“Behold my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him..” Isaiah 42:1
Dear Ones:
Perhaps the greatest testimony of Moses at the time of his death was that he was, as the Lord declared him to be, God’s servant. Throughout Scripture we find this concept, that the believer is a servant of God. What does this mean? It means first that the believer has a right concept of God as the Good Master. There is nothing less than perfect goodness in Christ. It is always in His Divine wisdom and grace, permeated by the eternal love of God, that He deals with us. The second thing that the word “servant” communicates to us is that act of surrender of the authority of our lives to Christ as Lord. He is recognized and submitted to as the King in His power, and Lord in His authority. Thirdly, this concept of being a servant carries with it the promise of the Lord’s provision for His servant, providing for every need in the will of God, so that he can BE what God intended, and accomplish the will of God. The greatest provision of the Lord to His servant is Himself, and this, by the Spirit. When Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary, it was by the Spirit. When Jesus was baptized for his ministry and work, it was by the Spirit. When He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin, it was by the Spirit. His words, actions, attitudes, demeanor, and all of His works, were BY the Spirit. And so, the Father declares to us: “Behold, or observe, MY servant.” We are to look at Him, and understand that the delight of the Father’s heart was to “…put His Spirit upon Him.” How does this ministry of the Spirit apply to the believer of today?
The outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost ushered in a new era in history, from a spiritual standpoint. The church, or body of Christ, was born. Christ came to dwell in the heart of the believer, in an inseparable union, the objective of which was to provide for true, spiritual commune with God. Numerous are the admonitions to live and walk by the Spirit, even to be filled with the Spirit. The believer is called to be led by the Spirit, and by the Spirit overcome sin, the world, and Satan. Perhaps one of the most practical applications of the truth of the believer’s union with Christ is found in the context of persecution, and opposition. Jesus told His disciples that they would be brought before magistrates and powers, and into synagogues, to respond to questioning and possible accusations by unbelievers. He specifically told them: “…be not anxious about how, or what thing you shall answer, or what you shall say: For the Holy Spirit will teach you IN THE SAME HOUR what you ought to say.” (Luke 12:12) Here we have the very practical outworking of the ministry of the Spirit of God in behalf of, and with, the servants of Christ. God the Holy Spirit actually teaches the disciples what they are to say, strengthening them to boldly answer.
In the book of Acts, we find the account of Stephen, and his bold defense of Christ. He is described as a man, “…full of faith and power…” (6:8) When confronting those who opposed his testimony, we find that “…they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke.” (v.10) Even in the face of false witnesses brought in to accuse him, “…his face (was) as it had been the face of an angel.”( v.15) It would be with very great clarity and conviction that he would boldly declare to his enemies, “…you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.” (7:15) The Spirit’s words would convict his enemies, who would then seek to kill him. Stephen’s verbal testimony would be strengthened by the Spirit giving him a vision of the risen Christ in heaven.
Dear Father, Strengthen our hearts to grasp the reality of our union with Thee, believing the Holy Spirit for Your words. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad