Luke 1:28 (Amp) …and he came to her and said, “Hail; O favored one (endued with grace!) The Lord is with you! Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women!”
Luke 1:35 (Amp) Then the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you (like a shining cloud); and so the holy (pure, sinless) thing (Offspring) which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:36 (Amp) …and listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren.
Luke 1:37 (Amp) For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.”
There are four (Everyday in the Holy Spirit) “grace keys” we can learn from Mary yielding to the Holy Spirit’s power to overshadow her.
1) A PROMISE to remember. (Luke 1:37)
2) A POWER to pray for (Luke 1:35)
3) A PERSON to be with (Luke 1:36)
4) A PRACTICAL STEP to take (Luke 1:39-40)
How can we position our hearts to allow the Holy Spirit to overshadow us in the area of a lack of finances during this advent season?
1) A PROMISE to remember: Remember Life is found in the everyday relationship with the Holy Spirit and not is the “stuff” we try and fill ourselves with, for example, a giant gummy worm that’s bigger than your insides.
2) A POWER to pray for: During this advent season don’t be tempted by the spirit of consumerism but pray for a spirit of contentment.
3) A PEOPLE to be with: Real treasure is found in relationships and not in “stuff”. Think of all those victims of natural disasters – the “stuff” in the homes can be replaced, but what can never be replaced is the loss of life. Don’t wait until a loved one passes away to cherish their memory and think about how wonderful they were. Learn to walk in forgiveness and look for the good that is in each person. Honor and cherish those relationships now. As a believer, you are never alone because Jesus said HE would never leave you or forsake you, and that’s a PROMISE!
4) And PRACTICAL steps to take: You’ve heard the saying, “Money can’t buy love or happiness”. Don’t fall pray to the lie that you have to spend lots of money on worldly possessions. Pastor shared a great example of looking for ways to invest into The Kingdom of God and having an eternal impact. It’s the gift from the heart, not the price of the gift that counts. Ask God to show you what gifts you can give from your heart to bless others.
Remember – Impossible needs are met in everyday possible Spirit-filled ways!
Cliff Elrod
Soaking Prayer Leader