Anchor My Faith

Title: Filled with the Spirit (Luke 1:39-42)

We can assume, at this point in our journey, that Mary is now with child and wants to talk with Elizabeth since they both experienced something very special from God. “In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth” (Luke 1:39 – 40 ESV). After six months, people would know about Elizabeth and how God had made it possible for her to have a son and the prophecy that he would be a special person. The special thing about Elizabeth was her old age, but with Mary it was the fact that she was a virgin. When God caused Mary to be with child, it seems reasonable that the Spirit would have informed her. Knowing that it stands to reason that she wanted to go to Elizabeth and talk to her about it.

As quickly as Mary could get ready she went to the region in the vicinity of Jerusalem, commonly called the hill country of Judea. She went to a town in Judah, but that town was not named.  Some say it was Jerusalem, but others say it was Hebron. Any suggestion is only conjecture. It was probably a Levitical city and the residence of Zachariah when he was not working as a priest at the temple.

As Mary gets close to where Elizabeth lived she calls out: “And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:41 ESV). Both Elizabeth and Mary have experienced the hand of God upon their lives and now God is going to do even more. As soon as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and as she was it caused the baby to leap in her womb. I am not clear on the meaning of Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit. Was her experience similar to a person believing and being born spiritually? It is clear to a believer when the Spirit enters at spiritual birth. It is not clear if the Spirit also filled John at that same time. It seems that he did as the baby leaped in the womb when Elizabeth was filled with the Spirit.

“and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42 ESV). As Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, she understood that Mary was singled out by God for a special purpose and that she was also pregnant with a very special child. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a person provides a source of information that is not available to a person who is without the Spirit. This will become much more clear as we work through future lessons. Jesus will teach spiritual truths that many of his followers just don’t understand and will not until they experience salvation. This knowledge about Mary on the part of Elizabeth is just the beginning of seeing the importance of a person possessing the Holy Spirit when born spiritually.

Prayer

Father, how special it is to have God in the person of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us as believers. The wisdom and comfort he provides during those difficult trials, strength and encouragement when needed, and under a variety of conditions being able to react by displaying the fruit of the Spirit should result in the life of the believer being set apart from unbelievers. It appears, however, that the western believer has too great an interest in the things of the world than walking closely with the Spirit.