Stricken Dumb

These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008.

I'm going to start posting these twice a week instead of once a week. I'm going to try to get to them on Sundays and Wednesdays. I don't know a bout you but I can't wait wait a week to get to them. Let me know in a comment if you like this better or not.

If you've ever wrestled with God's plan for your life, this series is for you! Based on the book of Luke and the lives of Zacharias, Elisabeth, Mary & Joseph.



This devotion is part of the "The Wonder Of It All" series.

Luke 1:5-6 (KJV)
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.


Here we find that Zacharias and Elisabeth, prior to marriage, had a priestly heritage. The Bible states they were both righteous before God, walking in ALL the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Nobody was able to lay any evil to his or her charge. While these two were sinners just as you and I are, each was known for their holiness and integrity toward God. What are you most known for, dear lady? We should all strive to have such a spotless testimony! Though this sacred pair lived a rich, rewarding and righteous life together, there was a place of sorrow for them as well...

Luke 1:7 (KJV)
And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

We discover that Zacharias and Elisabeth were childless. They are described as “well stricken” in years at this point in time, so we can imagine for most of their married lives they went to the Lord in prayer over this matter of having children. I wonder if they ever got discouraged over not seeing results when they prayed so long and hard for offspring? Humanly speaking, they must have struggled somewhat with God's plan for their lives in this particular area...

Have you ever wrestled with God's plan for your life, dear lady? Have you ever given up hope and stopped praying or have you kept on and persevered no matter how dismal things appeared? Though your place of sorrow may not be that you are childless today, it may be another type of distress that has sent you to the Lord in prayer, yet without change. Perhaps you are frustrated because you don't understand God's design for your life... Oftentimes we loathe it when the Lord takes so long to change our circumstances, amen? We become anxious and agonize over answers to prayer such as "no" or "wait", hoping instead for a "yes" from the Lord. How do these answers tend to affect your relationship with the Father? Some walk away from God when they don't understand His sovereign plan or get the answer they prefer. Nevertheless, we need to submit to His Lordship and accept what it is He is doing and trust His timing as well! We learn that Zacharias did not quit on God but kept up his duties...

Luke 1:8-9 (KJV)
And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

This is a description of the ministry that Zacharias performed. He was chosen to offer incense in the holy place. Such a high honor was permitted to a priest but once in a lifetime and this was Zacharias moment. The incense was offered daily before the morning sacrifice and after the evening sacrifice. Zacharias would go in and perform his ministry, pray, and then come out and bring a word to the people that were waiting without. He was busy serving God and doing right in spite of his circumstances. Ladies, when we are busy in this way, it is then that God speaks and directs us....

Luke 1:10-12 (KJV)
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

While Zacharias was burning incense in the temple, the whole multitude of the people was praying without. An atmosphere of prayer prevailed in the hearts of those gathered together in the Lord's house. All the cares and concerns of each person were being sent upward, entrusting them to God and hoping for an answer. Meanwhile, what do you think Zacharias was praying about? Do you think he begged God for a son one more time, or had he long since given up hope? At that very moment, in the midst of the Lord's work, an angel appears to speak directly with Zacharias...

Luke 1:12 (KJV)
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

At the appearing of Gabriel by the altar, Zacharias was troubled and fearful. What do you think about his reaction? Do faithful servants of God become troubled and fearful? Do faithful and righteous servants succumb to doubting? You bet they do! Zacharias was frightened, for the angel's appearance could have meant Divine judgment... You see ladies, God knows exactly what is going on in our hearts at all times - even when others around us are unaware of our inward struggles. The people outside the temple may have been impressed with Zacharias’ consistency as a Christian, but God knew what was lacking in his life. Our loving, personal God puts His finger right on that very place in our hearts and reveals to us where He wants to extract doubt and replace it with faith in Him. That means that it may be a place in our hearts that we don't even see clearly ourselves! Zacharias was alone with God and He sent an angel to point out to this priest exactly where the problem was because he needed help. Get alone with God and He will do the same thing for you! Why do you think the devil hinders us so much from spending time with the Lord?! He doesn't want us to see things properly. He doesn't want our faith to grow... He wants us to doubt our God!

