And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
Luke 1:17 NASB2020
John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. John preached repentance for the forgiveness of sin. People confessed their sins and were baptized in the river. This prepared the people to accept Jesus as Lord.
Baptism in water represents our identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Our sins are nailed to the cross. Christ suffered and died on our behalf. We are raised up in newness of life by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are new creations in Christ.
Repentance prepares us for the Lord. Only when we cease to go our own way, in the strength of our souls and our flesh, can we be led by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit and fire. As with water baptism, this secondary immersion in the power of God and the refining process of God, testing if you will, reveals our identification as sons of God. If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for us. Was Jesus anointed with the Holy Spirit? Was He tested in the wilderness? Expect nothing less.
After His testing and triumph over the schemes of the devil, Jesus started his public ministry. What was the first thing He did? He preached repentance. Some things never change. Repentance is the key to the Kingdom. Sin is being disobedient to God’s will. Obedience is righteousness. Obedience is evidence of your love for God.
Jesus is coming back again. He will make all things right. How do we prepare the way for the Lord’s return? First, we tear down all the idols in our hearts that would exalt themselves over loving God and his purposes in our lives. We humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.
Then, we help others do the same. We lead by example. The spirit and power of Elijah is the manifestation of God’s love to reveal His heart and His power to reconcile the lost back to their Heavenly Father.
Elijah the Prophet exposed and killed the false prophets. He spoke truth to power. He mentored his replacement, Elisha, and gave him a double portion of his anointing. Elijah was the spiritual father of Elisha. Both remained humble and obedient to the voice of the Lord and performed many miracles.
We are stepping into the same thing in this generation. The hearts of the fathers are being turned to their children. No longer do we build our own kingdoms. No longer do others serve to advance our own agendas. In humility and love, we invest in the next generation, with the desire to see them be twice as blessed as we are. We make disciples who love and obey the Lord.
Prepare the way. Model the way. Teach the way. There is no other way.
Father in Heaven, forgive us of all of our sins. Forgive us for going astray and following our own wisdom instead of You. Give us ears to hear and hearts to obey You. Show us the way that we might walk in it. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:25-30 NASB2020
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