But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. … for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” – Luke 1:13, 15-17 

Before Jesus was born, God had given old Zechariah and his well-along-in-years wife, Elizabeth, the promise that at last they would have a child. And their child, John, was filled with the Holy Spirit while he was yet in his mothers womb! If you’ve ever read about John the Baptist, you know that he was rather odd! (I mean, do you know anyone who eats a diet of locusts and honey, or have you ever heard any pastors or evangelists call their audience a “brood of vipers”? Not really “seeker friendly” if you ask me!) Yet what the angel had prophesied about him was exactly what came to be: John ministered in the power and spirit of Elijah, and he made ready for Jesus people who were prepared for Him! 

Just as Elijah’s ministry had turned the hearts of many in Israel back to worshipping the one true God, John the Baptist’s ministry attracted large crowds as he preached a “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Truly, when Jesus came, the Holy Spirit had used His cousin, John the Baptist, to prepare many, many hearts to follow Him.

The New Living Translation of Luke 1:17 says of John the Baptist, “He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” 

Yes, God had been just about ready to send His Son, but there was some prep work that needed to be done first. People had to be prepared, because He wasn’t sending Jesus to condemn the world—His heart was to save the world. Now, with Jesus’ second coming being ever-so-near, I absolutely know that God’s heart hasn’t changed. He wants to gather as many as will come to Him before His Son’s return. And just as it was before, so it is now. Hearts need to be changed! People need to be prepared for His return!

Jesus said, “So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” – Matthew 9:38 If ever in my life I’ve understood the urgency for this, it’s now! The world’s ideologies, along with the crazy, violent times we are living in have left people, especially the younger generation, disillusioned. They are searching for real answers, and we know that Jesus is the only Truth. It’s time to pray to the Lord of the harvest!

Oh Father, my heart’s cry is that we need many John the Baptist kinds of ministries now! Fill men and women with Your Spirit, and may they proclaim Your message with power! Let the testimony of their ministry be just as the Apostle Paul said: “…our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction….” (1 Thessalonians 1:5.) Your word says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit…” ( Zechariah 4:6.) Do it Lord! By Your Spirit, anoint Your ministers to preach with power, that those who have never known You will hear the gospel and turn to You. And Lord, for those who are prodigals, their need of You is just as great! Send the Helper to them Father to bring to their remembrance the word of God that they once believed and followed. (John 14:26)

I’m so grateful for the power of Your word! “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Whether preachers are proclaiming Your word, or the Holy Spirit is bringing to prodigals’ remembrance truth that they have walked away from, Your Word gets right down to the nitty gritty of what is in our hearts. Please Father, give ears to hear to the millions who have turned a deaf ear to you, so that “those who are rebellious will accept the wisdom of the godly”, and become ready for Your return! Thank You Lord, for Your heart to save the world!