Scripture: 2 Peter 1 v 2-3:
"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the
knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power hath
given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the
knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue."
There are some people who uplift you into the presence of
Jesus every time you encounter them. They have a ministry gift of exhortation
which operates unconsciously in them through the power of the Holy Spirit.
I am reminded of a plumber who came to repair some pipes
at my home years ago. I met him at the front door and he walked round the house
to the back door while I went through the house. The Lord said This man needs
the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I told this stranger what the Lord had said. Tears
filled his eyes and he said I am afraid of the Holy Spirit.
Praise Jesus, I did pray with him and he did receive the
Baptism of the Holy Spirit that day. There came a day when I was under a heavy
attack and really struggling. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. There
stood the plumber. He said The Holy Spirit drove me here! I was on the highway
when the steering wheel turned and I was exiting at your offramp!! I had to
come here.
We spoke of this and that and had tea. I did not mention
my heavy heart. He went away and I found that the burden had gone. The plumber
had exhorted my spirit. Those were the only times I ever saw him. God used me
to meet his need so that he would be equipped to meet my need when the time
came.
Let Peter exhort your spirit as you read and absorb this
passage of scripture. Let grace and peace be multiplied to you through the
knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. He was equipped to exhort by first
suffering such sorrow after he betrayed Jesus three times before His crucifixion.
Then he was anointed to preach the first sermon after the
Holy Spirit baptism of 120 believers in the Upper Room ten days after Jesus'
ascension to Heaven. He preached and exhorted and accused that crowd until they
cried what must we do to be saved? Peter
told them:
Acts 2 v 38: "Repent, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost."
And 3000 got saved that day. The same 3000 who shouted
Hosanna to the King and laid palms on the path for His donkey; who three days
later screamed, Crucify Him! And now sorrowed for Him and needed Him to save
them. Verse 40 says that Peter exhorted them. He lifted them up and empowered
them to follow Jesus.
We can all either tear down or exhort our fellow
believers. Sometimes they need to first fall so that the Lord can fully lift
them by His divine strength. Sometimes
you have to rebuke first before the exhortation can do its proper work as
people can be stubborn and do their own thing leaving a mess behind them.
Prayer: Father God please give me this ability to
consciously or unconsciously exhort and strengthen and edify the Body of
Christ. Let me lift their burdens and give them Your uplifting care. Let me be
as Your hand extended to bless the weary. In Jesus' name. Amen.