The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” Luke 4:18 (KJV)
From the moment Adam and Eve fell to the serpent’s deception, the entire human race was thrown into bondage. Sin became our nature, death became our end, and suffering became our experience. Satan held humanity hostage from generation to generation — from Eden to Egypt, from Babylon to the time of Jesus.
God raised men at different times to rescue us:
Noah to preserve the earth…
Moses to deliver Israel…
Ezra and Nehemiah to restore order and worship…
But none of them could break the curse permanently.
None could destroy the root of sin.
None could free humanity from eternal bondage.
So God sent His only begotten Son — the only One pure enough, strong enough, holy enough, and divine enough to set mankind free forever.
In Luke 4:18, Jesus Himself reveals the exact mission He came to fulfill.
These are not suggestions — they are heaven’s assignment for the salvation of mankind.
Let us open them one by one.
For deeper understanding read Revelation and understanding the word of God.
What is the mission of Jesus Christ according to Luke 4 18?
According to Luke 4:18, the mission of Jesus Christ is to set people free from the power of the devil and sin though the preaching of the gospel.
In that passage Jesus plainly reveals that he came to preach the gospel to those who are spiritually empty, (poor in the spirit), to heal those who have been wounded by sin (brokenhearted), to preach deliverance to those who are held captive by the devil, those who are blind to understanding of the gospel and set free those that are bruised by Satan.
Lets unpack all these points one after another.
1. To Preach the Gospel to the Poor
The “poor” here does not only mean those without money — it means those spiritually empty, those who lack truth, direction, and hope.
Jesus came to:
awaken those who sat in darkness,
teach those who were misled by religion,
give life to those who were spiritually dead.
The gospel He brought was not a message; it was the answer humanity had waited for since Genesis.
Where there was confusion, He brought light.
Where there was guilt, He brought forgiveness.
Where there was hopelessness, He brought eternal life.
2. To Heal the Brokenhearted
Sin does not only damage destiny — it breaks hearts.
People carry wounds from rejection, failure, trauma, guilt, loss, and disappointment.
No prophet in the Old Testament could heal the inner man — they gave laws, commandments, and warnings, but they could not touch the deep pain inside people.
Jesus came not only to save souls, but to restore hearts.
He binds emotional wounds.
He repairs broken spirits.
He heals the pain that no doctor can diagnose.
If your heart is wounded, Jesus is the only One who can heal it permanently.
3. To Preach Deliverance to the Captives
Before Christ came, humanity was in a spiritual prison:
- Bound by sin
- Bound by addiction
- Bound by fear
- Bound by generational curses
- Bound by demonic oppression
Satan captured man through deception and chained him through ignorance.
But Jesus came as the Deliverer:
He preached deliverance…
He demonstrated deliverance…
He became deliverance.
Deliverance is not a church program — it is the ministry of Jesus Christ.
He came to open the prison doors and declare, “You are free.”
4. To Give Recovering of Sight to the Blind
This is not only physical blindness — it includes spiritual blindness.
Humanity could not see truth, destiny, or the things of God.
Satan blinded the minds of people so they would walk in darkness.
Jesus came to open spiritual eyes:
- so people can see God clearly,
- see sin for what it is,
- see their destiny,
- see the devil’s deception,
- and see the light of salvation.
Every true encounter with Christ gives you new sight.
5. To Set at Liberty Them That Are Bruised
To be “bruised” means to be crushed, wounded, oppressed, or spiritually beaten down.
Life bruises people.
Sin bruises.
Satan bruises.
Circumstances bruise.
Jesus came to release all who are spiritually crushed:
- those under heavy burdens
- those oppressed by life,
- those wounded by sin,
- those pressed down by the enemy.
Where the world leaves people broken, Jesus sets them free.
Reflection
Jesus did not come to give religion — He came to break bondage.
Every part of His mission targets a different area where Satan has held humanity captive for thousands of years.
If you look closely at Luke 4:18, you will find your own life inside it.
At some point, we were all poor in spirit, broken inside, blind to truth, bound by sin, and bruised by life.
But through Jesus, every chain can be broken, every wound healed, every blindness corrected, and every captivity destroyed.
His mission did not end — it continues in us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for coming into this world with a mission to save, heal, deliver, restore, and set free.
Open my eyes to see the areas where I still need Your touch.
Break every bondage in my life and make me a living testimony of Your power and freedom.
Amen.