And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
ISAIAH 11:1-4
I love the word of God! I love that it speaks more than is written on the page. It’s a blessing that we receive as a child of God.
Prior to salvation, I knew the Bible had power. And in days of struggle I would turn to the word of God, having seen my Dad go there daily as a child. But it might as well have been written in Greek, because that’s how much I understood of it. But then came that wonderful day of salvation in 1996, that it all changed. It was then, when I opened up the word of God, that it no longer was Greek, but it was a spiritual English that spoke to my soul with words between the words. I would hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit within those pages and a few words became a whole message! It still happens that way, and I am still in awe!
I love the image of the branch growing out of the root. Isn’t that just the way they seen the Lord Jesus that day as He was being taken down from the cross, and laid in that borrowed tomb? Praise God they didn’t pay money for it, because He wasn’t going to be there long. Just three days! And out of death, came life. Just like that branch that grew up from what was assumed to be a dead tree. But if You are the Creator of the tree, You can recreate it. So Jesus rose from the dead, and He Who was once walking among them, was walking again. And as He parted back to Heaven He left the most marvelous gift. The one that I discovered in 1996, the Holy Spirit. And it is for certain the gift that keeps on giving, just like the words in Isaiah attest to.
The Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding
“Wisdom is my 2020 word for the year. And there it is on the pages today, but not just wisdom, understanding. Each of these are a two fold gift. With wisdom comes understanding. It’s not enough for us to just know God, He wants us to understand Him as well. Why He came as He did, Why He made promises in the Old Testament that were concealed, but then revealed in the New Testament. That Davidic Covenant, where God promised the coming Messiah and the Savior of the World. The One the world doesn’t understand, because they don’t have His Spirit. How blessed we are as children of God to have the understanding of God. But do we do with it as much as we could? I know I don’t.
This morning as I read social media, a friend of mine announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer and that it was “incurable” but treatable and what her plan of action was. My heart broke for her, her husband and her children. And so I posted that I would pray and be available if she needed to talk. But in the back of my mind I’m thinking… “What can I say? How can I help her? This is not a battle I have fought. But then I read this word, and God was quick… yes, just like His word said, that I have nothing to say… but He has everything to say. In Him is hope! Hope comes from the wisdom and understanding of the Creator… He who brought back to life His Son! And it is that hope that I have for everyone who has gone on before me, that I will see again if they knew Christ!
The Spirit of Counsel and Might
Within each child of God is the strength to be what a friend needs. Isn’t that a wonderful thought?
Luke 12:11-12
And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: for the Holy Ghost shall teach in in the same hour what ye ought to say.
While that scripture refers to the persecuted saint, I have no doubt that the same holds true when we stand in need of the words to comfort a friend, or help them to find direction for their life.
I would not dare say that I have the answer to all the questions that must be running through my friend’s mind. How many “why’s” must she be asking. But I know Who does have those answers. And while I cannot offer her healing, I can offer her the Healer!
The Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord
With my pea brain I think of wisdom and knowledge as the same. But obviously God does not, else He would not have written them separately.
Perhaps wisdom is of the mind and knowledge is of the heart. Both will bring you to awe of the power of the Lord. That fear isn’t a fear that causes you concern, but rather a knowledgeable respect. Woah… that’s truth. When you realize Who God is, and what power is within His breath, it will create in you a healthy fear of our Lord.
Another of my favorite scriptures is when Jesus was in the garden about to be arrested and taken to the cross:
John 18:4-6 KJV
[4] Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? [5] They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. [6] As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
I imagine when they thought on that later, there was a healthy fear of a Man Who could speak with not only the authority of God, but the power of God! That’s Who God wants us to know. He wants us to understand the power in even speaking the Word of God. It may be my voice, my fingers on the keyboard, but if I am using His words, in the context that He spoke them, there is power! That’s good stuff!
I pray this word encourages you to share HIS WORD! BLESSINGS!!!! Shari