Morning by Morning, December 8 - Preparing the Way of the Lord “In the Spirit and Power of Elijah” Good morning, Lord Jesus. Lead me by Your Spirit into all You have for me today. Help me hear all You would speak to me today, for Your sheep hear Your voice (John 10:3) and Your children are led by Your Spirit (Romans 8:14). ... Before the Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary about the birth of Jesus, he first spoke to Zacharias about the birth of John, who would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord as the Christ, as the long-awaited Messiah. ... The angel announced his identity to Zacharias, declaring, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings” (Luke 1:19). And he announced the destiny of the son who would be born to Zacharias and Elizabeth named John before the birth of Jesus the Christ: “The angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord’” (Luke 1:13-17). John would “make ready a people prepared for the Lord” before the coming of the Lord Jesus as the Christ, as the Messiah of Israel and all the world. And now, in this Christmas season where all the world hears the story of the birth of Jesus -- in movies and plays, television and radio, shopping malls and greeting cards, and throughout almost every aspect of culture, despite their attitude toward God -- may Your Holy Spirit go forth as John went forth to “make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” John was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and he spoke to hearts, turning hearts back to what is right and true, to prepare the way of the Lord “in the spirit and power of Elijah.” How we need that same Spirit today! That same Holy Spirit, that same “spirit and power of Elijah” today! As I read through this story I’ve read many times, what strikes me this morning is that when I think of “the spirit and power of Elijah,” I often think of the great miracles You worked through Elijah as a demonstration of the power and Presence of the One True God. I think of when he called down fire from Heaven on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:20-14), of when he raised a dead child back to life (1 Kings 17:17-24), of when he declared a judgment of drought for three and half years on the kingdom ruled by Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 17:1), and of when he fervently prayed for the drought to be broken and abundance of rain to be restored (1 King 18:41-46), and so many other miracles of power expressed through the words and prayers You gave him at Your command. Yet, when John the Baptist came preparing the way of the Lord “in the spirit and power of Elijah,” You did not work any miracles of power like this through John. “John performed no sign” (John 10:41). And at the same time, “All things that John spoke about (Jesus) were true” (John 10:41). What strikes me this morning is that the ministry of preparing the way of the Lord was not primarily a ministry of miracles other than what is maybe the greatest miracle of all -- changing hearts. “In the spirit and power of Elijah” he was turning hearts back to God, back to what is right and true, even without miracles and signs and wonders. In fact, the prayer to change hearts was the heart of the prayer of Elijah on Mount Carmel before he called down fire from Heaven to reveal the One True God. He cried out in prayer: “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again” (1 Kings 18:36-37). That’s when the fire fell! And that’s when hearts were turned back to God in a moment! “Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” (1 Kings 18:38-39). That was revival! That was revival in hearts that were changed that day! That was revival that came through the Spirit of God moving “in the spirit and power of Elijah!” I thank You and praise You for signs and wonders, and for how You use signs and wonders to confirm Your Word and to save souls. After Your resurrection, the disciples “went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs” (Mark 16:20). “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” (Hebrews 2:3-4). “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord” (Acts 5:12). Not just through the first apostles, but also through those who would follow, such as through the ministry of Phillip, when he “went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:4-8). Yet John, having “the spirit and power of Elijah,” “performed no sign” (John 10:41). That is, “no sign,” except hearts and souls revived and returned to God! Lord, release this “spirit and power of Elijah” today! Bring revival in hearts today! Prepare the way of the Lord in my heart and in the hearts in my world, in my nation, in my community, in my family today! Thank You for the greatest sign and wonder of all -- a heart of one who falls on their face before the Living God, crying out as in the days of Elijah and the days of John the Baptist, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the love of Jesus, Tommy Hays My friend, may your heart be prepared for the coming of the Lord with a heart fully turned to Him and filled with His Holy Spirit, as He uses your life to prepare the way of the Lord in the hearts of others in your family, community, nation, and world, in Jesus' name. God bless you!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries Mailing Address: 412 S. Adams Street #148 Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 Please share this word to encourage a friend! Anyone can sign up for free at: https://messiah-ministries.org | 
