… but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Summary: They say that “seeing is believing.” Not everything can be seen.
So far, Peter has told us that the prophetic message is reliable (vs. 19a) and is God’s light in this dark world (vs. 19b). It is through the Word of God that the knowledge of God becomes “the morning star [that] rises in your hearts.” (vs 19c) We have also learned that prophecy is not a matter of human interpretation but is knowledge shared with us by God (vs 20). Yesterday, Peter clarified that there is no valid prophecy that comes from human origin (vs 21a).
Today, we look at this mystery more closely. Prophecy, though human, comes from God. How? It is the human prophet being carried along by the Holy Spirit.
In his late-night discussion with Nicodemus, Jesus says something interesting about the Spirit. He says:
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3: 8)
Interestingly, some people balk at believing in God because he can’t be seen. (As if they would survive a face-to-face encounter with the Living God!) Yet, we believe in air even though we cannot see it.
There are a lot of things we believe in that cannot be seen. Have you ever seen an atom? Do you believe they exist? How about the far reaches of the universe? Is it really there if we have not seen it?
The wind, while invisible, can still move things. In the Fall, the leaves change color and drop from the trees. The wind, the unseen hand, picks them up and swirls them around. As Jesus points out, we do not know where they come from or where they are going. (Unless they end up in your yard, and you have to rake them!)
We cannot see God. We cannot see his Holy Spirit. We are blind to many things that we cannot see. Yet they exist!
The authenticity of God’s Word is validated by God himself. He chose a people for himself to be his own. They still exist. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to be the visible representation of the invisible God. Jesus lived on earth and changed it. His message and his mark cannot be erased. After his Son, God sent his Spirit to those who believe in the Son. This Spirit has motivated people to do amazing things. Not amazing in a worldly sense, but amazing in a godly sense. It is this same Holy Spirit that has been at work all the years since Jesus walked the earth. The same Holy Spirit who continues to move people to believe in the Lord.
Amen!
Application: Learn to recognize the sound of God’s footsteps so you can know he is there even though you can’t see him.
Food for Thought: What is it like to be “carried along by the Holy Spirit?”
For some reason I keep thinking about the footsteps in the sand quote.
T,
Simply put and I couldn’t agree with you more. It’s always been one of my favorites, though I rarely see it anymore.
Well said Mr. T!
This goes back to a verse I mentioned earlier in the week (and actually one I have on the wall in my home): “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
To be carried along by the Holy Spirit is knowing and believing in Him and His promises though you cannot see Him. We read about the promises He has fulfilled by reading His Word (and again, tucking the information in his heart). We know He is capable of doing miraculous things. He is, after all, the King of making the impossible into the possible. However, to be carried by Him, I believe we must know His word and His promises.
It’s casting our cares to Him (1 Peter 5:7) and then having faith He will take care of it. (Now don’t pull a Darla here — I tend give it to Him, but then try and take it back later. Imaging a tug-o-war rope between me and God here) Trusting and giving it to Him, allows us to be carried by the Holy Spirit knowing He has our best interest at heart. The difficult thing for me, though, has been sometimes His best interest doesn’t match with what I believe is my best interest (i.e. going through a hard season or receiving a “no” instead of a ‘yes’).
We don’t need much faith to be carried by Him. We only need the faith of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). Apart of Him we can do nothing (John 15:5), but through Him we can do everything. He is the Great Almighty and He has promised to carry us when we are sorrowful and distressed (Isaiah 63:9), when we fall and cannot carry on (Deuteronomy 32:11), to sustain us and rescue us (Isaiah 46:4), lift us away from danger (Psalm 91:11-12), and help us confront our fears (Isaiah 41:13). Who else can accomplish all those things?
Darla,
Thank you! Who else could accomplish those things indeed! God can.
About the ‘tug-o-war’ thing, maybe it is really a ‘tug-o-love?’
🙂
What is it like to be “carried along by the Holy Spirit?”
I had to do a bit of digging around on this question. Everything I have seen on the subject points to a person coming to the place of surrender of all that they are so that the Holy Spirit speaks through them. At first glance that seemed a bit “whoa” to me, but as I thought about it and prayed about it, I came to this conclusion. My best experiences walking with the Lord are very simple ones, and involve times when I needed guidance in a conversation or a point of action, and in those moments I spoke to the Lord, and His Holy Spirit provided it through scripture (the ones in my head lol). In a very literal sense, in that moment I surrendered all that I was, and was carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Chris
Thank you!
I agree about surrendering to the Spirit. That is what I think is ideal. I think it is also possible for God to work through the stubborn person. Otherwise i’d never be carried along by the Spirit!
🙂
I think being lead by the Spirit involves knowing the Spirit. It begins with spiritual birth by trusting in Jesus. Then we grow spiritually much like we grow physically after birth. To grow in the spirit we must walk in the Spirit – or submit to the Spirit. As we do this we begin to understand His promptings. We will also show the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5: 22 – 23).
I know this is an important and exciting weekend for you and your family. May the Lord grant traveling safety to all and decent weather. May His presence and joy be obvious and abundant.
Rich,
You remind me of Peter’s earlier discussion about growing in our faith:
“ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7)
Thank you for your blessing on this weekend! Much appreciated!
Tomorrow’s post will reveal what is going on. 😀
10-15-2021, 2 Peter 1:21b, What is it like to be “carried along by the Holy Spirit?”
As a small child my parents would often visit with family friends on the weekends and we would come home late in the evening. I would fall asleep in the car and pretend to stay asleep when we got home. My parents would speak quietly as my father would pick me up and carry me into my bed.
During this process my focus was on remaining physically detached, allowing him to do all the work as I allowed someone else gently move me from one place to another and lay me down in my bed.
The Holy Spirit gives us peace during times of stress, gives us the ability to see beyond ourselves and focus on a need or needs of another, to without thought take action to help another, gives to us the words the message He wants delivered to another.
The Holy Spirit gives our spirits the power to demonstrate God’s love for others, as Jesus Christ is seen addressing their needs through believers.
Ephesians 3:16-19, Acts 2:38, Romans 8:10-11, 13-16, 26;
Ron
Thank you! I love the illustration of being carried … literally.