Holy Spirit Said, “For Unto Us a Child is Born”, “Unto Us a Son is Given”

NO WONDER THEY CALL HIM WONDERFUL!

As we enter the Christmas season, God’s children, along with many lost people, are thinking about the birth of Jesus Christ. We sing the songs of Christmas and retell the story of His coming into the world. We read the passages from the Bible that speak of His birth, perform Christmas plays to commemorate His birth and give gifts to one another to remind ourselves of the greatest gift God ever gave to humanity. This is a wonderful time to honor the day when God became flesh and walked among men.

I want to continue the tradition this evening by looking into one of my favorite verses associated with the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a favorite because it presents Jesus in His fullness, and this is something that few verses in the Bible can do. This verse presents Jesus coming, dying and coming again. This verse reveals much of the activity of Jesus in the lives of His people. This verse only contains 39 words, but those 39 words contain a portrait of the life of Christ in miniature! While there may only be 39 words in this verse, the world itself could not contain the volumes that would need to be written to exhaust its content.

Today, I would like for us to look into this verse. I want to discover why Heaven calls Jesus Wonderful. If He stands out as a wonder in a land of wonders, then there must be a reason why. Let’s examine the evidence in Isaiah 9:6. I want to take this verse and ponder for a while on this thought: No Wonder They Call Him Wonderful. Let me show you three areas where this verse says Jesus is Wonderful.

  I. HE IS WONDERFUL IN HIS HUMANITY

     (Ill. “A child is born” brings to mind His humanity)

A. Jesus may have been born, but He was no ordinary baby! He was flesh, but at the same time, He was God, John 1:1, 14!

B. In fact, His birth was anything but ordinary!

           1. In Its Announcement - Luke 1:26-33

           2. In Its Accomplishment - Isa. 7:14; Luke 1:32

           3. In Its Accompaniment - Luke 2:1-20

C. Although Jesus was (is) God in the flesh, He was also a helpless baby, Phil. 2:5-8. (Ill. The wonder of the Creator placing His very welfare in the hands of the creature.) (Ill. The wonder of the Creator being dependant on the creature for His food and nourishment!) No wonder they call Him Wonderful!

 II. HE IS WONDERFUL IN HIS HUMILITY

(Ill. “Son is given” calls to mind His Deity and His Death) 

It brings to mind John 3:16

A. Even though Jesus was the “Son of Man”, He was also the “Son of God”. He was more than just a man, he was the God-man! This verse reminds us that Jesus was the Son of God! (Ill. By the way, believing that is essential to be saved, John 20:31.)

B. But, the little phrase “is given”, which literally means “to be delivered up”, reminds us that this God-man came into the world for a singular purpose. He came into this world to deliver Himself up as the ransom for sin on the cross of Calvary, Mark 10:45; John 18:37; John 15:13; John 10:11; 18; 15. (Ill. ***Phil 2:8***)

C. When we think of the price He paid to save our souls, (Ill. Isa. 52:14; Psalm 129:3; Isa. 50:60), the spitting, the beating, the nailing, the rejecting, the hating, the abusing, etc, what other word is there to describe Him but “Wonderful”? When you read Matthew 27:26-50 and read of the horrors of the day He died, what else can you say about Him but that He is wonderful! No wonder they call Him Wonderful!

III. HE IS WONDERFUL IN HIS HONOR

A. The Honor Of His Position - We are told that “the government shall be upon His shoulder”. This phrase encompasses two great truths.

         •    First, this “son that was given”, Who died on the cross, would rise again! And, that’s just what He did, Matt. 28:1-6.

            •    Second, this phrase takes us many years into the future when this risen One comes again to this earth to reign in glory upon the earth!

         •    The second advent of Jesus is in view here. He is returning to this world, not as “the Lamb of God”, but as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah”. He is returning, not to die but to reign; not to suffer, but to put down evil and to rule the world!

           •    The first time, He came as a Savior to die, the next time, He will come as a King to conquer, Rev. 19:11-16. (Ill. How the world treats Him today. One day, they will all bow at His feet, Rom. 14:12; Phil. 2:9-11. Even those men who said, “We have no king but Caesar”, John 19:15, will bow before Him in His honor and exaltation in that day!

