The Spirit Filled LifeSample

THE HOLY SPIRIT: OUR FATHER’S GIFT By: Stevie Mitchell I love prizes. I love getting them and I love giving them. For me, the best part of giving is in finding the perfect prize—that prize that will tell someone how much they are loved and how special they are. The prize says, “I know you. I know what makes you tick. I know what you need, and I know what will make you smile.” It is so much fun to give a gift just for the sake of giving. My gift has to say, “I love you! I believe in you! You are fearfully and wonderfully made! You are a masterpiece! Growing up, my daddy encouraged and reinforced my gift giving. I grew up in the 60’s & 70’s in a small town in Vermont where my dad owned the local drugstore. The store was also the Hallmark store, specialty shoppe, and Christian bookstore­—which made gift giving easy. My dad also had a passion for giving gifts and modeled this for me. It was common for my dad to open the cash register, hand me money and say without a customer knowing, “While I fill this prescription, go next door to the grocery store and get the family groceries.” Or, he would call me to the back of the store and say, “Mr. ‘So & So’ hasn’t thought about buying his wife a birthday present. Go pick out a gift, and wrap it up for him to take home to his wife.” He trained me to watch and listen to know what would really bless people. I can only imagine what was going through the mind and heart of Jesus that day as he shared with the disciples—the guys that he had been with him day and night with for the past three years. He knew what made the disciples smile. He knew the ultimate gift He would give them. A gift that would release them into their destiny. A gift that would give them power. Even more than what would make them smile, Jesus knew what made His Daddy smile. He knew how much his Father loved to give gifts. He knew that Abba had the perfect gift and it would soon be time to give them the promised gift that would change everything. Although it would be difficult, it would be a sacrifice that would cost Jesus much. His heart was full of excitement because he also loved to give gifts. His Daddy had taught him well. The cost­—Jesus would have to suffer, die, rise again, and return to the Father so that the ultimate prize could be given—the Holy Spirit. The Father knew what we needed! He knew what would make our hearts smile. What is the Holy Spirit saying to me? ACTIVATION Pray for the Holy Spirit reveal God’s gifts to your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to be a gift-giver to others. Pray that the power of God’s Spirit will anoint your gifts and talents for His greater glory.