Lessons From A Spirit-Filled Family | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Gospel According to Luke. Meet me there in the first

chapter. Of Luke.

And Lord, as we come now before your word.

You know, the hearts of every man, and woman in this place.

And Lord, we need a touch from you.

Because we are prone to fall into routine.

Especially this time of the year.

We pray that you would rescue us from familiarity and that you

would Lord. Give us fresh eyes to see the

beauty of the birth of our savior.

And what with this particular message though may not be

traditional, we ask that it would nonetheless bless and that

it would awaken our hearts. It would bring Faith.

Hope joy into every life who would receive it by faith.

And so upon the delivery of this word, would you grant a Grace

and Upon Our Hearts? Would you give us an openness to

receive an attentiveness that would honor you?

We look to you now in these days, especially Lord, we look

to you with great expectation and longing for your return and

Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. As you know this is the time of

the year. When Christians generally

rehearse the truths around the Glorious and marvelous

miraculous birth of the Messiah. And As we look to that with that

theme in most of our minds, I would like for us to highlight,

some precious insights from the word of God that are found

leading up to that Monumental event.

Our time together is going to be different.

This this afternoon it's not going to be traditional, it's

not going to be. That kind of familiar approach

with the familiar message that we are prone to receiving.

instead, I want us to look at The person work of the Holy

Spirit. The person and work of the Holy

Spirit apart, from the obvious participation that he had in the

Incarnation of the Son of God, I think for many Believers, the

perception of the holy spirit's involvement around the events of

the entrance of Christ into the world is pretty narrow, but my

prayer is that as you and I come to this text that our vision

would expand. And that our understanding of

just how present he was when it comes to the Arrival of Christ

would be something glorious to us.

Would be something that we would be moved by and this is going to

be a very practical message. It's not going to be any

theological, but it's not going to just be commentary about who

the holy spirit is and and what purpose he played in this

occasion. I want to speak directly to your

hearts. I want your minds to be

illuminated to realize what is possible.

When the person of the holy spirit is invited into your

life, to make the investment that he is able to make, if you

would just believe it, if you would just trust in it and trust

in him and this goal will be accomplished as you and I turn

our attention to a very special family that played an integral

part in the occasion of Christ's arrival.

And that's in Luke 1. In Luke 1, we read of a couple

named Zechariah and Elizabeth and we were given a description

as we are debuting in this gospel account.

They were both from the tribes of Levi.

They were righteous before God and they kept all the

Commandments and statutes of the Lord.

They were people who loved God. They were people who honored the

word of God. There are people who wanted to

please God. In addition to that we learn

about this couple All that Elizabeth was Barren, they had

no children and she could not have children.

And to add to that sorrow, they were advanced in years.

But on a day, a special day for Zacharias, a priest would enter

into the temple. Something unusual happens, the

angel Gabriel appears, he visits Zechariah.

And he informs this man, that he would have a son that his wife

would indeed conceive. And the conception of this child

would be a miracle in itself. But more than that, the angel

reveals that this child is going to play a special role in

preparing a people for the Lord. He was fulfilled prophecy.

He would be the Forerunner for the Messiah, and Zechariah is

absolutely stunned. Before, even considering the

role that his son would play. He can't even fathom how his

wife could even conceive. And so he does act in unbelief

and we'll get to that in a moment.

But is clear just from that brief biography, that this

family was special and they played a very special role in

this narrative. This important chapter in

Redemptive history. And so much can be said about

this family. But what I want to highlight to

you, this afternoon is the partnership of the Holy Spirit

or the role of the Holy Spirit, the activity of the holy spirit

in each of their lives, with each member of this family, I

want you to see how the Holy Spirit Works in them.

And then from there you and I are going to be able to just

glean some truths that I pray with all my heart would really

move your soul this afternoon. And so look briefly with me at

Luke 1, 14 to 15. And we read as the angel speaks

this message from Heaven to Zechariah and you will have joy

and gladness and many Will Rejoice at his birth.

This is John, the Baptist is not Jesus.