           •    May we never forget Who He is! He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! Has He been enthroned as Lord and King in your life?

B. The Honor Of His Person - Notice that Jesus is given several names in this verse, but that the verse calls them by the singular noun “name”. Why is this? I think it is because He is all these things at the same time! In His name, we find out more about Who He is!

1. He Is Wonderful - This word means Supernatural, Secret and Extraordinary, Ill. Judges 13:18. This name points out the truth that there is nothing common about Jesus, He is the Miracle man! He is so far beyond our level of comprehension that we can never figure Him out, yet He can be known by a little child! He is Wonderful!

2. He Is Counselor - This word means “to advise, counsel, purpose, devise and plan.” It refers to His role as the leader and guiding force of our lives. He is wonderfully qualified for this job.

                 A. He had the age and experience - Dan. 7:9; Heb. 4:15

                 B. He has the knowledge - Acts 1:24; 1 John 3:20

                 C. He has the education - Isa. 40:13-14

                 D. His price is right - Isa. 55:1

                 E. He is always available - Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5

F. He always gives perfect advice - Hos. 14:9; Psa. 19:7-8; John 16:13.

                 G. His motives are always pure - 1 Pet. 5:7

3. He is the Mighty God - This word means “Hero! It refers to one Who is strong, mighty and invincible.” He alone is worthy to be our Hero for He has defeated all our enemies.

A. Death - 1 Cor. 15:55 (Ill. He is the first fruits from the dead - 1 Cor. 15:20.)

B. Sin - Rom. 6:14; He brought salvation to all men - Heb. 7:25; Rom. 10:13.

                 C. The Grave - Matt. 28:1-6

                 D. Eternity - John 10:28

4. Everlasting Father - (Ill. He is “everlasting”! There has never been a time when He was not and there will never be a time when He will not be! He is the great “I AM”! By the way, if you are saved, your life is tied to His and you will live only as long as He does!) This verse also says that He is our “Father”. This word means “Producer or generator.” In other words, He is our source! He brought us into being and He sustains our lives by His power. He fulfills His role as our Father by:

                 A. Loving us - Jer. 31:3; Rom. 8:38-39

                 B. Supporting us - Psalm 18:35; Deut 33:27

                 C. Sustaining us - 2 Tim. 1:12

                 D. Comforting us - John 14:16-18

                 E. Providing for us - Luke 12:32; Matt. 6:25-33; Phil. 4:19

5. He is the Prince of Peace - This phrase refers to the fact that He will rule His kingdom in peace. How can He do this? He is the creator and provider of peace. And, those who know Him know all about peace, John 14:27; John 16:33a; Phil. 4:7. He provides peace with:

                 A. God - Eph. 2:16 - Reconciled!

                 B. Self - Phil. 4:7; John 14:27

                 C. Others - Rom. 12:10; 18

C. When all of this is taken together and considered I just have to say: “No wonder they call Him Wonderful!”

Conc: In John chapter 4 we are told of a woman who met Jesus at a well one day. She went away from that well, ran into the city and she invited the men of that place, to “Come see a man.” All of her life she had been looking for Mr. Wonderful and she had finally found Him! Well, He is wonderful and here’s why:

     •    He is a Physician Who never loses a case.

     •    He is a Captain Who never loses a battle.

     •    He is a Teacher Who perfectly teaches every student.

     •    He is a Preacher Who always preaches the right message.

     •    He is a Musician Who always plays the right note.

     •    He is an Artist Who never misses a stroke.

     •    He is a Savior Who completely saves all who come to Him.

     •    He is a Master Who always leads in the right direction.

     •    He is a Friend Who sticks closer than a brother.

     •    He is a Counselor Who always gives the right advice.

If You know Jesus as your personal Savior, then you know why they call Him Wonderful! Maybe you would just like to come before Him today, reaffirm your commitment to Him and express your thanks and gratitude to Him for His blessings in your life. If you don’t know Him and have spent your life looking for Mr. Wonderful, then look no farther, for you have come face to face with Him right here! If you will come to Him, you can be saved and you will know why they call Him wonderful!

