Next Step #31

    In one of the more amazing passages of Scripture relating to Jesus’ birth, we find that John the Bapitizer “announces” Jesus’ birth, while John was still in his mother’s womb! ACTUALLY, it was Elizabeth, John’s mother who was filled with the Holy Spirit and did the announcing, but John seemed to be aware of what was taking place. Let’s look at Luke 1:39-45: 

        ³⁹A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town ⁴⁰where Zechariah lived.   She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴²Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. ⁴³Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? ⁴⁴When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. ⁴⁵You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”     (Emphasis Added) Luke 1:39-45 NLT.

     The Holy Spirit did not come to EVERY believer in those days, but only to those selected by God to carry out a specific purpose. Thus, when the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth, this was a major event—particularly so, since Elizabeth was a woman. The Holy Spirit made it clear that Jesus was “the Lord,” when she called Mary “the mother of my Lord.” This is the first “announcement” of Jesus’ birth, and of course it was only announced in the hearing of Mary, Elizabeth—and Jesus and John! As we continue through this Christmas season, may we let the Holy Spirit FILL us daily that we, too, may announce not only our Lord’s birth, but also His life, death, resurrection and coming again! May our words be filled with the Holy Spirit’s power that others may respond to them and know the joy of Jesus’ salvation!

     Brothers and sisters in the Lord and in His Spirit, I want to wish all of you a blessed Christmas and joyous and productive New Year for His Kingdom! I will be taking a two week “vacation” from Next Steps during the Christmas and New Year Holidays and will present Next Step #32 during the weekend of January 5-6, 2008! God’s Blessings!!!