Saturday, June 11, 2016

June 11, 2016

[Keesha Sullivan]

I love receiving gifts, whether it's for a birthday, Christmas or just because. When I am given a gift, it makes me feel loved. It means the person took the time to think about me. Jesus provided us with one of the best, most powerful gifts ever given to any human being. He gave us a gift that would bless His generation and every generation to come. He gave us the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit gives us everything that we need to overcome every trial, tribulation and hurt that we may encounter during this life. He gives us the supernatural power to forgive those that have deeply hurt us. He gives us the love to love those that hate us and persecute us. He even gives us the power to be obedient to God's will when there is incredible temptation to satisfy our fleshly desires.

In the reading today, Stephen used this Gift to do the unthinkable. As people filled with hate and fury gnashed their teeth at him and pelted him with rocks, he forgave them and was filled with love for them. It says, "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God…While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' (Acts 7: 55, 59, and 60).

Can you imagine that? Stephen was looking in the face of men that absolutely despised him with every fiber of their being – that were literally murdering him – and he said, "God, please forgive them. I love them." Wow! I have a hard time loving people that give me a mean, hateful look or forgiving a person that simply put me down and made me feel less than. I will never do what Stephen did using the natural power that I possess. In order for me to overcome and to attain the level of love and forgiveness that Stephen so freely shared, I must receive and use the gift of the Holy Spirit.

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" (Matthew 19:26) Because we are children of the Most High God and Jesus gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit, we have the power to overcome the world. We can have victory in every situation. There is nothing too hard for God!

Lord, we thank You for giving us the best gift we could ever receive. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. Thank You that He is with us and that He helps us through whatever trial we may face. Thank You that we can have the victory in every circumstance of life. We love You and adore You! You are truly the best Heavenly Father we could ever hope for. We need You. In Jesus's name. Amen.