Well, it’s no wonder they call Him Wonderful! 

Holy Spirit said "Showers of Blessings"

“Joseph is a fruitful tree,
 a fruitful tree by a spring,

        with branches climbing over a wall.

23 

Archers provoked him,

    shot at him,

        and attacked him.

24 

But his bow stayed steady, and his arms remained limber

    because of the help of the Mighty One of Jacob,

    because of the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

because of the El of your father who helps you,

    because of the Shadday who gives you

        blessings from the heavens above,

        blessings from the deep springs below the ground,

        blessings from breasts and womb.

The blessings of your father are greater than

    the blessings of the oldest mountains

        and the riches of the ancient hills.

May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph,

    on the crown of the prince among his brothers.

Genesis 49:22-27

1. TO BLESS YOUR CHILDREN:  HELP THEM INTERPRET LIFE IN LIGHT OF GOD'S PERSPECTIVE.

Derek Kidner observes (Genesis [IVP], p. 221) that the thought here “moves from the present, the summer of Joseph’s days, back to the stresses of the past, and behind both to God, whose array of titles forms the rich centerpiece of the Oracle. Then His profusion of blessings is called down on Joseph, carrying the thought on into the future.” Jacob uses the metaphor of a fruitful vine planted by a spring to describe Joseph’s present situation. Then he uses the metaphor of an archer under attack to describe Joseph’s past trials. The two metaphors are tied together by showing that the reason for Joseph’s present fruitfulness was that he had endured past trials in the strength of God, who is described by five different titles as His future blessings are invoked.

Jacob wasn’t telling Joseph anything new. Years before, while going through these trials, Joseph had realized that even though his brothers meant evil against him, God meant it for good (45:5-9; 50:20). Even when Joseph was falsely accused, imprisoned, and forgotten, he knew that God was sovereign. Here Jacob affirms Joseph’s interpretation of his life from God’s perspective. He is saying that Joseph was fruitful because he had endured these trials in God’s strength.

He uses the metaphor of a boy whose father is teaching him to shoot a bow and arrow. The boy isn’t strong enough to pull the bow back all the way and hold it steady on the target. So the father wraps his arms around the boy, puts his strong hands over the boy’s hands, pulls back the bowstring and aims it at the target. The boy is a strong archer because of his father’s strength. It’s a beautiful picture of being strong in the strength of God our Father. There are three lessons here that we fathers should impart to our children to help them interpret life from God’s perspective.

A. THE LESSON OF FRUITFULNESS

God wants His children to be fruitful. I believe that as American Christians, we wrongly encourage our kids to be successful, which is man-centered. We need to encourage them to be fruitful, which is God-centered. Life isn’t to be lived for ourselves. Jesus called us to bear much fruit (John 15). Just as Joseph’s fruitful vine ran over the wall, so that the Egyptians were blessed, so we need to teach our children our responsibility to be a blessing to people of other cultures who have not heard the good news of Christ. I encourage you to read to your kids the daily missions story in the “Global Prayer Digest” and to read missionary biographies so that they see examples of fruitful lives.

B. THE LESSON OF STRENGTH

A second lesson is that our strength comes from the Lord, not from our­selves. Joseph’s vine was fruitful because it was planted near a spring. Its roots went down into that moist soil which nourished it even in times of drought. The archer under attack was strong because the mighty hands of God were placed over his hands. We need to teach our children that our strength is not from our­selves, but from the Lord. Our kids need to see that we daily go to God for strength from His Word. They need to see that through prayer we lay hold of God’s resources. As a father, you need to pray often with and for your children. Let them see that you are weak, but that the God you trust is mighty.

C. THE LESSON OF TRIALS

A godly life does not mean a life exempt from trials. In fact, fruitfulness often comes only through trials. Joseph was the most godly of Jacob’s sons, and yet he suffered the most. He was bitterly attacked by his brothers. Potiphar’s wife shot at him with her daily temptation to adultery. Potiphar harassed him by putting him in prison when he had done no wrong. The cupbearer forgot his promise to mention Joseph to Pharaoh. And yet Joseph came through it all with a lack of bitterness toward God or toward any of those who had wronged him because he trusted in the sovereign, loving God.

