Isaiah 61:1-3 talks about what God has done for those who believe in Jesus Christ His Son. Verse three really speaks to my heart where it says that God gives us, “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Hallelujah! That’s good news!

So let’s think about this for just a moment. Ashes are a powdery residue left after the burning of a substance; it’s the remains of something destroyed or ruined. The devil wants you and I to feel and think that our sin has burned us and that we are just ashes and ruined, and unacceptable to God. However, Isaiah 61:1-3 clearly states the Spirit of God sent and anointed Jesus to heal the broken hearted, to comfort those who mourn, and to give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, and calls us trees of righteousness that He may be glorified.

My personal testimony about these three promises from is that God truly does keep His Word and sets us free from the ashes of sin, from hurts and abuse. He changes our mourning into joy, and gives us the power of praise to gain victory over any heaviness of our heart or mind. Again, I say Hallelujah!

So, let go of past the hurts and residue of those “ashes” that may have caused Anger, Selfishness, Heaviness of heart and mind, Envy, and Stubbornness. Let us cling to the promises of God to give us the beauty of His righteousness which we find in Galatians 5:22 is: love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, self-control, and faith, and when manifested in our lives bring great glory to our Lord and God. Remember, when God looks at you, He looks with His love and sees His beautiful creative power in you.