We're speaking of here in verse 15 for he will be great before

the Lord pause there. If you're going to be achieving

any greatest, be great before, God, don't be great before, men

be great before the Lord, he will be great before the Lord

and He must not drink wine, or strong drink, and he will be

filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb

highlight that he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Now, scroll down in your Bibles to Luke 141.

And what do we read? And when Elizabeth heard the

greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth

was filled with the Holy Spirit. Interesting.

Only gets more interesting as you come to the same chapter and

verse 67. And what do you see?

And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and

prophesied saying, Three times in close proximity to one.

Another Luke was led by the spirit of God to tell us how

Zechariah Elizabeth and their son, John were filled with the

Holy Spirit at different times. Now you may be wondering why

this is important especially in connection to the theme of

Christmas and I'll tell you why it's important.

Because one important reason is the fact that the empowerment of

the Holy Spirit and his work in the human life because of the

work of Jesus Christ on the cross that was dependent upon

his Incarnation is available. Now, not just the Kings, not

just to priests not just to some profits and not just to some

special households he would be made available to everyone and

anyone who would believe on the Son of God, the prophet Joel

spoke of a day that there. Would be an unusual outpouring

of the Holy Spirit and the objects of the reception of the

Holy Spirit would be sons and daughters.

Young and old male and female servants.

They would all know a touch from the holy spirit.

That would Empower them in a way that was only limited to a

select few throughout history. And so, as much as what we're

going to see today is unique to this family and that there are

some realities that are not to be necessarily repeated.

The application of the presence of God being with us still

applies. Today it still applies today.

And so when you and I look at what's happening here with this

family and how the holy spirit is working in and through them,

I want your hearts to believe, I want your hearts to see that the

same Holy Spirit who is not merely a force whose not merely

the extension of God's power. Who is a person himself can be

known in your life in a very special way in a way that is

only made possible because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

And the way we're going to do this is simply looking at a few

thoughts, very simple, very straightforward, but they're

going to be anchored in what we just read those three verses.

And the first thing that I want to say to you today as you hear

these truths, is that everything that you hear mention today is

only possible because of Christ. And that is certainly true for

this first point from what you just heard, I want to declare to

you with all the authority that I have.

In Jesus name that God, the Holy Spirit desires to fill our

families. God, the Holy Spirit desires to

fill our families. It is not an unusual thing, to

reading your Bibles, at the Holy Spirit fills, someone or filled

someone it's throughout the Bible, but what is very special

about the verses that I just read to you is that unless you

know of a different place in scripture, this is the only

place in all of the Bible where God the Holy Spirit explicitly

tells us that every member of One household was filled with

the Holy Spirit. You.

And I even use this vocabulary and we are familiar.

With the idea of Spirit-filled people, that man is filled with

the holy spirit. That woman is filled with the

Holy Spirit and beyond that, we are comfortable and we are

familiar with saying that that is a Spirit-filled church with a

Spirit-filled leadership in a Spirit-filled people.

But you know, what's very uncommon, at least to me is

hearing about Spirit-filled families.

Spirit-filled families households, where the members

have the Holy Spirit working in and through their marriage, the

siblings and the Dynamics of the household all together.

And although again, we see that this is a unique description of

a household. The reality of it is not

supposed to be unique. You see what the Holy Spirit has

done here in Zechariah who was a husband, and then a father and

an Elizabeth who was a wife, and then a mother, and even in John,

who was their son? And who had Parents, what he did

in them. He wants to do in US.

He wants to do in every single family in the church.

Today, he Longs for it, he desires it and we should desire

it just the same. And I think that is a very

important message during this time of the year because apart

from focusing and rehearsing the truth about Jesus, this is very

much a time that we enjoy family that we think about family and

for some of you in this place, that is a great thought.

Families associated with joy, with blessing, with healing,

with, with, with heartfelt, safety and encouragement.

And four, others family is synonymous with trouble.

It's painful, there's trauma as Brokenness and this time of the

year is not to be looked after with great excitement, it's to

be dreaded. And I want to tell you that if

you are part of a fractured family, all of us are in perfect

here. All of us have challenge.

I'm talking about severely, fractured families, know that,

that is not God's design. That is not God's design.

