Be empowered and blessed with God’s power

In Luke 13:10-17, we read a story about a woman who has been faithful to the synagogue and has been bound by a spirit. We do not know her name but the woman has been bent over, and unable to straighten herself up for 18 years. She came to the synagogue faithfully, and then one day Jesus was there.

The woman is sitting in the women’s section of the synagogue and Jesus is teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus sees the woman and calls her to come forward. She crosses the men’s section. She steps out in faith to break the rules of men and women synagogue segregation. The woman is risking being thrown out of the synagogue but she doesn’t care. She steps out in faith with a hunch that there is going to be a healing in the house and it might just be her that walks out whole.

Jesus called her to him and says to her; “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then Jesus placed his hands on her and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Now the chief priest was not very happy about what just happened. He addressed the people that a violation of the Sabbath had occurred. However, Jesus responded to the priest’s offense by calling him a hypocrite. Jesus mentioned that the priest went out to untie his ox or donkey to go to a water source to drink.

Then the empowerment starts (verse 16) “Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham (this title speaks to her faithfulness), whom Satan has kept bound for 18 long years (this speaks of the Lord knowing her and speaks to her restoration of being fearfully and wonderfully made). be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her? This statement speaks to God being the creator of all things. Restoration and victory have been given to her by Jesus.

The woman was empowered! Her disability was gone! Her shame was gone! Her weakness was gone, and even her fear was no more. Her healing brought a symphony of praise first from her and then from the crowd in the synagogue.

So, what about you today? Maybe you are not bent over with an infirmity but your head is facing the ground. Your eyes are looking down. Satan has convinced you that you are a failure. You are living in the shame of the past. Busy comparing yourself to everyone else and you have convinced yourself that you are less than everybody else. Nothing can be further from the truth. Jesus sees you not as one defeated. He sees you as reconciled, restored and redeemed.

1 Peter 2:9 sums up my thoughts well; “For you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. A peculiar people who show forth the praises of God who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Remember, the same power that went into this woman and healed her is the same power available to us today. We know it as the resurrection power of Jesus. Be empowered and be blessed!

Dave Truncone is the pastor of First Assembly of God Church in Van Buren. He is married to Heidi and they have two daughters, Hannah, and Abigail. They live in Van Buren.