The 40-Day Challenge : Day 4
- 24
- Jan
- 2013
The purpose of the 40-Day Challenge is not teach you how to talk to people about the Word of God, but to teach you how to examine yourself. – Viviane Freitas
“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.” (Luke 1:14,15)
Because Zacharias was not worried about his personal life, God answered his prayer and promised him a genuine and permanent joy.
And not only that, but as a result of the righteousness and integrity of Zacharias and Elizabeth, many others would also have the opportunity to rejoice with the result of the promise.
God answers those whose lives are totally surrendered to Him in a supernatural way! The plan of God not only is to bless a person, but also to bless many others through that one person — His plan is great!
“…he will be great in the sight of the Lord…”
He would stand out not only for his parents, relatives and friends, but also for God! That is, he would deny his own will and the whims of his flesh to please God.
“He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit…”
To be filled with the Holy Spirit means, ‘Less of me, more of Him’.
When God answers our prayers and comes upon us, He wants to fill us. Nothing He gives us is temporary or transitory. It’s not a momentary pleasure, but something eternal and inexplicable, which no human being can give us.
And that was the joy of Zacharias: a son who would be an investment in the Kingdom of God. It was not about meeting his personal needs or fulfilling a dream — Zacharias was at God’s disposal, in other words, he allowed God to include him in a higher plan of salvation.
I’d like you to meditate on this: Do you find pleasure and joy in what God has given you? Have you put a smile on many people’s faces by allowing God to use you?
It’s very easy to read and speak about what happened in the past, but what about your life?
Have you been great in the sight of God?
Have you been selfish?
What influence do you have on other people?
How can you know this for sure?
I’ll answer this question in the next post…
Virginia Chuna
8th September 2014 at 5:34
There’s no way that I can be faithful to God and He not be faithful to me, this is exactly what I understood from this. Zacharias was very faithful and longed to please God alone with his life no matter how difficult things were. But God didn’t just allow him to remain like that. He really blessed him that he would even be able to bless many others. I believe this is what God wants from us; He wants I use as so that we can bring many to Him through our blessings.
Siphosethu Cpt
23rd May 2014 at 6:03
Thank you Mrs Vivi
Zacharius was truly a righteous man and He did all he could to display God through his life. He was never selfish nor witheld from serving God.
In this day I will seek to be influential to others and allow God to use me in a practical way.
Nonsikelelo Ncube
8th April 2014 at 14:50
What I understood is that I must live to do the will of God never to have a bad influence on other people ,I must be of God have less of me but more of him.
Norma
13th August 2013 at 9:47
What really called my attention is that i myself as a servant of God i have to pass good influence on other people just like Zacharias and his wife. They were a good example to others because they did not worry about their problems but served God with joy.I cannot worry much about problems in my life but instead of worrying i have to serve and God will honour me.
Thank you
Norma
sandra
23rd July 2013 at 6:40
Hi Mrs Viviane, I understood from this post that it’s about my life in a much higher purpose. God has always something grand for those who are in Him! This grandness flows over in other peoples lives around us and the effect shows in the Kingdom of God.
Thank you!
Kisses
Yetunde_R_Omoniyi
24th January 2013 at 8:31
Well, I can see that Zacharias is actually still having an influence on me – because of him and his wifes example. I never would have seen these verses that way but at the same time I’m looking more at myself realising many things – who I am before God. Not because of a blessing but because of the ways/direction of my life is it for Him or just for myself.