Nor is it, his will God desires to make a mark on each household

with the promised Holy Spirit. And if you want belief for that,

then understand that, so much is built upon that foundation of

the activity of the Holy Spirit In Our Lives.

When we think about that, famous passage in Ephesians 5, right?

22 down to verse 33, about how husbands and wives should relate

to one another and serve one, another and love one another and

respect. One another, and how those

instructions for the household bleeds into Ephesians 6, where

you have Now instructions for children, how they should obey

and honor their father and mother and how the father should

not provoke their children to wrath.

We look at those instructions as though we're supposed to do it

in our own might and strength and wisdom as though it is

separated from the grand context of Ephesians.

What people don't realize when they jump over that at their

weddings and they put it on their little paintings at their

homes, or they go over those truths and Judge counseling or

in family, what they don't realize.

I believe most of the time is that all of those truths are

built upon Ephesians 5:18 and what's Ephesians?

Ephesians 5:18

5:18, you know it very well do not get drunk with wine.

For that is debauchery, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit Paul starts there.

Before he tells husband's how to be Godly husband's.

He starts there before he tells wives, how to be Godly wives.

He starts there before, he tells children how to honor their

parents. We all need the holy spirit.

With this tells me here is that the Divine standard for

sacrificial, love for submissiveness, for service to

one another that we all long for in our homes that we all ache

for and our relationships with the closest people to It is

absolutely and utterly impossible without the Holy

Spirit. That's what Paul's Chain of

Thought teaches us. True Harmony in the home will

never be realized if the holy spirit is not truly honored.

But when dependency on him is realized Miracles can take place

and if dependency on him, is lacking the know this Division

and Devastation won't be. You see the filling of the holy

spirit in zechariah's family was for the purpose of proclamation,

right? When Zechariah was filled, he

prophesied when Elizabeth was filled, she proclaimed an

outburst of Praise when John, the Baptist was filled, he was

consecrated in the womb so that he would be raised up to be that

prophet of the Old Testament points to But the the role of

the holy spirit in our lives today, expands beyond the

purpose of proclamation and faithful witness to Christ.

Marriage is not easy. Raising children is challenging

rebelling against your parents as a Temptation that visits

early on. But here's the Holy Spirit who

has been granted through Jesus Christ as an ever-present help

for those who would believe and for those who would realize they

need him, you know, Paul's order of thought there in Ephesians

proves to us that the mark of a person who is filled with the

Holy Spirit is not just faithful.

Ation of the Gospel. It is shown in how we relate to

people. Especially our families.

You want to see a spirit filled man, you want to see

Spirit-filled woman? You want to see Spirit-filled?

Anybody look how they treat people?

Look how they treat. Others, look how they serve.

Don't just look at what they say.

Don't just look at the depth of their sermons, the depths of

their teaching, the depths of their witness.

Look at how they move and act and react and initiate and

refrain. It's so practical.

It's so easy to understand the very difficult to grass in

reality. And I know what some of you

might be thinking in this place if it is true that the holy

spirit is the key to seeing. I'm not just talking Talking

about things going along fine, I'm talking about exciting

fruit, being known in the home. There are non-believers, they

who have better, household, Dynamics and Christians, but

that's not the standard you getting along and not trying to

kill each other. That's not the standard of

Christian households. We're talking about partnership,

we're talking about, we're talking about righteousness

being passed down from generation to generation.

That's what we're talking about. And I know what you might be

thinking if that is the case, then why is it that it is so

difficult to identify a stable Christian home?

Can I tell you why this answer might shock you?

It's because being Christian isn't enough.

No, wait there. Put your Stones back in the

pocket. being Christian isn't enough and the counseling slots

will prove that it's being a Christian with a certain

attitude. Certain realization.

It's to have a heart that realizes I really want to honor

God. It's not just about having a

peaceful home, a fruitful marriage, a lovely relationship

with your kids. It has to come to a place where

your heart says, I really want to glorify God.

And if God called me to be a father, a husband, a wife God

called me to be single, but to be a young adult in my

household, I really want to honor the Lord.

