“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Freedom for the prisoners and sight for the blind…this is freedom from sin and spiritual darkness.  Jesus will set them (and us) free from sin and spiritual blindness.  To release the oppressed – the Amplified Bible reads like this: “to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed (who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed and broken down by calamity”).  Jesus, as Saviour, heals our spiritually blind eyes, washes away our sin, and releases us to trust, to have peace inspite of adversity, and to experience joy, even when our circumstances do not change.