Read time – 1 Min
This is Christmas!
Mary’s encounter with angel Gabriel announcing that she had found favor with God and would birth the Saviour of the world reveals how God declares a promise but chooses to wait for agreement from us.
Mary’s agreement was, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” (Luke 1:38) She chose agreement with God’s promise over agreement with fear, doubt and inadequacy’s promise.
What do we agree with when that moment of God breathing on a promise comes?
When God gives us a promise it won’t necessarily come easy, we have to learn to apprehend and receive from Father. Luke records that Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea to visit with Elizabeth (Luke 1:39). She visited another who also embraced God’s promises amidst the mocking tongues of others.
Who you hang around with and listen to matters when you are contending for God’s promise.
I remember years ago, hearing the testimony of a couple who fought for the promise God had spoken over them for freedom and healing from terminal cancer. It got so fierce in the fight of keeping their faith, they ended up turning away various family and friends from the front door of their house because when they visited they would speak out doubt and unbelief, not encourage their wild faith. They saturated every room of their house in worship, and eventually the day came when the Doctor announced that he could not find any remnant of cancer in the wife’s body.
What we are born for is often on the other side of a fight.
What we do with that moment of God breathing on a promise is what we end up with.
As we head into Christmas and a new year, it is possible to be given a promise from God but never inherit it. Mary has seen this in the story of her nation. She decided to give her full agreement from humility not fear, and apprehend the promise of all promises. Her contending for this promise would impact you, impact me, impact the entirety of humanity.
This is Christmas. We will celebrate it because Mary knew the power of agreeing with what God says.
Do you know Jesus?
Maybe you are reading this and you’re realizing you don’t really know Jesus or his love for you. Would you like to know that?
I invite you to say this simple prayer as much as you can with your heart.
“Jesus I want to know you as my savior. I confess I have made choices that have hurt me, hurt others and hurt you resulting in separating me from you. I ask please forgive me for my wrong. I choose to believe now that You died for my sin, and through faith in Your death and resurrection Jesus, I am forgiven. I recieve you Jesus as my Savior and as the Lord of my life from this day onwards. Thank you for the gift of new life and for the gift of your Holy Spirit to fill me now in Jesus name, Amen.”
If you have prayed this prayer, tell someone you trust or who you know also loves Jesus and is a Christian. Please feel free to email us and we can get you connected with someone close to where you live.