And it's Spirit-filled Christians.

I see Spirit-filled results in their lives and not every

Christian is Spirit-filled or else.

Why would Paul instruct us to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

You can be Christian and be empty to the day you die, or you

can be a Christian. Who knows what it means to be

overflowing with the power of God, And it requires again, a

certain attitude, a certain Faith, a certain realization.

And I think when you look at Zechariah Elizabeth's life, you

get a hint of it. Look at verse 6 of, Luke 1.

You heard me describe them earlier, but here's the

reference. And they were both righteous

before God walking blamelessly in all the Commandments and

statutes of the Lord. This does not mean, of course

that their performance, their moral performance, earned them.

Some spiritual upgrade, you know how?

I know that. Zacharias unbelief when the

angel told him about the conception of his son is enough

proof to show me that this man was far from perfect.

They were human. Just like you and I, they fell

short. They made mistakes, they were

disciplined by God. Namely Zechariah.

But you know what? That verse that I just read

proofs to me. That although they did fall

short, oh they had a heart for God.

They really wanted to obey God. They really wanted to live for

his glory, even in their destitution, even in their dire

situation of barrenness. I love how we see here that this

righteous couple still honored. God though, they didn't have

what they really wanted. That was a son, a child They

were just determined to live for him and that's very important in

light of the fact that Zechariah was a priest.

Zachariah was not like those other priests, and religious

leaders, who are hypocritical and superficial, he was

different. He was the real deal.

And what I want to tell you today is that any couple or

their families, their children who have no interest in living

for the glory of God should have zero expectation of God,

providing them what they need in order to glorify him and enjoy

his blessings. What I'm trying to tell you.

Today, there needs to be an attitude of desperation, and

attitude of longing. I realization of your dependency

on something Supernatural because the things that we try

to do in the natural always fail.

So here's what I want to ask you in light of this first point of

this portrait of a man, his wife and their one, son all being

filled with the Holy Spirit. Whoever you are at today, no

matter what position you occupy, no matter what role God has

called you to operate. In when was the last time that

you started your day, knowing the great difficulties that were

going to await you just in the front, step outside of your

bedroom. When was the last time you said,

oh God, if you don't fill me, I will fail, I will fail.

I will not be the man that you called me to be.

I will not be the woman that you called me to be.

I will not be the son or daughter that you called me to

be. In the beautiful, we have to

hear it again. When was the last time that you

pleaded with the Lord, I'm talking about pleading with the

Lord, to have your selfish, heart conquered by the spirit of

God. When was the last time you

caught yourself for a series of days, being impatient or so

easily. Agitated for no justifiable

reason. When was the last time that you

paused pulled yourself away. Humbled yourself before almighty

God said oh God please. I don't want to be like this

subdue where I lack control. I need your help.

I need you to help me. That is the kind of heart

posture that opens up wonderful possibilities and Graces in the

person of the Holy Spirit if we Endeavor to do that.

Listen I know counseling is important.

It helps we need the church, we need wisdom but I'm pointing you

to the counselor of counselors today.

I'm pointing to the person of the Holy Spirit.

He can really change things, but it requires the first step of

saying I can't do this. I know that it sounds like a

wonderful reality but it will require every member of each

household to at least do this one thing and saying, Lord, fill

me. I'm going to fill my heart with

your word and I'm going to ask as a child would ask a father

for a gift and that is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If you Endeavor to do that. It will not only be realized in

our faithful witness to Christ like this family.

But also, in the way that we treat one another and love one,

another and serve one, another, with our with our Silent Witness

to the world. Here's what I want to tell you

this Christmas season. God, the Holy Spirit wants to

fill our households and he's able to do it all.

I can say so much more, but let's move on to the second

thought that I have for you, God, the Holy Spirit offers an

otherworldly Joy. God, the Holy Spirit offers an

otherworldly joy, and I find that here in Luke 144, this is

when Mary visits Elizabeth And Elizabeth experience has an

unusual movement in her womb. You want to text to prove the

sanctity of human life in the womb?

Here it is. Luke 144 for behold, when the

sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb,

leaped for Joy, leapt for joy. Things don't have joy.

