Holy Spirit at Work - 13 Prayers

Holy Spirit made it possible for Joseph to say, “It’s a boy!”

It’s a boy!

I remember those words very clearly. After 27 hours of labor, I held my son. To us, it was our own miracle. Back in the day, we chose to be surprised. Gender reveal parties weren’t a thing. And since a doctor had previously told me I wouldn’t have children, proving him wrong was amazing! Somehow I’d had a child. I believe it was divine intervention, yet not as amazing as another mother’s story.

CONfusion? No.

Matthew chapter 1 tells us Joseph learned Mary was pregnant. They were only engaged and had never been intimate. He was, no doubt, confused and heartbroken. He didn’t want to embarrass Mary, so he planned to break off with her privately. (Matt. 1:18-19) Her story of an angelic visit and becoming mother to a boy who will become Messiah was likely a bit over the top.

So Joseph got a heavenly messenger, too. “The boy is from the Holy Spirit. Marry that girl. And name Him Jesus. Buckle up because He’s coming to save people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:20-21, Okie Translation)

Joseph was obedient. Soon he did marry Mary, and she did indeed have a baby boy by the Holy Spirit.

So, in these few verses,

Mary spoke with an angel,
Joseph spoke with an angel, too, and
Holy Spirit enabled Mary to become pregnant with the boy who would be the Son of God and Son of Man.

Those are the obvious miracles. But I think there’s even more here.

Fusion? Yes!

When the Holy Spirit – a part of the Trinity who was involved in creation – created a child with Mary, something very special happened. I will not pretend to understand the “HOW” of it.

But I do ponder it often.

God fused His Son who was with Him in Heaven to human DNA. Deity and humanity combined. The Holy Spirit was the link between the two parts of who Christ was. Jesus was dependent on the Holy Spirit from conception to enable Him to do as God commanded and to speak God’s very words for the world to hear.

This is more than a prophet being filled with the Holy Spirit. It had to be – because the Holy Spirit didn’t just FILL Him. Holy Spirit CREATED Him.

Holy Spirit Created Jesus the Man

Psalm 104:27-30 says, “All creatures look to You (Father God) to give them food at the proper time. When You give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When You send Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the ground.”

Yes. We look to God for provision, just like the animals. But David clearly states that the Spirit of God is needed for Creation of “ALL creatures.” Why would we be surprised that Holy Spirit was involved in this birth as well?

The angel who spoke to Joseph assured him in Matthew 1:20, that Mary had not betrayed Joseph. “The baby is from the Holy Spirit.”

Holy Spirit Worked in Jesus

As we prepare to examine miracles Jesus performed in the coming weeks, let’s first look at the role the Holy Spirit plays in the very miracles we will explore.

Matt. 13:22-37 tells us of Jesus healing a demon-possessed man who was both blind and mute. The Pharisees went crazy over this.

Granted, these religious leaders were already plotting a way to kill Jesus. But in this passage, they accuse Him of using the power of Satan to remove the demon.

Christ’s rebuttal is very logical:

If I’m working as you claim “under Satan’s power,” why would I work AGAINST him?
Your own students remove demons in God’s name. So why can’t I do the same?
Maybe you claim to use God’s power but are really under Satan’s control!
”If it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Matt. 12:28)

Jesus basically offered 2 explanations for His power:

Satan – but you’re doing the same thing, and it’s silly because My actions are hurting Satan
Holy Spirit – and that means the Kingdom of Heaven is here – right in front of you.

Well, those pesky Pharisees didn’t like either answer. And they especially didn’t like being embarrassed in front of people.

But the Holy Spirit did that. He gave Christ the insight and the power to work these miracles. He connected Jesus with His Heavenly Father while He walked on Earth.

And now we get that same Holy Spirit to connect us with Heaven today!

What it means for me:

Not confusion – If I’m on a new path and encounter confusion, I need to seek God. He may have us do the unimaginable (like build an ark to fill with critters or marry a pregnant girl you weren’t intimate with), but He will give you peace about those hard things.
Holy Spirit – I need to pay more attention to the Holy Spirit — in Scripture — in life — in everything. Churches focus more on Father God and Jesus, but the Holy Spirit lives in me. And He works miracles. I need to get to know Him better and stop taking Him for granted.