The Invasion
Many times before I speak I will pray publicly even if there has already been a prayer. Not because I think my prayers are any better, but because it is very calming for me and gets my focus on tract. I get terribly nervous and that can result in many words spoken that should have never come out if I am not focused and calmed! One of the things the Lord prompts me to pray so often is that He will invade every cell in our body so that we (myself and those listening) will not leave the same after the event. I actually never thought of it as being a high scriptural thing I was praying, but more of just a plea and invitation for the Holy Spirit to take full reign of the moment and do His thing in us and through us!
Luke 1:35 “The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you….” When translated into the original Greek language the phrase “come upon you” means to arrive, invade, resting upon and operating in a person according to my commentary. This scripture is the conversation between Mary and the angel Gabriel. Gabriel is giving Mary, teenage Mary, betrothed Mary, the 411 of what is going to happen to her in the coming moments, days, weeks… We don’t know exactly the time she became pregnant with the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, but we do that Gabriel was kind enough to warn her of this invasion.
Mary of course being well aware of the language in which the Spirit spoke to her, knew immediately this was not just a drive through kind of “come upon you”. Mary even at her young age knew this was going to be a life altering blessing and adventure. We have proof of her excitement in verse 46-47 of the Magnificant. She would never be the same, but most importantly the world would never be the same from the moment the Spirit invaded her with the Savior of the world!
Isn’t that what you want? That is what I want each and every day. I know according to the scripture that I am in the palm of the Lord’s hands and no one or thing can snatch me from His grip. And as a matter of fact nothing I could ever do or have done could take me away from Him either. My relationship with the Lord is eternally secure!! Hallelujah. But I do have to pray and ask the One that is residing in my life to fill me up with His power to the fullest degree each and every day. He never leaves me, but because of my sin it diminishes my ability to be used by Him. I ask that He put me in over my head so that all dependence is on Him and Him alone! I know that Mary had not asked for this, but she got it and she got it! She was invaded and was in over her head.
Being out of control and not having things just the way you want them can be tough. In different areas of my life I am a control freak, but God is breaking me of that each and every day. I want the Holy Spirit to resting upon and operating in me. I want to walk so closely with Him there is no question people see Jesus in my life. I want to be invaded in such a way that I will never be the same. Don’t you? Line up with the favor – invite the invasion!
Yes, I want to be invaded, bless you dear.
Thank you Leigh, I had never caught that about Mary in those verses. I have been studding on Martha and Mary and I want to be like Mary when she went to the tomb…I want to go “expecting”. She knew her Lord and she went expecting something great and she found it. Her Lord was alive. Now I have two Marys as my role models. I want to go “expecting” to find the Lord and be filled with his Holy Spirit. Thank you again for this devotion of encouragement. Have a Blessed week,
Angela
“enter me”
When I think of invade, I’m picturing a conquering army that infiltrates and takes over fully every inch of the town…
How appropriate a word picture of God invading every portion of my heart and life to conquering me!
Leigh:
I blogged about this very thing today…”a gracious Much”. I want to be filled with the measure of everything that he is willing to bestow. And what he desires to bestow is not the minimal but the “much” that comes from living in his abundance. Thanks for sharing such a sacred truth for us this day.
peace~elaine
I so agree with you on that Leigh. I want His invasion of my body every.single.day and I thank Him in the moring for the things He is going to do.
I think that it is so important to pray before sharing at a speaking engagement…I know that our pastors pray before every sermon they give – even though we already had prayers in the service 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing, my friend.
great post. My prayer is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit: body, soul and spirit.
Please enter me!
“I want to walk so closely with Him there is no question people see Jesus in my life. I want to be invaded in such a way that I will never be the same.”
This is my daily prayer. Awesome post Leigh, thanks for sharing.
Leigh:
I ask that He put me in over my head so that all dependence is on Him and Him alone!… Oh, this is my prayer. Thank you for these words. Wonderful
You have said this so perfectly Leigh – I can only say how very much it ministered to me. I want to want to have that too. Some days I am selfishly trying to be in control. I want to simply rest in Him.