People have joy. We have a person in this womb,

he has a name, he has a purpose and he has feelings.

And at this point, the sound of the vessel that would host and

mother of the Messiah. Made the bb-baby leap with

excitement and realization of the near presence of the Savior.

You know, people come to this verse this unique biography of

John the Baptist, and they make it a matter of much debate only

and I think that's a great disservice to our

sanctification. If we just use this as a talking

point about different schools of thought, and how God works

before were born and our destiny before were born and what

happens and look that's, that's fine and dandy.

That's great. I think it's important to have

these conversations and maturity, but don't miss what

this is implying apart. From there, the realization that

this is a truth that undeniably declares that the life of The

Unborn is precious and cherished by God himself.

I was meditating on this and I thought and I thought there's

something interesting here. There's something very

interesting here on a practical level and here it is.

John experience Joy. Even before he entered in the

world, John experience a joy even before he entered into the

world. What I mean by that is before

John experienced anything in this life.

Before anything of this world was offered to him.

There was exuberant Glee in that little heart.

There was a delight there were satisfaction.

There is gratification there was, there was wholeness, there

was an overflowing of love. And contentment.

John knew a joy that only God can give a joy.

That is not Reliant upon any kind of connection to this life.

A joy that solely came from God, the Holy Spirit Is that your

joy? Or is your joy heavily depended

upon the Affairs of this life? Going in your favor?

I see a principal here. Here is, John cut off from the

world and he's still joy-filled. Here's what I want to tell you

today. You can know a joy at this world

does not have to offer, and cannot offer.

That's yours in the Holy Spirit and what was the object of this

Baby's Joy? The arrival of the Messiah, the

near presence of his master. That is what filled his heart,

that is what awaits you. And I in the Holy Spirit, listen

Christ, really satisfies. He satisfies you to the point

where it calms. You it settles you.

It keeps you at sustains you and it surpasses every other trick

of this world. Every other trinket, every other

little toy that this world has to offer, comes not even near

the reality of the joy. The holy spirit in the person of

Jesus Christ, and I see that here, I see this, man, this

little boy, who was to be a mighty man of God who knew this

unusual joy that was directly inspired by the holy spirit

because you heard it, he would be filled with the Holy Spirit

from the womb, because the holy spirit is the one who opens your

eyes and mind to the immeasurable greatness of

Christ. His wisdom, his power, his

majesty, his grace, his Fellowship.

He's the agent that makes it known.

He's the agent that makes it real.

He's the one that today is moving and hearts and wants to

make them. Leap for joy in Christ.

There's a lot of miserable Christians out there.

There's a lot of Christians out there that their Joy fluctuates

based on the stock market or what they bought, what they

filled their closets with what newest and not.

What addition, there's a joy in the Holy Spirit purely from the

Holy Spirit. And if you think that this Joy

is just designated for a special child that has special time in

history, you're wrong because this phrase leap for Joy is

found in one other place in the Gospel of Luke and when you

discover it your realize that this Joy is not just reserved

for a profit but available for all the children of God, look at

Luke 6, very quickly and verse 22 to 23.

Here's the Lord, Jesus. And he says in Luke 6:20, 2223

Luke 6:20

blessed. Are you when people hate you and

when they exclude you and when they revile you and spurn, your

name as evil on account of the son of man notice on account of

the son of man, not because you're a rude person on account

of the son of man. Now, look at verse 23 rejoice in

that day, and leap for joy. The same wording.

Leap for Joy for behold, your reward is great in heaven for so

their fathers did to the prophets.

Do you see it the sacred joy that this baby experience in the

womb is the same joy that you and I can know in this very dark

world That's what Jesus is saying that this Spirit

generated gladness is so profound that it can be enjoyed

and realize not just at the revelation of Christ, not just

after you discover something in the word or you see him moving

in real life in your life, not beyond that.

You can know the same joy that John, the Baptist knew in that

special place at that special time as you face, as you face,

the ugliness of life. The Despicable unjust treatment

of others, you can know that joy and I think about it either.

The Lord is teasing us or this is real.

