Lesson 233 – When the Spirit Says Come

When the Spirit SAYS COME

Revelation 22:15

"And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."

As the symbolic bride of our Lord, the church is sent on a mission to call others to faith in Christ. We go to those who are willing to hear, to those who thirst for righteousness, to those who are willing to take of new life from Christ. We go to these people and invite them to come to Christ for salvation.

More importantly, the Spirit is also on mission, calling people to Christ. In fact, without the Spirit's partnership, the church's effort to call others to faith will be met with failure. For it only when the Spirit works in a life, convicting of sin and unrighteousness, will they have the faith they need to surrender to Christ for salvation.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for your Spirit who is still at work, calling those in need to come to salvation. May we as the church be willing and available to be used by you in calling others to come. Amen.

Lesson 232 – When the Spirit Makes One

When the Spirit Makes One

Malachi 2:14-15

"Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth."

These verses are in the context of the Lord's testimony against his chosen people. In the process of laying out his charges, God accuses them of bringing tears to the altar of the Lord. And when they ask how this was so, the reason God gives is clear. Men were dealing treacherously with their wives, divorcing them and forsaking their covenant marriages.

In marriage, God merges two people into a new relationship. Two become one through the Spirit's touch. A new family is formed. This is why divorce is always damaging. One entity can't become two again without a break, and even then, it is still one family, though now living apart.

When we take action to separate what God has brought together, you can be sure your worship relationship with God is extremely strained. It's been my experience that when believers divorce, they often drop out of church altogether. While these couples are embarrassed by their failures, they've also hurt their relationship with God.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the wife of my youth and I ask your favor in dealing with her in a way that strengthens our relationship. Amen.

Lesson 231 – When the Spirit is Grace and Supplication

Zechariah 12:10

"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on me they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn."

Clearly, this is a prophecy of the death of Christ, for he was the one pierced for our sins on Calvary's cross. He was the one of which it was said God gave his only on. And after his death, resurrection and ascension, Christ poured out of the Spirit's touch upon the church, first at Jerusalem and then on every believer.

Notice that the Spirit's presence brings to God's grace and supplication. Grace in that we no longer are separated from God's favor through sin, and supplication, in that the Spirit's touch brings healing to our lives. These are two things every person needs. We need freedom from sin and we need healing from the scars, hurt, and pains which follow our morale failures. And the Spirit brings these things.

Only our God could have planned this out to show us such a great love. And for that, I'm truly thankful.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for grace and supplication in my life, all given from the depths of your love. Amen.

Lesson 230 – When the Spirit Is Refused

Zechariah 7:11-12

"But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets."

Guess what? We too are guilty of shrugging our shoulders, putting our fingers in our ears, refusing to hear the words of the Lord through the Spirit. Maybe we don't do this intentionally, but there are times when every believer refused to hear the Spirit.

When we forget to pray, worship, or seek the Lord in his word, it's as if we've stopped up our ears to the Spirit's voice, giving God no opportunity to speak. In God's eyes, our hearts have become life flint, hardened to spiritual truth. And when our hearts are hardened, God can no longer write his will upon our souls.

The sad part is, some believers are not even concerned when this happens in their life. They simply shrug their shoulders as if saying, "So what", not even understanding they've turned away from the most important relationship they will ever have.

Can you imagine what it would be like if your wife ignored your every effort to speak with her? I'm sure it would drive you to the point of anger, pushing in a wedge which would ultimately destroy your marriage relationship. And that's exactly what we do with our Lord when we refuse to hear the Spirit.

Just as constant and understanding communications are the key to a successful marriage relationship, so it is with our walk with Christ. We need to hear from the Spirit.

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for your voice in my life and I ask you to remind me daily not to refuse your voice. Amen.

Lesson 229 – When the Spirit Is Given Rest

Zechariah 6:8

"And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, 'See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country.'"

This is a difficult text, at least in terms of being assured of a right interpretation. I wish I could promise you I've got it right, but I'll leave it up to the Spirit to verify my opinion, or turn you in another direction.

Regardless, here's what we know for sure. In a vision, Zechariah is shown four chariots, each pulled by a series of horses. He is then told these were sent to go throughout the earth as the four spirits of heaven. No explanation is given as to what the four spirits of heaven are, or what their purpose may be. Zechariah is then told that those which went to the north country gave rest to God's Spirit in the north country.

Unfortunately, we're not told anything specific as to how the Spirit received rest from those which went to the north country. Still, I don't believe we'd be too far off course to suggest the Spirit received rest when God gave Israel freedom from the bondage they endured for 70 years under the Babylonians. When God released the nation, the Spirit's work at that time and place was done, and in that sense, the Spirit rested.

As believers, we cling to the rest the Spirit provides us, but rarely do we consider that the Spirit also receives rest. I suspect this means that the Spirit ceases from a specific work. For Israel, it was the work of sustaining the nation while in captivity. In us, the Spirit rests whenever a work in us is completed.

Among other times, this rest would be possible whenever our lives become attuned to the Spirit's will and we follow in obedience. This allows the Spirit to complete his work in us, and at least for that moment, become a God who is at rest. The less we rebel against God's direction, the more often the Spirit can be at rest in guiding our lives.

Of course, the Spirit doesn't need rest like we do, for God never grows tire, and his mercies are new every morning. Still, wouldn't it be wonderful to be so in lock step with the Lord that the Spirit really had no other work to do in us?

LORD JESUS

Lord, I thank you for the rest your Spirit gives the life of your church. May our lives be so in sync with you that your Spirit receives rest from our lives of obedience. Amen.