“The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” – Isaiah 11:2″
Today, I’m picking up where I left off last year! Sitting in the middle of a snow storm (my kitchen is surrounded by windows on three sides), I’m attempting to finish a blog I started last year. On December 15th, I thought I was putting the finishing touches on my Christmas blog, and believe it or not, it was in the middle of a snow storm. It seems that God has brought me back to the middle of a storm to finish my blog and complete the work He had begun in me.
So, what was He doing in me? He put a verse on my mind that I couldn’t let go. It is like He stuck Isaiah 11:2 in the crockpot of my mind for several months. Though I thought my blog was complete, it has been slowly simmering through Christmas and into the New Year.
Last year I focused on the gift of Jesus Christ that God gave to us – everything that we need! Wrapped in a fleshly package, God’s gift of love was presented to the whole world to know and receive. Isaiah 11:2 prophesies that the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon this most precious package. Receiving this Gift changes our identity – the very same Spirit that rested on Jesus Christ takes up residence in us, and we become like Him.
In the New Year, I find myself focusing on the Indwelling of His Spirit and the impact it has on those who receive Him. As we cast our gaze on Jesus, we see the entire fullness of God’s nature. Through His Life-giving Spirit, we find all His Wisdom, His Understanding, His very personal Counsel, His Power and Strength to walk in His Ways, and His Knowledge that gives us a more accurate Fear of our God – awe and holy reverence through the revelation of who He is. What does this mean for me – a woman who has received the Gift of His Son, no longer poor, but rich in His Spirit – do I reflect a spiritual kingdom in which Christ rules?
The blessings of His Indwelling Spirit are available to me, yet their effects have been limited by my lack of knowledge of Him and my unwillingness to obey His leading. I have His Wisdom through His Word, but do I read it, believe it, or have I even begun to understand it? I have His very personal Counsel, but do I receive it and live by it? Has my life reflected God’s Power and Strength as I walk through difficulties? Do I know my God, and has it left me “undone” as the profit Isaiah put it – “Woe is me! for I am undone (lost or ruined) …for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” I must cultivate His Gift to bear His fruit!
Have you received the Gift? Have you tasted the Fruits of His Spirit? I pray it has left you hungry and thirsty for more! Cultivate the gift, bear His Fruit and reflect your Father and His Kingdom – the next generation longs to see Him and know His love!
*John 3:16; John 1:12; 2 Peter 1:3; 1 John 3:10; Colossians 2:6-23; Ephesians 1:17-18; Ephesians 3:20; Isaiah 6:5; Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 2; Mark 16:15
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