He can actually command us to leap for Joy when people are

slandering your name when people are ruining your reputation when

people want to destroy your life.

He says, you know what leap for Joy means, it actually means

leap. I'm not going to do it for you.

I'm gonna let you use your imagination.

Literally, your joy is so overpowering that it moves your

physical being That is available, that is what is

possible in the holy spirit. That is something that you and I

must realize that this time of history as well.

Although there's another phrase, I want to point you to, and it's

in Luke as well. Luke 1021, look at this passage

very briefly with me. And Luke 1021.

Here is another place where we are.

Explicitly told that Jesus rejoiced.

You'd be hard-pressed to find another place where the the Holy

Spirit tells us. That Jesus rejoice.

And here it is. And Luke 1021.

This is a sermon in itself. What made?

Jesus Rejoice. That's not what I want to show

you. I just want to show you that he

did. And then the special way in that

same hour, he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank

you, Father, Lord, of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these

things from the wise and understanding and revealed them

to Little Children. Yes.

Father for such was your gracious will He rejoiced in the

holy spirit that word rejoice in the English does not help us

understand that the profound real at reality of this Joy, it

means exceedingly glad it's talking about a bubbling over a

just to be overjoyed. This is what's happening here

with the Lord. It's visible, I was observable.

It was tangible, it was contagious, it was there.

And this is not just a show us that the holy spirit is the

source of that kind of quality of Joy.

What is meant to show us here? Is that the holy spirit is the

one that can bring us to a supernatural joy rejoiced in the

Holy Spirit, the holy spirit is a supernatural being and he

produces a supernatural Joy. That's what's happening here.

It's a level that the human emotion cannot bring you to.

It's a level that no experience in this life, no matter how

great it is can bring you to its average.

Voicing in God, caused by God for God and you want to know?

Well, how do I know if I have joy in the Holy Spirit.

I'll tell you one mark of it. Look at what Jesus does.

He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said I?

Thank you. Father, you can appraise God.

When you're filled with the Holy Spirit, you're gonna thank you

gonna have this personal relationship with God.

That is living. That is spontaneous, that is

real, that a step, by step day by day, that's how you know that

you're filled with the joy of God.

Here's Jesus exemplifying that. I thank you.

I thank you Father. If you like gratitude, you lack

the filling of the spirit. But if you have the Holy Spirit

and you desire, this kind of a joy then realized, it has been

made available to us because of Christ.

And I want that for your life. God wants that for your life.

Jesus knew it in his Earthly life.

Why would you not want to know it in yours?

And so the Holy Spirit offers us an otherworldly Joy.

So real. So profound.

So powerful. We come to the final fight.

Which is related to the second. The god, the Holy Spirit enables

us to bless God at all times and I find that in zechariah's life.

Because you heard it earlier in the beginning of the message

that Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and he

prophesied, he prophesied. Now, hearing about John though,

even a baby that's a very unique thing left for Joy, leap for joy

in the womb, that's obvious in principle, the messiah's coming,

he's coming to save, he's near he's close, there's

relationship. There's intimacy there.

That, that makes sense. But the holy spirit's work in

Zechariah is especially challenging to us.

Yes, he prophesied and he gives his glorious series of profound

truth. Concerning who Jesus is and who

his son John would be in what's purpose?

He would serve. But when you know, the

predicament of Zechariah right before we are told he was filled

with the Holy Spirit, then you have an insight to just how

marvelous. This is what happened to

Zechariah when the angel visited him.

He did not believe and he was disciplined by God and the same

mouth. That proclaimed unbelief was

muted by God. You're not going to be able to

speak until the birth of your son for a minimum of nine

months. You're not going to be able to

utter a word and the factor. That's going to loosen your

tongue is when the word of the Lord is fulfilled before your

eyes. And so, here's this man of God,

who did not believe that, God, that he trusted, who did not

believe what God had done before through men, like Abraham.

Who is disciplined and he would not be able to say anything.

Now we you we know that but like many things in the Bible we

don't pause to meditate the implications of that or how that

must be Zechariah was a real man.

