I stand in the very presence of God. (Luke 1:19)
Have you ever said something you really wished you could take back? Ever thrown out a phrase that you’d give anything to be able to retract? If so, then I’m sure you can relate to Zechariah.

When an angel appeared to Zechariah to tell him that he would be having a son, he was completely caught off guard. At the time Zechariah was in the sanctuary burning incense to the Lord. He was an old man and had long since given up praying for a son. The last thing he expected to see was an angel of the Lord prophesying his future.

“Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! For God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John …. He will be great in the eyes of the Lord …. He will precede the coming of the Lord, preparing the people for his arrival” (Luke 1:13-17). You and I know his son as John the Baptist. But Zechariah wasn’t sure what to think of this encounter. He said the first thing that popped into his mind: “I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years” (Luke 1:18).

Zechariah said what you and I might have said in the same circumstance. He knew that having babies was a young person’s job, and when you get old, you put away such foolish dreams. He probably couldn’t even remember the last time he’d prayed for it. I think you’ve got the wrong person, he thought to himself. And that’s when he uttered the phrase that could be taken as lacking faith, the phrase that he’d have given anything to be able to take back: “I’m an old man now.” Zechariah wasn’t trying to be disrespectful, just practical. But the reality he saw didn’t set too well with the angel.

“I am Gabriel!” the angel shot back at him. “I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!” (Luke 1:19). And because of Zechariah’s doubt, the angel struck him dumb on the spot. Zechariah was unable to speak again until his son was born. The angel probably did it for his own good. It was the only way to keep him from speaking out even more curses on himself.

Zechariah defined his identity by his circumstances. The angel defined his identity by the One he served. The only question left on the table is for you and me. How are we going to define our identity? Who are we going to be in the eyes of the Lord? How are we going to see ourselves in light of God’s power and glory? How we answer that question makes all the difference for our future.

Devotional by:New Beginnings Christian Fellowship
Wanda L. Ball
Ball Publications Christian Books

raising the white flag

Christians call it the “Believer’s Prayer,” but it’s so much more than that. It’s not so much a prayer as it is a spiritual white flag. It is an act of surrender, a willful giving of ourselves to another. It is you and me finally admitting that we’ve run out of reasons not to believe in Jesus, and that we’ve given up trying to make it to heaven on our own. We’ve tried to live life on our terms, and we know it doesn’t work. So we come before God and ask him to show us how. We want more than a better way to die; we want a better way to live. We’ve seen the promises of Jesus, and we want them for our own. So we kneel before the throne of God, raise our white flag, and surrender.

If you haven’t done that, I encourage you to do so today. If you have, then pray the words anyway, as a statement of continued faith. There is no magic in the words. Words mean little to God, but the condition of our heart means everything. The following prayer is simply a guide to follow. Make the thoughts your own, and say it only if you really mean it. As you do, know with all your heart and soul that God can hear you. And that he will honor his promises.

Dear Father, I turn from my sins. Please forgive me for all the wrong things I’ve done. I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, and that he came to earth in the form of a man. I believe that he died on a cross and was raised after three days. I believe that his death paid the price for my sins. And I know that Jesus is the only path to eternal life. I trust in the promises and claims of Jesus, and I put my life in your hands. I submit myself to the lordship of Jesus from this day forward and to the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray that the Holy Spirit will come into my life and dominate every part of my being, and that he will deliver me from those things in my life that are displeasing to you.Thank you, God, for sending Jesus to die on the cross for me. I know that my sins are forgiven because of Jesus. I commit myself to your Spirit and give myself over to your will for me. Thank you for loving me. Show me what you want me to do next. I love you, God!

If you just prayed that prayer for the very first time and don’t feel any different, don’t worry. God has promised to save those who put their trust in Jesus, and God always honors his promises. You can believe with all your heart that God heard your words and that he has saved you. You can believe that the Holy Spirit led you to this moment of decision and that he is now living within you. Your relationship with God is sealed!

Recommended Reading: Romans 10:5-11

• Reflection
  If this is your first confession of faith, how does it feel to finally put your trust in God? Why not spend some time in praise and worship to him?

  Submitted by: New Beginnings Christian Fellowship

  Wanda Ball
  Ball Publications Christian Books
  Related Info: Do You Know God?

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