Luke 1:13 (KJV)
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Fear not for thy prayer is heard... Do you ever wonder if your prayers are being heard? It's always wise to examine yourself in order to avoid fear and come up confident that you are on praying ground. Be sure that there is nothing hindering your prayer life. It is something that we should do continually! Perhaps that is what Zacharias was struggling with, for it appears there was some doubt mixed in with his prayers and it was ascending upward into the nostrils of the Lord... In response to the foul aroma of dwindling faith, the angel of the Lord appeared at just the right moment - when God sent him - to put his finger firmly on that doubtful place in Zacharias heart and expose it to him. Ladies, the Lord doesn't want hesitancy in our prayers! He wants us to come BOLDLY to the throne of grace to find help in time of need. He doesn't want us to just pay Him lip service and while praying, leave out our believing! He wants our prayers to be coupled with faith. Why? Because our loving God knows that doubt is a slow strangler of a healthy prayer life and will result in the complete death of prayer altogether.

Matthew 21:22 (KJV)
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Certainly the Lord knew where Zacharias was headed by his prayer life. This mature saint was probably ready to give up in his heart. Elisabeth might not have known that, the people waiting outside the temple might not have known that about this righteous man - but God knew it! And He cared! He cared enough to bring about a strange plan in Zacharias life to reveal some things about himself to himself. What a personal God we serve, amen ladies? Though God is eager to bless His children, He cares more about the inward condition of our hearts and deals with those issues first. Then He changes our outward circumstances. Man would have it the other way around, probably never even dealing with the inward issues at all!

Proverbs 4:23 (KJV)
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

So, where are you in your prayer life today?? Have you given up hope? Have you quit talking to God because His plan appears so strange to you? Have you not seen enough of a change take place and therefore begun to doubt God, allowing signs of unbelief to creep into your prayer life? Don’t let the devil strangle you to death with doubt – keep tight hold of faith in God and keep your prayer life alive!!!

Luke 1:14 (KJV)
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

Ladies, this is exactly what God wants for each and every one of us as His children - joy and gladness! Don't get anxious, even strange plans can bring about joy and gladness…. You can be sure that the devil is not interested in us experiencing joy and gladness through prayers that are answered! Why? Because he knows that we will become motivated to keep on praying and prayer brings results - Godly ones! Our enemy is definitely not for those kinds of results in our lives!! Others might be drawn to God as they witness the power of your prayer life and close relationship with God. Souls might be snatched out of hell through prayer. Victories might be won in prayer. Prayer is the devil's greatest enemy, for he is rendered powerless when we, in purity of heart, get on our knees before our powerful Father in heaven and ask in faith for His help and grace. Satan would rather destroy the design of God upon our lives...

Luke 1:15-17 (KJV)
For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Yes, Zacharias was getting much more than an answer to prayer this day. He was getting the total life's picture of this child with which he and Elisabeth were going to be blessed! What a picture it was too! How many of us as parents wouldn't want a child such as John born to us! This baby sounds like a perfect child: someone great in the sight of the Lord, who wouldn't fall prey to wicked influences, who was filled with the Holy Ghost, and would be a soul winner! Wow! An answer to prayer beyond what this godly couple had ever hoped or asked for!! But what is Zacharias response...

Verse 18:
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

WHEREBY SHALL I KNOW THIS…

Uh-oh! Zacharias forgot Proverbs 3:5-6 which says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

Ladies, Zacharias was guilty of trying to use his own wisdom to figure out God. Because of that, he is about to miss a wonderful, miraculous answer to prayer! Zacharias doesn't recognize this blessing for what it is! Looking at things through his own eyes and not God's has now hindered him from enjoying the very answer to prayer he has labored fervently on his knees and waited for many long years!! He is not able to trust the Lord for the doubt that resides in his heart… Whenever we look at situations with our own eyes, we will decide they are impossible.