Our kids need to know that while following God has its benefits, it also has its trials. We don’t follow the Lord just because of what we get out of it. We follow the Lord because He is the living God and His Word is the truth. We communicate this through our example. Are we committed to the Lord as long as everything is going well, but we fall away when problems hit? Do we complain about people who have wronged us and gripe about the trials we encounter? If so, our kids aren’t going to learn to trust in our sovereign, loving God. To bless your children, help them to interpret all of life, including life’s trials, from God’s perspective.

2. TO BLESS YOUR CHILDREN, WALK INTO A PERSONAL REALITY WITH GOD.      

There’s nothing that turns kids away from the Lord more than to have a father who preaches religion but who does not truly walk with God. I’m convinced that the greatest thing we can do to help our children go on with the Lord is for us to walk into personal reality with God. I’m not talking about perfection, but a humble faith that relates God to every aspect of life.

Jacob was far from a perfect father. His relationship with God had its ups and downs. And yet in spite of his problems, Jacob did know God personally. Here he is bold enough to call God “the Mighty One of Jacob,” “the stone of Israel” (Jacob’s God-given name), “the God of your father” (49:24, 25). Years before, Jacob had referred to God as the God of his father and the God of Abraham (31:5, 42). But now Jacob calls God his God. These names of God reflect Jacob’s personal relationship with God.

They also show that Jacob had trusted God in the practical situations of life. He had learned who God is by depending on Him in the crises of life. Jacob was a schemer, but God had taught him that his schemes were worthless. God had proven Himself mighty in protecting Jacob from the anger of Esau and Laban, both of whom could have killed him. God again proved Himself mighty in keeping the Canaanites from attacking Jacob after his sons had slaughtered the Shechemites. God had led Jacob as a Shepherd, protecting him from danger and guiding him in the paths of righteousness. (The phrase, “from there” [49:24] is probably an emphatic way of saying that God is the source of everything implied by these various names.) Through the trials of the loss of Joseph and the famine, when he thought he might lose all his sons and even his own life, Jacob had learned to rely on God as a rock, a sure foundation on whom he might stand firm.

Jacob knew that God not only was his help, but also the One who could help his sons (“the God of your father who helps you,” [49:25]). That’s an important lesson of faith for parents when you learn that God can be the God of your children and that you entrust them to His care. If you’re from a Christian home, you need to learn the lesson both Jacob and Joseph learned, that their father’s God could be their God, too. Each child must at some point in life personalize his father’s faith into his own relationship with God.

Jacob also had come to know God as “El Shaddai,” God Almighty, the name by which God revealed Himself to Abraham (17:1). Scholars are divided on how to translate that name. Some say it comes from a root word meaning “breast,” thus pointing to God as the all-sufficient one from whom we draw our nourishment and sustenance. (The Hebrew word “shad” [breasts] occurs at the end of 49:25.) Others say it comes from a word meaning “mountain,” thus pointing to God’s strength, stability, and permanence. The name seems to be used in Genesis in situations where God’s servants are hard-pressed and needing reassurance (Kidner, p. 129). Thus it emphasizes God’s might in contrast with the frailty of man. At this time when Jacob knew that he was dying, he wanted his son to know God as the Almighty who would bless him with all that he needed in the future.

So through these names by which Jacob refers to God, we see that he had learned to know God in a personal, practical way through the trials of life. He had trusted God and found Him faithful. Jacob’s God was a big God, the Mighty One, the Almighty, who was greater than the Canaanites’ gods, greater than Pharaoh’s gods, in spite of what outward appearances may imply. In contrast with the pagan Canaanites, who possessed the land, and the successful Egyptians, Jacob was dying as a poor refugee shepherd, without having realized God’s promises concerning the land of Canaan. But in spite of these outward appearances of the apparent success of the world and the failure of God’s promises, Jacob went out by handing his sons the torch of faith in a mighty God who would certainly fulfill His promises.

So, to bless your children, help them interpret life in light of God’s perspective and walk into personal reality with the Almighty God.

