DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Power and Purpose
by Judy Webb
"The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord." (Isaiah 11:2)
I have always loved reading these five verses, but I must admit, I never studied them before. While they are poetic and brimming with wisdom, we may never grasp how important the Holy Spirit is to our walk with Christ until we call upon Him. We don't understand the power and purpose of the Holy Spirit. It may even be difficult to think He is the person of the Trinity we should turn to when troubled and in need of rescue and counsel.
Jesus acknowledges the power of Holy Spirit, as He calls upon Him repeatedly. Verse two addresses 7 aspects 1) Spirit of the Lord; 2) Spirit of Wisdom (He is wisdom); (3) Spirit of Understanding; 4) Spirit of Counsel; 5) Spirit of Might; 6) Spirit of Knowledge; 7) Spirit of fear of the Lord.
Christians who study God's Word and call upon the Holy Spirit for wisdom and understanding, surely receive that gift. Christians who find themselves in trouble and see no way out, call upon the Holy Spirit for counsel and direction. We receive because we asked. We ask for might which will enable us to carry out the Holy Spirit's direction. When we accept his counsel we are practicing faith and strengthening our belief in the Power and Purpose of Holy Spirit. As we depend upon the Spirit of God, He effectively leads us closer to Him and makes our lives more fruitful.
"Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist." (Isaiah 11:1-5)
One of the first thoughts I had while reading this text was how it reminds me of the Armor of God. The command to put on this armor daily before venturing out, so we are protected from evil in the world. Digging into verse five helped me understand why I associated it like this.
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.” (Ephesians 6:14)
By placing the Armor on ourselves daily, and by calling upon Holy Spirit for wisdom and courage we discover the power and purpose of the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER
O, Come Holy Spirit. Inspire us and convict us each day. Open our eyes to your splendor and might. Remind us daily that it is your Holy Spirit which makes us strong and faithful. Fill us with your wisdom and love. Always reveal your power and purpose in our lives. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JUDY WEBB
I have been a member of UALC for 26 years and have been writing devotions for this site for about 17 of them. Writing is my passion. As retired staff I still love everything about UALC and its members including my small group. I love to study my Bible and share new things I learn and experience by writing these devotions.
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