Today we continue a series where I share from my own story about passages in Isaiah. This week we are taking a look at Isaiah 14.
This passage talks about one of the archangels, Lucifer, who decides to rebel against God and becomes satan. We gain insights into this both from Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28.
We need to keep our focus on Jesus, rest in Him and be dependent on Him. We need to recognize He is God and we are not. He is good and we are not. Apart from Him we can’t be righteous. We can’t be good enough. The Gospel is that He gives us His goodness, His right standing with Father God.
It’s not about, “I will do this and I will do that.” In fact that is what satan did. In Isaiah 14:12-14 we read, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!. . .For you have said in your heart: (What are we saying in our hearts? The Bible says to take our thoughts captive!) I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. (emphasis added)
Do we make things all about us and what we can do? We need to use our will in a positive way and align it with God’s will and God’s word.
I have had to realize there are a lot of things I can’t do. I’m still learning to say, “I can’t. I need help.” In fact years ago the Holy Spirit stopped me short when I was in a conversation with Noemi that I worked with. She came to me with a problem and I was trying to assure her that it was going to be ok and I said, “We will figure it out.” And it was if the Holy Spirit immediately said, “So you will figure it out, will you?” Then He followed up by saying, “Why don’t you let Me show you?”
Since that day I try to make that an ongoing prayer of mine, “Holy Spirit, show me. Reveal to me Your purposes and desires.” I’m getting better at recognizing when I’m doing something in “I will figure it out.“ mode and switching over to “Holy Spirit, please show me.” mode.
This week, let’s work on being dependent on God and interdependent on each other!
