Readings for today: 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18-20
I used to wonder what the Bible meant when it talked about the Spirit of God “coming over” or “coming upon” a person. For example, in today’s reading, the people of Judah are fasting and praying and worshipping when the Spirit of God comes over a man named Jahaziel and he delivers a Word from the Lord. It’s a word of encouragement. A word of blessing. A word of victory. It’s a word that promises God’s miraculous deliverance and challenges them to simply stand and bear witness. Clearly it was a powerful word because the king and all the people immediately fell down on their faces before the Lord when they heard it. So how did they know? How did they know Jahaziel’s words were from God and not just wishful thinking? How did they know Jahaziel was speaking by the Spirit of God and not from his own heart? What were the signs and what convinced them?
Like I said above, I used to ask these questions a lot when I’d come across these stories. But then I met a man named Bud Sparling and I experienced firsthand what it looks like when the Holy Spirit comes over a person. It is undeniable. It is unexplainable. It is overwhelming. For Bud, it would begin with several deep breaths. The kind of breaths that come from the deepest part of the diaphragm. His body language would shift. His voice would change. His words were always direct and on point and grounded in Scripture. They were words of encouragement. They were words of challenge. They were words that called us to confession and repentance. And after the episode passed, Bud’s body language and voice would return to normal and he would never remember what he said.
My experience with Bud answered a lot of my questions. He taught me what it looked like to walk by the Spirit and be filled with the Spirit. He taught me how to listen to the Spirit’s voice especially as I prepare to preach week over week. I began to realize the truth that every time I have the privilege of sharing God’s Word with His people or with someone I meet along the way, the Spirit is at work, coming upon or coming over me to make Himself known. As you pray today, ask the Spirit to come over you. Ask Him to fill you with His Word so that you might deliver a word of encouragement and hope to those around you today.
Readings for tomorrow: 2 Kings 1-4