Morning by Morning,
December 12 - Freed from Doubt, Filled with the Spirit
Good morning, Lord Jesus.
Help me start this day and every day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ,
and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...
"Zechariah said to the
angel, 'How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is
getting on in years.' The angel replied, 'I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence
of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their
time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur'"
(Luke 1:18-20).
Zechariah's doubt and
unbelief didn't nullify the words of God or the good news of the Gospel. Gabriel
knew they would "be fulfilled in their time." Just because his message of hope
and glad tiding of joy wasn't embraced, Gabriel's confidence of who he was in
the eyes of God as one who stands in the presence of God was not shaken by
someone else's lack of faith.
But while Gabriel knew
Zechariah's promises from God would be fulfilled, he also knew that there would
be a season of suffering for Zechariah, as he suffered the consequences of his
choices to question the words of God spoken personally to him. Zechariah's
questioning of his worthiness to be blessed by God was not seen by God as
humility, but rather as the sin of doubt and unbelief. So instead of living
those next nine months shouting the praises of God with expectant faith from a
heart of joy at the astounding goodness of God, he wouldn't be able to speak at
all.
Yet even then, You didn't
leave him nor forsake him. You didn't turn Your back on him or cancel Your
promises for him. You let the consequences of Zechariah's choices have their
work in his heart. And somewhere along the way, Zechariah had a change of heart.
Somewhere along the way, he chose to believe the words and the promises of God.
And when the day came for the promises to be fulfilled, just as You had said, he
spoke his first words with a depth of faith that had been fashioned and formed
through the consequences of his suffering (v. 1:59-66). Now, where there had
been the spirit of unbelief, Zechariah was freed from doubt and "filled with the
Holy Spirit," as he began to boldly declare Your message of hope and good news
of the Gospel (v. 1:67-79).
Father, forgive me for my
sins of doubt and unbelief. Forgive me for doubting the promises of God, of
focusing too much on how undeserving and unworthy I am instead of how merciful
and mighty You are. Forgive me for every way and every day I waste by not living
with expectant faith with great anticipation and joy of the fulfillment of Your
promises to me. Deliver me from evil, free me from doubt, and fill me with Your
Spirit. And let my words and the message of my life be a bold declaration of
praise to You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love
of Jesus, Tommy
Hays
Friends, I
pray you will be freed from doubt and unbelef, joyfully embrace all of God's
promises to you, and be filled with the Holy Spirit of God today. May your
life, despite all your challenging circumstances, be a bold declaration
of praise to our God. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my
friend.
Please
keep us in prayer as our ministry continues to partner with Rapha God
Ministries in San Antonio, Texas this week, with teaching and ministry
of inner healing -- healing from the inside out (www.RaphaGodMinistries.com). I'll be back in
Kentucky to speak and minister at Cornerstone Assemby of God in
Danville, Kentucky, Sunday December 16th in the morning and evening
meetings (www.DanvilleCornerstone.net). Please come join us
if you can. All are welcome!
Tommy Hays | Messiah
Ministries
Healing from the Inside
Out
2800 Tates Creek
Road
Lexington, Kentucky
40502