Joseph, we would all have to agree, was most worthy of any blessing which Jacob might pronounce. While he is greatly blessed by God, he does not have the privilege of being the forefather of Messiah, as does Judah.

Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a spring; Its branches run over a wall. The archers bitterly attacked him, And shot at him and harassed him, but his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob. (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), From the God of your father who helps you, And by the Almighty who blesses you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of your father Have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; May they be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers (Genesis 49:22-26).

Joseph’s future is described as one of fruitfulness and abundance. He had been bitterly attacked, yet remained steadfast (verses 23-24). I believe the primary reference here to be to the rejection and persecution he experienced at the hand of his brethren. Joseph remained firm and the God of Jacob sustained him. His blessings are largely material. He will be pre-eminent among his brothers, but not in the same way as Judah. Because of Ephraim’s pride (Judges 8:1; 12:1) and apostasy (Hosea 4:17; 5:3f.), enjoyment of these blessings was not what it could have been.

שַׁדַּי֙ וִיבָ֣רְכֶ֔ךָּ בִּרְכֹ֤ת שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ מֵעָ֔ל

 שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ מֵעָ֔ל בִּרְכֹ֥ת תְּה֖וֹם רֹבֶ֣צֶת

רֹבֶ֣צֶת תָּ֑חַת בִּרְכֹ֥ת שָׁדַ֖יִם וָרָֽחַם

בִּרְכֹ֣ת אָבִ֗יךָ גָּֽבְרוּ֙

גָּֽבְרוּ֙ עַל־ בִּרְכֹ֣ת הוֹרַ֔י עַֽד־

אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כְּבִרְכָת֖וֹ בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֹתָֽם

There shall be showers of blessing:

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Savior above.

Chorus

Showers of blessing,

Showers of blessing we need:

Mercy drops round us are falling,

But for the showers, we plead.

There shall be showers of blessing,

Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys,

Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing;

Send them upon us, O Lord;

Grant to us now a refreshing,

Come, and now honor Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing:

Oh, that today they might fall,

Now as to God we’re confessing,

Now as on Jesus we call!

Holy Spirit gave a Gift to Halee my Granddaughter

As I was praying for my granddaughter, Halee, I had the prompting to say, "Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit".  As I said, "Receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit", I saw the Holy Spirit in the like of a clothed man from the shoulders down to the waist, he gave her a gift and then he turned and gave me a big beautiful red rose and I received it, taking hold of it.  

Jesus calls Himself first, "the Rose of Sharon," and then, "the Lily of the Valleys." Let us consider what He means.

I. THE ROSE OF SHARON. Of all the flowers that God has made, the rose, take it all in all, is the loveliest and the sweetest. It has three things in perfection — shape, color, and fragrance. Indeed, we may call it the queen of flowers. Now, it is in its sweetness especially that the rose reminds me of the Lord Jesus Christ. His character was marked not only by manliness, but also with what we may call "sweetness," for he had all the firmness of a man and all the tenderness of a woman. I will give you another reason for the comparison of Christ to a rose. The rose is the most common as well as the most beautiful of all the flowers. You find it wherever you go, — in all countries and in all places. In fact, it is the universal flower: it belongs to everybody. And in this respect it resembles Christ, for Christ is the common property of all — of the peasant as well as of the prince; of poor as well as of rich; of the child as well as of the full-grown man. He belongs to all nations, too — to the dwellers in north and south and east and west; arid there is no one, whatever he may be, or wherever he lives, who cannot say, "The Lord Jesus Christ is my Saviour, and I claim Him as my own."

II. But the Saviour calls Himself in the text THE LILY OF THE VALLEYS, and we have now to consider what this second title is intended to teach us. Supposing that "the Lily of the Valleys" is the flower which we know by that name — you all remember how graceful it is, with pretty little white bells ranged in a row on a tapering stalk, and how it appears to hide itself modestly under the shade of its broad green leaves. Now, why is it thus chosen? Partly because the lily is of a beautiful white colour, and represents purity. And you know how pure the Lord Jesus Christ was. Never at any time did He think, or say, or do anything that was wrong. As a child, as a boy, as a man, He was absolutely free from fault. But the lily of the valley — because it has a drooping head, and retires behind the shade of its broad green leaves, instead of thrusting itself forward — may be taken as an emblem of lowliness or humility, and so will serve to remind us of the Lord Jesus Christ.

