Jesus' presence in the earth revolutionized the world, and John bore witness to the start of that great spiritual revolution:  "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"  When the Word became flesh and made His dwelling with us it was as if God was saying to mankind: this is what I purposed you to look like - this is who I intended you to be before sin crippled you.  We were made in the image of God, but sin tarnished that glorious image.  Jesus was sent by the Father to take away our sin and shame.  He bore our sin and guilt upon the cross.  God presented Himself in His absolute moral perfection and meekness in the person of Jesus Christ.  He showed us what a holy life looked life, then He took up the cross and showed us what was necessary to achieve that higher spiritual life.  Heaven was opened up to us, and power was given for life through Jesus Christ:  "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Him. I would not have known Him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'  I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God" (John 1:32-33).

In the eleventh chapter of Isaiah we read of the promised Messianic King who would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to establish the Kingdom of God. "The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him..." (v. 2).  Our afternoon devotions will center on the seven-fold Spirit of God.  When the dove descended upon Jesus at His baptism, John recognized the promised sign of the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.  "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Matthew 3:11b).  Jesus would baptize His followers with the Holy Spirit.  One of the great blessings of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is His enabling and sanctifying power to experience a life of deep and abiding intimacy with the Lord. John's ministry was to introduce Jesus, ours is to know Christ and to make Him known by having His life made manifest in our life through the indwelling presence and power of His Holy Spirit.  The work the Lord desires to do within us through His Holy Spirit equips us for the work He will do through us.  While our great need is of Jesus, our Lord's desire is for His people to experience the abiding life with Him.  He wants to show us His goodness and provision, if only we will believe and trust Him.   One thing that is preventing God's people from experiencing His sustaining power, provision and presence in our life is our unwillingness to receive what He offers us.  Let us pray and ask the Holy Spirit to soften our hardened hearts and to clear out the clutter of sin and self so that there would be more room for His divine presence to take over our lives.  Let us pray fervently for the Holy Spirit to kindle a flame of heavenly love in the hearts of all of God's children, so our love will not grow cold, and so that the Church can be set on fire with a passion for the lost and an increased passion for our Lord.