If you have had a spirit of despair, then according to Isaiah 61:3 you are the very one Jesus Christ came to this earth for. He came to take away your spirit of despair and give you a garment of praise in its place.
Do you know how He did this? He went to the cross where He was stripped of all His clothes, becoming naked in our sin. “They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head.” (Matthew 27:28-29). He was exposed to both the wrath of His Father and the hatred and taunts of His fellow man. Naked He hung there, covered in our sin and shame, pouring out His life’s blood unto death.
But why? Why did Jesus go to this extreme?
The Bible’s answer is so that He might provide you with the clothing of righteousness, the garment of salvation and the garments of praise. He became naked to clothe you, entered your darkness to rescue you and bring you into the light, entered your hopelessness to cover you in praise garments.
Later in this very passage we are studying (Isaiah 61) we read, “I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10 NIV).
Question 4. Please take a moment and think about your previous “spirit of despair” and how Jesus came to replace it with the garment of praise. What thoughts do you have about the lengths to which Jesus went to make this exchange with you?
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Tori writes, "I never knew this kind of friend, I never knew this kind of love. I never knew someone who could care me for me so much to come down and rescue me. To be beaten for my pain, to carry a cross for my pain, to be hung and killed and forsaken for my pain. I think of Jesus saying he wants to rescue me, that I need help and that he’s coming down to help me and he knows he will be punished so much but he does it because he loves me. Every stripe, every hit, every Taunt he was pushing and pushing forward and taking it all to come rescue me. I can’t thank him enough and I always wondered what I’d love? What is real love? And this is love to me. This is care to me. He did not leave me to fall and be in pain, he came and gave everything he was to come rescue me. I am eternally grateful and God is showing me this and really helping me look at the cross and reminding me Jesus did it. I am rescued and there is no need to live in despair as I have fellowship with God now, and the strength and healing and benefits of his sacrifice. Amen!"
Harris writes, "I see that Jesus went every step to do something to me. He became naked, stripped off from His dignity and embraced shame.All that I might be clothed with garments of righteousness and of praise."
Marie-Louise shares: "I have a lot of thoughts about it. Fear is gone. I am much less concerned with failure. Life is more fun! My relationship is a lot more fun! I can enjoy many more things. I'm making jokes again. I dare to do things that I have to do again. It is a relief not to have negative thoughts. Jesus replaces them with hope. The cross replaces everything with hope! I feel much more positive. I feel much freer. I do not feel lonely and desperate because I know that the Holy Spirit is with me. The days are much more fun. I feel more effective. But I start and end my day with God. He has now taken the most important place in my day! I need him hard, because otherwise I will do everything on my own. It does not work. Then I will not come out. The Holy Spirit is still busy with my process. Sometimes I still suffer from short moments in which I have negative thoughts. But it is getting less and less. It is a relief. I am so grateful that this process is in progress. That Jesus has the keys to this dark prison. And after months of depression (and I did not even realize it) I got rid of it! And I am healed and restored. Thank you Jesus! The biggest gift I can get in 2018 and for the rest of my life!"
Pamela writes: "Jesus willingly left heaven and the Fathers side to be forever changed physically for my sake. Though He was still always God ,He submitted Himself to be abused, betrayed, beaten, ridiculed, humiliated, scorned and then hung on a cross to die for me. Not only so I could have the hope of heaven, but so I could receive a garment of praise now. So I could be blessed to gain His perspective and soar above the circumstance though physically I still remain in it. Mental bomb drop there, I need an emoji where the top opens up and smoke blows out because that just really blew my mind."