III. We will try, in conclusion, to APPLY THE SUBJECT TO OURSELVES, So that we may be the better, by God's blessing, for having talked about it and thought about it. We have the example of the Lord Jesus Christ proposed to us. He is perfect, and we can never hope to be perfect. But we may become, by the kind help of His Holy Spirit, more and more like Him every day.  (G. Calthrop, M. A.)

History of Red Roses

The red rose began its illustrious symbolic history in Greek and Roman iconography, where it was tied to Aphrodite, or Venus, the goddess of love.  Later, in early Christian times it became associated with the virtue of Virgin Mary.  By the time Shakespeare rolled around it had already become a poetic standard that he, and later Gertrude Stein, both famously played with in their works.  Throughout its long, storied history, the red rose still reigns as the ultimate symbol of passionate affection.

Our New Reality as Christians Is That We Are Born of and Walk by the Spirit

“In the beginning, man’s spirit was the dominant force in the world. When he sinned, his mind became dominant. Sin dethroned the spirit and crowned the intellect. But grace is restoring the spirit to its place of dominion. When man comes to realize this, he will live in the realm of the supernatural without effort.”  ~John G. Lake

John G. Lake was a powerful healing evangelist who walked and lived by the Spirit. Lake and his team of “Divine Healing Technicians” were used by God to effect over 100,000 healings between 1915 and 1920. Following is an excerpt from John G. Lake’s article, "The Power of the Name":

Born of the Spirit:

“Unless one is born of…the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).

Receive the Spirit:

“Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

Live/Walk by the Spirit:

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63).

Worship in Spirit:

“We are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth” (John 4:24).

We Honor BOTH the Word and the Spirit

Logos

Greek word translated “word;” it means “the entire communication process.” One example of Logos is the Bible, the Word of God. The Bible is to be meditated on (Joshua 1:8) and treasured in your heart (Ps. 119:11).

Rhema

Greek word translated “word;” it means “when words leave one’s lips.” The Spirit’s voice in our hearts is one example of rhema, while verses leaping off the pages of Scripture and into our hearts is another example.

God’s voice

sounds like flowing, spontaneous thoughts that light upon our mind (Jn. 7:37-39). The Holy Spirit is sensed as a river which flows within.

Naba

Hebrew word translated “prophecy;” it means “bubbling up,” so when I want to prophesy, I see Jesus present in the situation (Acts 2:25; Ps. 16:8) and ask for His thoughts and speak forth the thoughts and words that are bubbling up within me.

Paga

Hebrew word translated “intercession” – God’s voice leading me in prayer. The literal definition is “to strike or light upon by chance,” or “an accidental intersecting.” Spirit-led intercession is sensed as spontaneous thoughts that light upon my mind while I am praying. I honor these thoughts as they have been sent by God. So I fix my eyes upon Jesus, and tune to flow and pray, being guided by the flow (Heb. 12:1-2; Jn. 7:37-39).

View more:  Born of the Spirit

Prayer for a Spirit-Controlled Life

The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made __________ free from the law of sin and death. His/her life is governed, not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but by the Holy Spirit. __________ is not living the life of the flesh. __________ is living the life of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God dwells within and directs and controls him/her.

__________ is a conqueror and gains a surpassing victory through Jesus who loved him/her. __________ does not let himself/herself be overcome by evil, but overcomes and masters evil with good. __________ has on the full armor of light. __________ clothes himself/herself with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and makes no provision for indulging the flesh.

__________ is a doer of God’s Word. He/she has God’s wisdom. He/she is peace-loving, courteous, considerate, gentle, willing to yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits. __________ is free from doubts, wavering and insincerity. He/she is subject to God.

__________ stands firm against the devil. __________ resists the devil, and he flees from him/her. __________ comes close to God and God comes close to him/her. __________ does not fear, for God never leaves him/her.

In Christ, __________ is filled with the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus is his/her Lord!

