Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Are you in the way?

I was reading my Bible today and the Holy Spirit really spoke to me afresh.  The passage is found in Luke 1.  The context is this:  An angel has visited Mary announcing that she will give birth to Jesus, the Savior of the world!

Imagine the shock!  This young virgin girl just living a normal life- now her world is rocked by this news.  She asks the question that would come to any virgin's mind- "How can this be, seeing I know not a man?"
 ( translated.." I have not had sexual relations with a man")

It is the angel's response that the Holy Spirit used to speak to my heart today.  Let's look at the angel's response:

Luke 1:35(KJV) " And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:  therefore also the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."

The Lord desires to perform great works within all of His children.  No, we have not been asked to give birth to the Savior- but the Lord desires to use us to point others to Jesus, to teach or disciple someone, to minister through preaching or through a musical talent that we possess.  We might be like Mary- stunned, unsure of how God will accomplish His desires through us- perhaps we don't think we have anything to give.  We find ourselves asking God essentially the same question that Mary asked the angel.  "How can this be, Lord?  What could possibly be within me that could be used by you?"

The answer to our questions would be the same answer that the angel gave Mary!  Let's look at it again and personalize it. "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee."

It is in this verse that the Spirit spoke to my heart.  God wants to use us- but we often get in the way!  It is always through the power of the Spirit that God accomplishes His work in us.  But the power of the Highest must OVERSHADOW us!!

We must allow ourselves to be controlled by the Spirit.  We must be led by the Spirit.  So often we want to accomplish "great things" for God through our own strength, our own way, and for our own glory- yet that is not how it works.  For it is "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6.

I have heard it said "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called.  I like that!  I need to remind myself of that truth more often!  God can use ANYBODY, anybody that is willing to be overshadowed by the Spirit of God!  God can use anybody that is not looking to take credit.  We don't have to have great talents or abilities, we just have to be willing to humble ourselves, surrendered to the Holy Spirit.

Are you standing in the way of what God wants to do in your life?  Why not take a moment to ask God if you are in the way?  Allow His Spirit to speak to your heart.  Take care of any business that you and the Lord might have and then begin to daily submit yourself to the control of the Spirit!  I believe  we will be surprised by what the Lord can do through us when His Spirit overshadows us!

To God be the glory!