Inside Christmas: Life With Emmanuel, God With UsSample

Faith Tribe - You’re Not Alone. 

While exciting, the callings of God can feel overwhelming, scary, and even isolated, especially as you are in the process of incubating faith for the calling within your own heart. 

I remember meeting a lady who was far more developed in her calling than I was. Immediately I felt insecurity and jealousy starting to rise when I recognized the uncomfortable and grieving feeling of the Holy Spirit within me. I quickly repented and then heard His soft voice (that comes as a thought that comes up from your heart, not down from your head). He said, “If you love Me, you should want all of my people running their race for Me as successfully as possible.” At that moment, I started praying over that lady’s success and calling. She didn’t know it, but I became her biggest cheerleader in the spirit. Not long after, God connected our hearts, and we became faith friends like iron sharpening iron. 

What God asked of Mary could have cost not only her future marriage to Joseph, but her reputation and her life, according to the law at the time, to be found pregnant outside of marriage.

Is it no wonder what beautiful thing the angel said next to her? 

And listen, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For with God nothing shall be impossible.

The Bible says Mary got up and hurried to see Elizabeth at this news. 

It doesn’t say the angel told her to go, but I love that God knew she would need support, encouragement and provided both her and Elizabeth a faithful friend. They both recognized the calling of God on each other and His hand on their lives and sons. When they first came together, it was an explosion of Holy Spirit power. 

The Bible says Elizabeth’s baby leaped in her womb when he heard Mary’s greetings, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him. Elizabeth immediately started rejoicing at what she saw on Mary, and they both joyed in all that God was doing. 

Mary wasn’t jealous that Elizabeth was farther along than she was, and Elizabeth wasn’t jealous that Mary’s God-story was even more miraculous than her own. 

Don’t let insecurity and jealousy keep you from your faith tribe! We are better together, and when we genuinely love God, we’re in it for Him! 

Pray-

Father God, I ask you to forgive me of jealousy and insecurity. Please help me be like Mary and Elizabeth, who rejoice at your work in others’ lives. I ask you to provide me a faith tribe of iron sharpening iron relationships that your kingdom may come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thank you for Emmanuel, God with us! 

Read- 

Luke 1:39-45 AMP

Now at this time Mary arose and hurried to the hill country, to a city of Judah (Judea), and she entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him. And she exclaimed loudly, “Blessed [worthy to be praised] are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed [spiritually fortunate and favored by God] is she who believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord.”

The Magnification

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies and exalts the Lord,

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

“For He has looked [with loving care] on the humble state of His maidservant;

For behold, from now on all generations will count me blessed and happy and favored by God!

“For He who is mighty has done great things for me;

And holy is His name [to be worshiped in His purity, majesty, and glory].

“And His mercy is upon generation after generation

Toward those who [stand in great awe of God and] fear Him.

“He has done mighty deeds with His [powerful] arm;

He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,

And exalted those who were humble.

“He has filled the hungry with good things;

And sent the rich away empty-handed.

“He has helped His servant Israel,

In remembrance of His mercy,

Just as He promised to our fathers,

To Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

And Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months, and then returned to her home.