Full of Power by the Spirit
I am sure the Old Testament Prophets had a difficult ministry. I can just hear people saying, "Why should we listen to you? You are just a human being like us, so we will just do what we think is right." The Prophet Micah gives us his response to such people, and I think we can learn from it today.(Micah 3:8)
Any person who is called by God to deliver His message, whether it is an Old Testament Prophet or a modern day preacher is given power by the Spirit of the Lord. The message is not a personal message. In fact, few of them would have chosen to be spokesmen for the Lord, so they know they must be "full" of power by the Spirit to ensure they are speaking the right thing in the right way. They do not just have power, they have a power of justice and might to declare sin and expose it. Therein lies the problem for most people. They hear a God-called preacher deliver God's message, and they are convicted of their sins, but they are ashamed to admit it, so they attack the messenger to try to nullify his message. It happens all of the time. In reality, the conviction proves the power of the Spirit. No human can convict another person of their sins. Yes, they could make them feel guilty, but that is not the same. Conviction is the touch of God that you can't shake. You know the Lord has spoken to you, not just a person.
I know I am a pastor and a preacher, so this seems self serving to some of you. I pray that you will not take it that way. I know that I am just a regular person, saved by the grace of God, called and sent by the Spirit of God to deliver the message of God. I have no power of my own, but only the power of the Spirit, so if you resist the message, you are not resisting me, you are resisting God. You can try to ignore it, but God will not let you go until you decide what you are going to do about your sin and His will. I urge you to turn from your sins and go God's way, not because of me or any other preacher, but because of the power of the Spirit speaking to your heart.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Micah 5-7 and Nahum 1.
Any person who is called by God to deliver His message, whether it is an Old Testament Prophet or a modern day preacher is given power by the Spirit of the Lord. The message is not a personal message. In fact, few of them would have chosen to be spokesmen for the Lord, so they know they must be "full" of power by the Spirit to ensure they are speaking the right thing in the right way. They do not just have power, they have a power of justice and might to declare sin and expose it. Therein lies the problem for most people. They hear a God-called preacher deliver God's message, and they are convicted of their sins, but they are ashamed to admit it, so they attack the messenger to try to nullify his message. It happens all of the time. In reality, the conviction proves the power of the Spirit. No human can convict another person of their sins. Yes, they could make them feel guilty, but that is not the same. Conviction is the touch of God that you can't shake. You know the Lord has spoken to you, not just a person.
I know I am a pastor and a preacher, so this seems self serving to some of you. I pray that you will not take it that way. I know that I am just a regular person, saved by the grace of God, called and sent by the Spirit of God to deliver the message of God. I have no power of my own, but only the power of the Spirit, so if you resist the message, you are not resisting me, you are resisting God. You can try to ignore it, but God will not let you go until you decide what you are going to do about your sin and His will. I urge you to turn from your sins and go God's way, not because of me or any other preacher, but because of the power of the Spirit speaking to your heart.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Micah 5-7 and Nahum 1.