what Satan wants them to do.

Isn't that imprisonment?

The good news about Isaiah's prophecy is that Jesus was coming "...to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."

God does not want anyone as captive. God made us to be free. Free to do His good will. He gives us liberty to live for Him by choice. Satan on the contrary comes to force people to do his will.

But Jesus was coming, and he has come and done it, "...to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."

Before the advent of Jesus man has been in prison. Serving the sentence that his progenitor, Adam began. We are all the partakers of Adam's fall and punishment.

However, Jesus came and died to set us free. And we have been liberated. But this liberty start by hearing the good news and accepting it.

1Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1. So the gospel of the Lord Jesus must be properly explained.

2. The listener must understand.

3. The listener must make a personal, non pressurized decision to let Jesus into his life.

4. God will save him.

If you are really interested in leading someone to Christ, you must understand that it takes time to really get a sinner to accept Christ. I understand that some people are very ripe as a result of God's prior work on their hearts.

Other than that, you must learn to be patient to work with the Holy Spirit. The seeds of truth must be planted in the heart of a sinner. Faith comes by hearing
(Romans 10:17).

Then the Holy spirit will create the spark, eternity's little ray of light that will lead the heart to the New Life, the kingdom of God.

Paul more than anyone of the New Testament writers explained this in 1Corinthians 3
"6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building."

Therefore, sharing the gospel is our responsibility. The ignition that stands the wheel turning is the Holy Spirit. He sparks the heart, he breaks a little hole through the hard concrete prison wall and let's in the little ray of light that starts the whole process.

It may happen in 5 minutes or 5 years, eventually the sinner walks to the altar, and commits his heart to the Lord. Then a big celebration starts in heaven while a reward is added to your heavenly account.

Now with the help of the Holy Spirit, let's get back to fishing!