How to Stay Encouraged and Keep the Dream Alive
David W Palmer
(Luke 1:39–40 NKJV) Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, {40} and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
Mary knew that Elizabeth also received a word from God resulting in a miraculous pregnancy; the angel told her about it:
(Luke 1:36–37 NKJV) “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. {37} For with God nothing will be impossible.”
Why did Gabriel reveal this to Mary? God must have had a very good reason to divulge to her his private dealings with Zacharias and Elizabeth. I’m sure that first it was to reassure Mary that “with” God, nothing is impossible. Second, he must have told her as a tacit way of encouraging her into her next step of wisdom; which was to keep her on track to deliver alive that with which God had entrusted her. So what did she do, and when did she do it?
(Luke 1:39–40 NLT) A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.
After receiving the fresh vision, word, seed, spiritual pregnancy, Mary immediately sought fellowship with someone who could understand—someone who had had a similar experience. She rushed to the family member God highlighted—the one who would love and understand her, along with the word and assignment God had given her.
No matter how strange, huge, or extreme the word is that God has given you, he has someone available to you that will understand and receive you. What happened when Mary and Elizabeth met? Did they just have a coffee, chat about the weather, and have a family news catch-up?
(Luke 1:41 NKJV) And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Did you see that? They didn’t just have a social chat; they had a Holy Spirit meeting that was so profound that it included the unborn. This was a divine appointment—a “God” moment. What happened next?
(Luke 1:43–45 NKJV) Then she (Elizabeth) spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! {43} But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? {44} For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. {45} Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Parenthesis added)
Before even offering Mary some refreshments, Elizabeth burst out in prophecy; by the Holy Spirit, she:
Further, Elizabeth prophesied that because of Mary’s faith, what was told her (via the messenger) from the Lord would be fulfilled.
