Strengthened by the Spirit

19 MAY

But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel sin sin. Micah 3:8

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Zechariah 4

Micah with incredible courage stands alone against the false teachers of his time. This confidence is something all God’s servants should possess so they might not succumb to the empty and vain boastings of those who subvert the order of the church.

At times, God permits His pure truth to be corrupted by false teachers, who become popular among those high in honor as well as the multitude. Let us then remember the striking example of Micah lest we be discouraged and lest the firmness and invincible power of the Holy Spirit be weakened in our hearts. We may then proceed in the course of our calling to defend the name of God against all the deceptions of men, if indeed we are convinced that our service is approved by God.

Micah shows here that he was not supplied with ordinary or usual power. As God employs the labors of His servants, so He is present with them and furnishes them with suitable protection. When  someone does not encounter great difficulties in discharging the office of teaching, only a common measure of the Spirit is necessary for the performance of his duties. But when someone is drawn into arduous and difficult struggles in serving the Lord, he is especially strengthened by the Lord.

We seedaily examples of this, for many simple men who have never been trained up in learning have been so endued by the celestial Spirit that when they experienced great trials, they closed the mouths of great doctors who seemed to understand all oracles. By such evidences God proves that He is the same today as when He formerly endowed His servant Micah with a power that was so rare and so extraordinary.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION:

The Lord grants sufficient grace to His children. We should not fear those dreaded possibilities that loom in front of us. If, like Micah, we face extraordinary trials and duties, we will be granted an extraordinary measure of the Spirit’s power. The Lord will always give His children what they need to do His will.

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke