The Message in the Art

A while back, I did a thing.

I consider it a good thing. Others may not agree but, where I’m at in my life… it was good.

I bought a piece of art.

Several months ago, the son of a good friend of mine, did an art exhibit. Jordan is an exceptional artist. He displayed many of his paintings, which were amazing to view, even taking orders should anyone want to purchase a copy, or the original piece. Each piece told its own story, gave its own message, and Jordan was on hand to explain the message behind each piece of his work.

Of course, I had to go. I love art! I may not always understand the meaning behind the picture, painting or sculpture, even a poem or article, but it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate it.

People understand art in many different ways. It affects them in various forms; emotional, mental, sometimes physical, and especially spiritual. Jordan’s art is spiritual. Actually, it’s more than spiritual. It’s prophetic.

Prophetic art has a spiritual message. It tells a story. It’s encouraging. It’s inspiring. It’s all this and more. However, to know the message, one has to experience it, in person.

Getting to the piece of art that I purchased…

My friend, Sherri (Jordan’s mom), wanted to show me her favorite piece and walked me over to where it was displayed. I stood in awe, staring at it. Before she could tell me about the painting, I knew I wanted it. Then she told me the name of the painting:

The Great Commission

She did her best to explain it to me, then said, “Jordan can do a much better job explaining this,” about the time he walked up. So I asked him about the painting. The explanation was exactly what I expected. While he explained, in great detail, I asked him to email me the explanation so I could remember it. He graciously obliged, sending me a condensed version, which I’m sharing below:

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. Can you see the redemption of a person? Can you see a sick person and picture them healed? What about the dead and see them raised to life again? How about a leper to see them cleansed? What about that demon-possessed one who needs their freedom? Can you see yourself as one of them, one who is in need of Christ? You, yourself, once in their shoes [if not still in those shoes]. Go and do please, because we all need the intervention of Jesus Christ…”

As I stood, admiring the painting and its creator, I couldn’t help but feel a great sense of calling within my core, deep in my spirit. It took me back to my own healing from depression and anxiety. When I heard the words, “Can you see yourself as one of them, one who is in need of Christ?” then, knowing I had once been in the shoes of those who struggle with the very same thing from which God healed me. But it was the words, “Go and do please, because we all need the intervention of Jesus Christ…” that brought back to my mind the commission, the prophecy, I was given when God healed me.

The morning after I was healed, I opened my Bible directly to Luke 4:18-19 (NLT), which reads, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.”

What does this even mean? It is the message that was given to me which contains my assignment. I have mentioned this many times whenever I have had the privilege to speak at events, to other women, and it has never been proven wrong. I sum it up in this way:

            Rescue the daughters of God! Those held in bondage to fear, intimidation, depression, anxiety, addiction, abuse, and whatever holds them down. They will begin to see because the scales [of the lies they’ve been told] will fall from their eyes. They will be set free from intimidation, whether from physical, mental, emotional or spiritual forces. Chains are broken. Generational curses are broken. God’s favor is NOW! All His promises are “Yes!” and “Amen!” It is time to arise, mighty daughters of the Most High God!

If this doesn’t excite you, dear sister reading this, read it again. Read it as many times as you must for it to sink in. God loves you! Jesus died for you! You, dear, beautiful one, have been chosen to be someone great! If you are suffering in any of the things mentioned above, I want to encourage you with this message. You have not done too many bad things. You haven’t gone too far.

God sees you. He knows you. He loves you.

Look at the painting again. Do you see yourself? I saw who I once was. But I am no longer that person. I will never be that person again. Because of the grace of God, His healing, His Son Jesus, I have been saved, healed, and sealed by His Holy Spirit. You can experience all that, too. It’s God’s promise that if you call on the name of the Lord, call on Jesus, you will be saved. You don’t have to stay in that state anymore.

I get so excited, so passionate, about salvation and healing because I have been a recipient of it. I know the Lord. I know the Holy Spirit. And I absolutely know that all the things that plagued me before were not because of Him, but a trick of the devil who wanted to destroy me.

Back to the painting. Do you see the message? Can you see yourself in there? Can you see yourself in them, one who is in need of Christ? If so, can you see yourself asking Him to heal you? The Bible says, “He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases” Psalms 103:3. Not some. All.

More than that, the painting puts into perspective the message of the Great Commission: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!” Matthew 10:8 (NLT)

The message is in the art. We all have a calling, a Great Commission, on our lives. What we do with it depends on us. Mine is too important to ignore. I choose to give as freely as I have received. What will you do with yours?