Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading – Friday, December 6, 2019

Theme: THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Text: “But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.” – Micah 3:8.

Comment: The servants of God are leaders in God’s organization and are thus expected to be courageous and strong persons in as far as exposing and condemning sins and general disorderliness are concerned. To ensure this, God gives His Holy spirit to such leaders to empower them. King Ahab met Elijah after many failed attempts at seeing him and asked him: “Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” Seeing that Ahab was trying to intimidate him, Elijah the prophet, boldly and without mincing words, replied in the following words: “I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy Father’s house…” – 1 Kings 18:17,18.

 

Micaiah the prophet warned Ahab of the fatal consequences of going to war, even though he was enjoined by the king’s servants to prophesy good things to the king. (2 Chronicles 18:12-27) What about Jeremiah who against opposition from Hananiah, the false prophet, announced to King Zedekiah the judgment of God on him and Jerusalem? (Jeremiah 28:1-17) The Holy spirit also  emboldened the Apostles in those days such that they told the religious leaders of the Jews in those days saying, “…We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29; 4:13, 31-33; Ephesians 3:16) He who sees evil and fails to condemn it is a partaker of the sin because he is encouraging evil to thrive, knowingly or unknowingly. (Ephesians 5:11-14; Romans 1:32; 1 Timothy 5:22) “For do I now persuade men, or God?” asked St. Paul, “or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”  – Galatians 1:10.

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