Re:Verse reading–Luke 1:1-38 (day five)
“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.” Luke 1:15 “The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,” Luke 1:35
By reading Luke’s Gospel right after reading Acts (also written by Luke) we see the influence and insights he learned while traveling with Paul.
“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them Acts 4:8
”Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus … has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 9:17
“And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 13:52
Luke connects the same constant catalyst for God’s activity in the world in his Gospel. The Holy Spirit.
This week, this day, this hour, we too, need God to fill us with His Holy Spirit. He is our source and hope for the promised presence and power of God to work in us and through us.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in us (God’s presence and in action) enables us to resist
the culture of Satan. If God is the source of our motivation for our lives, I am sure we will find God in all situations and the culture of Satan cannot thrive.
If we are connected with God, we will find God and He will be present in us to lead and to guide. If we are disconnected with God, I am sure Satan will enjoy being our advisor and counsel.
God will allow us to choose our life journey, His Kingdom or Satan’s Hell. We all need God but God does not need us. He created us, not Satan so it is our wisdom to be close to Him and to be connected with Him. Satan will stay on to distract and to misguide us to follow his way if God was not present in our lives!
In my early childhood, my Mother shaped my actions, attitudes and behaviors early on by pointing out Heaven or Hell. She described what a life in Heaven would be like and in Hell would be like after death and I believed. I always asked my Mother what to do in order to go to Heaven. I guess all kids would act as I did. My Mother told me, “Listen and obey what I expect you to do and ask you to do. Follow me.” Of course, I obeyed as I wanted to go to Heaven! I wanted to be loved and to have a loving relationship with my Mother. I was an obedient daughter at all times. No one would have the desire to go to Hell!
We all will have human flaws! Without God, the gap for peace and joy and to reach God’s Kingdom will be much larger. A disconnection with God will be a tragedy to our lives! I am convinced that God’s influence on our lives will help shape a peaceful and joyful surroundings and around the world which He created and had a plan for His glory. We all can make a difference, one by one, and one at a time!
How do we know if the Holy Spirit works in us or lack of Him? I hope we all will find the 50 things that the Holy Spirit does in our lives helpful.
https://www.charismamag.com/spirit/bible-study/20327-50-things-that-holy-spirit-does-in-your-life
Who has the strongest influence in your life, personally, socially, organizationally and spiritually? You will be shaped by those, for good or for bad, for evil or for righteousness! What culture seems to be the current living trend on earth, God’s culture or Satan’s culture? As I reflected on my Mother (deceased) instructions in my early childhood, her words of “obey” and “follow me” reminded me of God’s instructions.
Spiritually, when we obey God, we will follow Him and will be faithful to Him and His instructions. The Holy Spirit will do all the work to lead and to guide! It makes sense, doesn’t it? I totally agreed that we need God to fill us with His Holy Spirit. We need Him!