HOW CAN I BE SURE?

Luke 1:6 (Nlt) Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations…….. V.18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

Zechariah had just been told by the Angel Gabriel that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a baby son in their old age, but here is Zechariah doubting what God has said. You can almost see him stroking his beard as he shakes his head and says, “How can I be sure?” His past experience and reason had kicked in, and told him it’s not possible, so he doubted God’s word!

We’re told Zechariah and Elizabeth were both righteous, they did everything they were supposed to do, and yet even then Zechariah allowed his faith to be undermined and he chose to speak his doubt. Gabriel was indignant and told him that because he didn’t believe God’s promise he wouldn’t be able to speak till the baby John was born. Why was that? 

It’s because our words are powerful! Zechariah had to be stopped from speaking his doubt and unbelief to his wife, from speaking unbelief over his unborn son. Have we ever had occasions when we’ve been given the promises of God but our past experience or our reason have kicked in and we’ve spoken words of unbelief and doubt and aborted the promise so it could never manifest?

Thankfully what God had promised Zechariah was received by Elizabeth and they did have a son even though in the natural it seemed impossible. We can learn from Zechariah’s mistake and when we read a promise of God we can say “Yes Lord, that’s for me.” and not “I’m not sure, I doubt that!” 

If we’ve had a promise and doubted it, the good news is, we can ask the Lord to forgive our unbelief and say in faith “I’ve changed my mind, I do believe it, nothing is impossible with You Lord” and let Him fulfil that promise for us now, because all the promises of God are still Yes and Amen in Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father.😊(2 Corinthians 1:20)

Thank You Lord.