Receiving From God Through The People He Sends
If look at Luke 7:28-30, 33-35, we can gain significant understanding of the importance of receiving those people that God sends to us.
I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” Luke 7:28 (New International Version, NIV)
How can the least of us be greater than John the Baptist? It is because Old Testament believers were not born-again like New Testament believers are.
(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. Luke 7:29 (New International Version, NIV)
The people who were baptized by John heard Jesus’ words and acknowledged God’s way was right. When accept those sent by God and we do what is right, like those who were baptized, it opens us up to receive more from God.
But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.) Luke 7:30 (New International Version, NIV)
On the other hand, the religious bunch rejected God’s purposes for them. They had not been baptized by John and were not able to receive what God had for them. They closed their hearts so they were closed to what God could do for them.
As we repent, this opens heaven up to us to receive the Holy Spirit and revelation of God and His ways. When we act on what we hear, it opens us up to receive even more from God.
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” Luke 7:33-35 (New International Version, NIV)
When we receive those who God sends to us, we also receive what God has for us. We must have the right response to what we hear from them. We must repent of sin and change our thinking to line up with God’s promises, prophecies, and purposes. This helps us to have a right heart and right response to hear God, believe Him, and receive from Him.
It’s all a matter of having a right heart attitude toward God and being open to receive from God through the people He brings cross our paths. When we do, we can be changed and can experience God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. It is a spiritual kingdom where God rules and reigns in our hearts. God sends people across our paths to enrich us and to prepare us to receive all the Lord has for us- both now and forever.