In the name of Jesus, amen.

Scripture References:

Romans 8:2,4,9,14,31,37 amp James 3:17 amp

Romans 12:21 Hebrews 13:5

Romans 13:12,14 James 4:7,8

James 1:22 Colossians 2:10

Prayers That Avail Much

Halee Nora Yvonne Evans

Born:  February 19, 2014

O MAGNIFY THE LORD

Holy Spirit said, "O Magnify the LORD" as I was looking out my kitchen window this morning.  I love it when he speaks encouraging words.  Thank you LORD.

Psalm 34:1-9. It is good to wake up in the morning with a word of worship in our mouths. It is good to speak well of the LORD throughout the day. It is good to lie down at night in praise and thanksgiving. Come, says David, “taste” His goodness with me.

We “taste and see” the goodness of the LORD when the words of the LORD have their rightful place in our lives Psalm 119:103. Along with the good word of God, we also have a powerful foretaste of things to come Hebrews 6:5. Peter encourages us in our desire for “the sincere milk of the word” which we have already tasted 1 Peter 2:2-3.

When we first believe, we savour the things of God, and put our trust in the LORD. We feast with Him in our day to day living. We draw nourishment from the table of the Lord, and all that the sacrament represents to us.

When the LORD blesses us, He adds something to us. He saves us from our sins, and redeems us from the full penalty of the law. He sends seasonable weather, and our crops are given increase. He grants health, wealth, wisdom, status, success - and children. The LORD protects us, and delivers us - and gives us “the peace that the world cannot give” John 14:27.

Psalm 34:1. For us to “bless the LORD” is to tell forth His goodness. What we say reflects Whose we are. What we speak about should reflect who we are in Him. To “bless the LORD” is to bow the knee in worship and praise.

The words which we speak effect our attitudes and behaviour. When we speak positively about the things of the LORD, good things can happen. The converse is also true: when we ‘speak up’ bad things, that’s often just what we get! David determined that the praises of the LORD should constantly be in his mouth.

Psalm 34:3. The ‘sweet Psalmist of Israel’ sought to honour God in what amounted to a public act of praise. This Psalm is not addressed to the LORD, but to the congregation. They are “the humble”: the poor, the lowly, the weak, and the afflicted. “Those in distress, those in debt, and the discontented” 1 Samuel 22:2.  David’s testimony calls for a response, and participation.

Psalm 34:4. This encourages the once-fearful. “The LORD delivered me from all my fears.” Negative fears are the opposite of faith, and destructive to our peace and well-being.

Psalm 34:5. This could be the choir’s response to the voice of the soloist. The once-shameful respond with their own observation. “They looked to Him, and lightened were: not shamed were their faces. 

Psalm 34:6. Those in distress find their encouragement here. “This poor (humble) man cried…” This is answered prayer - even where prayer is scarcely articulated. “The LORD heard the cry of the children of Israel” in Egypt Exodus 3:9. The LORD hears, and saves, and redeems us from trouble.

Psalm 34:7. The angel of the LORD is in the midst of the camp, surrounding those who have a right kind of fear - reverence and godly fear - toward the LORD. He is there to protect, and deliver.

We are reminded of the glory of the LORD, reflected in the face of Moses. The idea of “being radiant” is echoed in Isaiah 60:5 as the people thrilled at the prospect of the abundance of the nations flowing to Zion. Also in Jeremiah 31:12, as they beamed with satisfaction at the goodness of the LORD. 

We are also reminded of “the glory of the Lord in the face of Jesus Christ”  2 Corinthians 4:6. When we look to Him, the light of the LORD is reflected in our lives.  ~Excerpt from Christopher Holdsworth Sermon

MAGNIFY - mag'-ni-fi (Hiphil of gadhal; megaluno, "to make great," "extol," "celebrate in praise"): Used especially of exaltation of the name, mercy, and other attributes of God (Genesis 19:19 2 Samuel 7:26 Psalm 35:27; Psalm 40:16; Psalm 70:4 Luke 1:46 Acts 10:46); of God's "word" (Psalm 138:2); or of Christ (Acts 19:17 Philippians 1:20).