“…I…will show thee great and mighty things…” (Jeremiah 33:30); “…and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to My Father.” (John 14:12)
Dear Ones:
When God spoke to Jeremiah concerning “great and mighty things” that He would reveal to him, and then accomplish, He was speaking of all that was involved in bringing the people of Israel back from exile, and reestablishing them in the land of promise. It meant that He would “return to Jerusalem” for its rebuilding, including the rebuilding of the temple and the wall around Jerusalem. When Jesus would speak of “greater works than these shall he do,” He again is speaking of great blessing, pertaining to the individual believer, but also, concerning the church, His body, and what would be done through that body throughout the world. In both cases, the scope and magnitude of God’s “…exceeding abundant” work and blessing, was, and is, indeed, “…beyond what we could ask or think.” But what is the key to seeing such blessing?
In John’s gospel, we read of Christ: “And I will PRAY the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide in you forever.” (14:16) The prophet Joel had declared that God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. Jesus KNEW this to be the will of God, and so He prayed according to the will of God. Daniel, in reading the scriptures, realized that God’s period of judging Israel in the exile, would be seventy years. What did he do? He prayed according to the will of God concerning what was to follow that exile, appealing to the heart and high purpose of God. In both cases, prayer was answered, and God DID the great thing, even that which exceeded all expectations. What is the lesson here for us?
The Lord said in Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring.” Knowing the will of God as put forth in this verse, and since we are on this side of Pentecost, can we not pray and believe God for His “double portion,” the fullness of the Holy Spirit, that special anointing for today, that we might truly worship and serve Him with joy, thanksgiving, great expectation?
Dear Father, Thou art very great, and so desirous to do the great and wonderful thing in our midst. Do so today by filling us with Thy Spirit, leading us in Thy way, and keeping us in fellowship with Thy Son, as we live and work for Thee. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad