March 7 – Luke 4
Lesson: He Fills
Dear Lord, bless our time with you today. Meet us where we are at, guide our minds, and hold our hearts as we search for Your truth.
First, do your own quiet time with God and 4R journaling. When you are complete, come back here for the lesson.
Request Gods’ help
Read Luke 4
Record a verse that stands out to you
Respond to God
Have you ever wandered about chasing after something, but you didn’t quite know what it is you’re are looking for? You knew something was missing and nothing you tried to fill it with seemed to satisfy. You knew Jesus is in your heart but there was still something that seemed to be missing. Like there was a place inside that had an echo. You expected your husband, kids, friends, a hobby or job to fill that space, and yet, you were still unsatisfied.
Why? Because they can’t, they weren’t created to satisfy you. And honestly it’s incredibly unfair to you and them to try and make them so. The only one who can satisfy is Jesus, and this happens when we are filled with His Spirit, when your heart is completely and fully handed over to Him. Until you do that, you just keep searching for the next thing because we were never made to be apart from God, exactly the opposite. And until we are face to face with Him we will still be longing for that connection. God knew that, and His rescue plan included His spirit filling every part of you so that in the meantime, you will be satisfied. You will be full. And you will be well.
What is the Sprit that fills and satisfies like? Let’s read John 7:38-39 to find out.
“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
A living water to satisfy. Once it is ‘found’ you will search for nothing else. You will be lighter, freer, and you will come alive! But is that it, does it stop there? No!
1 Thessalonians 5:19 says, “Do not quench the Spirit.” Staying filled is an intentional, deliberate state of mind and heart. When we stop chasing after God we no longer feel that fullness of God. Have you ever felt so far from Him, like He has gone on ahead of you and left you behind? It’s time, then, to fill up that cup! Loosen the ties that are binding you from experiencing that richness and allow Him into every part of your life. But, how do we keep my heart filled with His Spirit? Well, I’m glad we asked and now I point us to Psalm 19:14,
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
Read it again a few more times. When was the last time you prayed on bended knee? Actual bended knee. Gone before Him in silence, alone, and undisturbed? When was the last time you have gone before Him and said, ‘Just fill me, fill my heart to the brim’? What impedes that filling? Lack of confession. It prevents our heart from being ready for the Spirit to pour into it.
Imagine this. If I have an empty but quickly rinsed milk jug that I pour water into, how would that water actually taste? Pretty awful right? But if I took the time to rinse it, wash it, and rinse it again before putting water in, then the water would be drinkable. Our heart is the same and that’s what we want with the Spirit. We want to ensure that everything we are filling up on is of the Spirit. Because if we are full of the Spirit then there is no room for anything else!
You are not alone. In a world that is telling you that you are and that you need the next best thing in order to be fulfilled, satisfied or unlonely… it’s a lie! Run the other way and fast!
Satan wants to keep you from experiencing the filling of the Spirit because He knows you will crave Jesus more and more and yet still be satisfied. Even satan knows this, and yet he still rejects Him. Go. Dwell with God, be filled with His Spirit and be satisfied
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for You alone satisfy. From You come springs of life that quench our thirst. We thank You for Your still waters.
(Further reading: Acts 2:4, 4:8,31; Ephesians 5:18)
What’s next?
As the Spirit leads, in the comment section below, share what He has laid on your heart.
Then join us again tomorrow to learn about the ministry of sealing.
1 Comment. Leave new
First of all — thank you, Melissa, for the deep lesson and challenge to all of us to stay close to God, rinsing our “milk jugs” of sin frequently by coming to receive His wonderful forgiveness, and letting His living water flow through us.
My verse: Luke 4:18 ““The Spirit of the LORD is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,”
My response: Jesus was filled with “the Spirit of the LORD” and moved in unified step with the Spirit, always doing the will of the Father – Lord God, I do not understand the mystery of You – One God … three Persons. But I marvel. I’m thankful that the power of the Spirit sets captives free … and so much more! Oh God of the Universe, who can understand Your greatness? I worship. I come in gratitude to You this morning because You came and rescued me.