Let's not try to figure God out ladies, let's just trust Him, amen? You would think the fact that because an angel personally delivered this message, this promise of receiving a son, would be a great encouragement to Zacharias faith! Instead, do you see how much doubt has deteriorated his heart?? Zacharias didn't recognize the shape his own heart was in because he was outwardly faithful to God, yet inwardly faithless. God was illuminating this to His priest... He had the form of faith, but not the filling! Could God be showing this to you today, dear lady? Are you doing all the right things outwardly in serving Him, but inside are you faithless? Has YOUR viewpoint, YOUR understanding of things, become the ruler by which you measure life? Learn from Zacharias... You are most blind when you lean upon your own eyesight!

1 Cor. 2:5 (KJV)
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

At this point, I can only wonder what the angel Gabriel must have been thinking, for in verse 19 he says to Zacharias, “....I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.”

Ladies, Gabriel left the excitement of heaven to deliver a special message to Zacharias, a glad message! What a fun job he had, amen? I'll bet he couldn't wait to deliver it because he knew himself how wonderful God's plan was. It's fun to deliver others good news, isn't it? No doubt this angel had to be greatly grieved and even a bit shocked upon delivering God's promise of a child as he witnessed this man’s reaction to long-awaited good news. This baby was evidence that the Messiah was coming; he was going to prepare the way of the Lord!! Having just left heaven, where God is greatly praised, Gabriel now stood by and watched Zacharias dissect God's message with his own wisdom and whittle it down to nothing with the tool of unbelief! There was no thankfulness, no praise to the Lord... What does it do to you when you deliver a special message from God to a lost person and they don't receive it as good news? In their wisdom they say the Bible is not true and shun God's letter of salvation to them. It's greatly grieving, amen?

As Christians, the angels are watching us as Hebrews 12:1 clearly explains. They observe our faith in God. They are strengthened by their observation just as other Christians are when they see our strong faith. And they are discouraged when they witness our doubt in the very God of whom they stand in the presence. Let's not be responsible for causing man or angel to stumble over our lack of faith, including ourselves! What is the condition of your faith today? Don't think it doesn't matter to God...

Luke 1:20-23
And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

The verses above show us the consequences of the unbelief present in Zacharias heart. What was hidden to the eyes of others is now out in the open! Skepticism was hidden to Zacharias, yet he now knows that his heart was faithless after God spoke with him through Gabriel. How does he know? Zacharias was rendered speechless by the angel as punishment for his doubt! When the time came for him to leave the temple and bring a word of the Lord to the people, he found he couldn't speak! A once in a lifetime honor bestowed upon him to serve God as an ambassador, and his doubt had silenced him. Zacharias couldn't even share with the people what he had just learned about the coming of the Lord and how his son would pave the way. He was silenced by God and rendered ineffective as His representative. What a scary thought!

Has doubt in your heart kept you from speaking out for your Lord? Has it robbed you of your joy as a child of God? Has it interrupted your service for the Lord? Unbelief will silence and cripple you if it is not replaced with faith! Zacharias had been questioning God's ability to fulfill His Word. What have you been questioning God's ability to do, dear lady?? Faith is blessed, but unbelief is judged as we've seen today. Unbelief is something that God does not accept in the heart of any man or woman. Certainly He does not accept it dwelling in the hearts of His children! Therefore, He will bring us to that point of recognizing unbelief in our life just as He did with Zacharias. Ladies, our doubts do not prevent God's Word from being true! Our doubts will not prevent God's plan from being carried out! They will simply blind us and silence us and hinder our service, blocking our joy and gladness. We will become handicapped Christians. Is that the way you really want to spend the rest of your days??

Before you criticize Zacharias today, examine yourself and see how strong is your own faith! Perhaps you have doubted the ability of our great God to do what He says He will do. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your level of expectation that God could do something amazing through your life? Do you have a long-term frustration that has been present in your life that needs to be entrusted to the Lord? How can you strengthen your realization that God is in control of the events of your life? Do you need to mix some faith with your prayers? It is possible to be outwardly faithful yet faithless inwardly, but why be “stricken dumb”?

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003 Meet Ms. Pam

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New Beginnings Baptist Church Website