Luke 1:30 – “So the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God!” 

In Luke 1:30, when Gabriel came to Mary, he made a statement that captured my thoughts.  He said, “Do not yield to your fear, Mary…”   I can almost hear Mary thinking, “Wait, why are you telling me not to be afraid?  What is about to happen?  “  Gabriel continued, “For the LORD has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift.”

We read that in passing with little thought of the depth of Gabriel’s words.   Did it surprise her?   Yes, and everyone else, too!   What a wonderful gift!   Wait, an unmarried Jewish girl is going to get pregnant.    Believe me, that would be a great cause for fear!

Interestingly, he said, “Surprise you.”   It would be a total shock to anyone.    What we read in the Gospels does not give the cultural and religious ramifications of this.   Unless Joseph married her, she would be shunned and possibly stoned to death as a fornicator.  It was not a small thing that could be viewed with nonchalance.    This was serious! It was life or death!

In hindsight, we know it was wonderful, but Mary had to trust God with her life!   Luke reveals a key to banishing fear in several passages.  When Mary came to Elizabeth, Luke 1:39 says, “Elizabeth was filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit!”   

Gabriel told John’s father that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit in the womb.  (Luke 1:15).   Once John was born and the name John was official, Zechariah was filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit.  (Luke 1:67).

Luke 4:1 – “From the moment of His baptism, Jesus overflowed with the Holy Spirit.”

Fear cannot exist in a life overflowing with the Holy Spirit.   We need the anointing to be and the anointing to do the work assigned to us.  Therefore, we should seek to overflow with the Holy Spirit.   Matthew 6:33 should be our daily objective, “constantly seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness…”  

Seek Him first and above all else!   Do not fear that you will become so heavenly-minded that you are no earthly good.   That is not possible!   If your heart and mind are consumed with God and you overflow with the Holy Spirit, you become the best you can be!  The converse is the problem: becoming so earthly-minded that you are no heavenly good.

God desires us to know Him and become devoid of fear!   He wants us to be and do what He has commissioned us to be and do.   We do that by becoming so saturated with God that we overflow with the Holy Spirit.  In that condition, we become lights in the darkness, and miracles accompany us, just as Jesus said.

My cry is, “Fill us to overflowing, Lord!”

Rejoice and keep looking up for our help, which is coming from the Lord. Sunday is coming!