Because You Believed

ByJim Stephens

Reading:  Luke 1

39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” (Luke 1:39-45 NLT)

The angel Gabriel appeared to the priest Zechariah and told him his wife would become pregnant and that their son would be the “preparer of the way” for God’s Savior. Elizabeth did become pregnant, just as the angel said. Then, six months later, Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit, and that her child would be God’s own Son.

Mary believed God’s word, and it happened, just as the angel had said. When Mary, pregnant with God’s child, visited Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist, God filled Elizabeth with his Holy Spirit and gave her a prophecy and blessing for Mary….

“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”  (Luke 1:45 NLT)

You and I will be blessed if we believe that the Lord will do what he says. This is not about personal ambition, or entrepreneurial drive, or even creativity and passion. This is not about strategy and planning. This is about simply hearing what God says he will initiate and perform, and simply believing God will do what he says he will do. Simply hearing and believing.

Questions for me and you: What are we believing? There’s a lot of things that we could be believing in this season. The question is, are we believing that God will do what he has said?

Prayer:

Father, I know I am in a life-season in which hearing and believing what you say is vital to experiencing your blessing on my life and to fulfilling your purpose for me. Please help me to keep it simple – to hear you clearly, and believe you completely. I pray for my friends who read these words – may they hear you clearly and believe you completely. May your blessing be on us all as we hear and believe. Amen.