Can you imagine not being able to say one word for almost a

year? Think about how frustrating that

is. Think about how difficult that

is, think about your day-to-day activity in your Affairs, in the

things that you need to get done.

Think about just basic things like asking for something so

simple, with a few words that you cannot do.

I mean, if you want a glimpse of it, look at verse 62 of Luke 1,

you get an idea of how frustrating it must have been

and Luke 162. And they made signs to his

father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called, John was born,

they want to know Zechariah, what do you want to name your

son? And they made signs to his

father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called and he asked

for a writing tablet. And wrote his name is John and

they all wondered they made signs.

So they were treating him as though he was deaf, he wasn't

deaf. He just couldn't speak, but here

they are making signs to them, trying to communicate something

and he's just give me the tablet.

So he asked for the tablet, right?

And he writes I imagine imagine trying to communicate in this

way. Imagine being treated in this

way, imagine how infuriating that is.

Imagine how annoying that is. Just just just like, let your

imagination flow. A request.

When you're hurting and you want to do what you want, some kind

of help and you have to fend for yourself.

Instead of requesting for somebody to come to your

assistance you can just imagine it on a human level.

The pent-up frustration as time goes by.

And then one day, everything changed, the birth of his son.

It would all be altered and the man would finally be able to

speak. He be able to now, for the first

time here is own voice and people for nine months, you

haven't heard him hear his voice as well.

What would be your first words? After 9 months of not, being

able to say anything? What would you express?

What would you communicate? What would you utter?

I think many of us are thinking very Pious thoughts, but for

honest, maybe, there'll be some groans.

Some moans Maybe vomit out, complaints about the dealings of

God in our lives. But that is not what you find

here with Zechariah. Zachariah here by the power of

the spirit. Look at Luke 164 and

immediately, his mouth was opened and his tongue.

Loosed and he spoke blessing, God That's the first thing that

Zechariah does. When God lifts off that burden

and enables him to speak. Again, the first thing Zechariah

does is bless God. You're saying how was he able to

do that? We'll look here at verse 67 and

his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and

prophesied saying, blessed. Be the Lord God of Israel for.

He has visited and redeemed his people.

By the Holy Spirit. That even after that

uncomfortable season of suffering debilitation

restriction alteration. The first thing that this man

does is praise praise. He doesn't squeal, he doesn't

even PSI Imagine that nine months, finally, your will speak

about time. Not even a sigh praise.

How is that humanly possible? It's not.

That's the point. It's the spirit of God in you.

On you, through you, that can take circumstances that are

beyond our control, like this man experienced.

And for you to be so overwhelmed by the spirits influence in your

heart that you can, you can bypass even the hard things that

God allows you to experience, and to see the goodness of God

and to rejoice in God, it's as though if you heard this man

speaking at this time, it's as though nothing had happened in

the past, nine months. How can that be?

Well, because of the Holy Spirit, Uncontrollable

circumstances do not have to control this if you're

controlled by the spirit. so even if your family is not like

zechariah's family, which is very, very likely where there

are 12 many people who are not filled with the spirit of God,

You can still know. You can still know this kind of

a praise in your heart, joy in Your Heart, A Song In That

season, that can only be inspired by God himself.

You can know the stability of this feeling of wholeness, even

if in the natural there's something missing.

There's something missing in your life.

So in this Christmas season, I want to just turn your attention

to what has been made possible because of Jesus Christ coming

into this world. The Holy Spirit awaits to fill

your families and if he's not gonna, if he's not going to fill

your families because some members not say there's some

members not serious, let him fill you.

Let him fill you and let the fragrance on you.

Let the salt in your life cause others in that household to be

thirsty. God, the Holy Spirit has a gift

and it's to offer you otherworldly joy in this

miserable. Bleak life realize that there is

something from Heaven that awaits to stir your heart even

though you have nothing in this life like John In that womb

vacuumed and in the dark yet, leaping with joy, you have

people in palaces, you have people who can drive whatever

they want. You have people who can purchase

anything and did not affect their bank account.

Who don't have what this baby had in that little womb.

You could have it and it can be so profound that when people

mock you and Scorn you, you can actually leap for joy.

