SUNDAY December 8, 2024

Spirit-filled Within the Womb

“For he [John] 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. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.”
Luke 1:15-16

Zacharias was still unable to speak after his encounter with an angel sent from God. If you remember, the angel Gabriel came to bring the priest glad tidings. Zacharias’ wife Elizabeth was going to have a son, but the priest was in disbelief. His wife was well past the age of childbearing. Due to his unbelief, Zacharias was to remain mute until the day all that was spoken to him came to pass.

Zacharias was instructed to name his son John. Gabriel, as God’s messenger, told him about the child’s life. God had a tremendous plan for him. He would drink no wine or strong drink––this spoke of his separation to God, likened to the call of a Nazarite. He would be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, uniquely from within his mother’s womb. John’s call in life was to turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

Sadly, in this day and age, mothers are choosing to end the lives of their unborn babies––they are discarded. I can only hope that men and women will see the value of children as revealed in the Scriptures. They are a miraculous gift from God: Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him (Psalm 127:3 NLT). So many parents pray to God to have a child, knowing it is He who is the giver of life.

John was filled with the Holy Spirit from within the womb. Again, he had a call from God. If you are with child today, imagine the beautiful possibilities of your child who is being formed within your womb. Do you wonder about the gifts and talents God will give to your child? The Lord has a plan for their lives. He has a call and a purpose for them to fulfill.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born....
~Psalm 139:13-16 NLT~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!