And lastly, the Holy Spirit can do a work in you that even

though you are dreading December 24th.

And December 25th, you are going to that house.

And you know, it's going to be a very difficult.

Few hours. There's going to be people

missing that you want to be there.

There's going to be circumstances that are going to

cause you to remember things of the past that are going to break

your heart regardless of those things like, Zechariah God can

fill that. Mouth with praise, he can fill

your heart with joy. He can take you to another

place. He can, he got allow you to soar

above all these things in this life.

This is all real, by the way. This isn't pretend, this isn't

Hallmark stuff. This is an imagination.

This isn't a superhero story. This is Christianity.

This is Christianity with the real Christ and so I offer him

to you. In Jesus name that if you're a

person in this place, who may not even be a Christian, you

haven't even done the ABCs of this whole thing.

The Holy Spirit, also has another job, and he does it very

well. He convicts the heart of sin.

And even with a message of Hope like this, your heart could be

stirred. Oh man.

I don't have what this preacher just said, but I long for it,

he's ready to give it but you have to repent, you have to turn

from the sin that Grieves the Holy Spirit and you have to

embrace what Christ has done. Let him wash you and forgive you

and cleanse you because that is the work necessary for the Holy

Spirit to come now and abide in you.

And then to animate you in the things that I just said, and

this is just the peak of a great Iceberg of Glorious truths.

So, do you know Christ today? Do you know Christ today?

What is your life? What is your life, really?

What has this life under your own authority and sovereignty

offered you Christ has come to give life and life more

abundantly and let me say this to the Christian Perhaps, you're

in need of Revival. The holy spirit is the reviver

But it's not going to come by you coming into this place week

after week saying. Okay, let's see what God's got

for me next. That is not the attitude, that

moves the heart of God. You come broken and bring your

broken marriage with you. You come broke and bring your

broken children with you. And you say, you know what, I

don't Wednesday night. I usually binge on Netflix, but

I'm going to go to the house of God and lay on my face before

his presence and plead with him to do a miracle in my life.

To do a miracle of my marriage, to do a miracle in my kids

lives, the Holy Spirit waits to partner with you.

He moves by faith, he moves by your faith and I plead with you

that as we come upon the new year, that you would seek God,

in a way that you never saw him before and watch what he'll do

in 2023 and beyond for the glory of his name.

For the good of his child. That's my message to you this

afternoon. Let's pray.

Lord Almighty. We pray.

We really pray from the bottom of our hearts.

Oh lord it's so possible that there is more Brokenness in this

place than there is wholeness. Forgive us for not seeking the

Holy Spirit. His wisdom, his power, his

guidance. Forgive us for not having the

faith to believe that he can do miracles.

Even with the most stubborn. Lord, what was just said, was An

imperfect presentation of your truths.

But take what was imperfect. Take the stumbling words, the

stammering lips and take even the distracted mind.

And Lord meet us with the little faith that we have.

Meet us here. Lord, we pray.

We do pray that you would make every marriage whole at

Maranatha, Bible Church. We pray that you would bring

Salvation to the children. That mothers are praying for who

have been praying for years. Lord, let there be that kind of

a Christmas miracle. We pray for Family Worship to be

known again in the living room and the dining table.

Lord, fill our families. Lord renew our joy in the Holy

Spirit. Lord, renew a happiness in God.

That makes us look out into this world and say I have everything

in Christ. I have all I need in Jesus.

And Lord in the times of difficulty, Lord of Zechariah

and Elizabeth teaches. Anything is that you can be

righteous and still hurting. And Lord if there are things in

this life, that we've prayed for like this couple and not realize

it yet, may we still have the power to honor you and worship

you and serve you as this couple did.

And Lord, even if we are enduring trials, Temptations

difficulties. Lord, may we be able to praise

and bless you. Through it all.

And so Lord, this Christmas. Week.

We now stand in faith with Hearts Alive, to worship you,

with the truths that we have heard that are available to us.

Thank you for reminding us of these things.

In Jesus name, we pray. Amen, I stand and Worship the

Lord together.