Moving systematically from left to right with a tight cluster of dried, bound palm fronds, Mary stretches out narrow arms in smooth rhythmic sweeps across the earthen floor and then straightens upright to continue her morning chores. If only she could concentrate. Her mind has been wandering incessantly on matters such as a young man named Joseph—her betrothed. And her thoughts keep scanning over the recent ceremony of her friend’s matrimony, as she imagines herself in the customary bridal attire, making vows of love and devotion to her own adoring husband.THE VISITATION
Startled from her daydreaming, Mary stiffens back against the wall in awe as a brilliant white light fills her small home... and an angel greets her:
Good morning!
You're beautiful with God's beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.
Luke 1:28 (MSG)
Quivering with fear and wonderment, Mary ponders the greeting—and the motivation behind it! But the angel reassures her:
"Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you:
You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.
He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.'
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob's house forever—no end, ever, to his kingdom."
Luke 1:30 (MSG)
Even though she is facing a supernatural being, blazing with glory from the throne room of God Almighty, and even though his words align with those she has learned from the prophet Isaiah about God’s promised Messiah to rescue His people, her mind is whirling with question marks. Is this all a bizarre dream? Or is this actually happening? Hang on! Reality check! I’ve never known a man intimately. How can I possibly conceive a child?!
“That’s impossible!” Mary exclaims. “I've never even been with a man. How can this be?"
As if anticipating her question, the towering angel smiles radiantly and gently answers,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;
therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born
will be called the Son of God...”
Luke 1:35
There is such stunning revelation in this statement. According to the Lexicon Eastern Bible Dictionary, the word overshadow here means:
1. to cast a shade upon...
2. to envelop in a haze of brilliancy...
3. to invest with preternatural (supernatural; out of the ordinary course of nature; exceptional) influence!
In other words, Gabriel is describing how the Lord is about to make the impossible possible and the unattainable attainable in Mary’s life—through the overshadowing power of the Holy Spirit! That the very Spirit of God was going to come upon her to envelop her in His exceptional realm of Glory and invest His supernatural influence—creating His Kingdom purpose in and through her! WOW! What a promise... What an honor... And what a partnership... Heaven and earth colliding to bring forth the kiss of life!
Mary is still and breathless. All she can hear is her heartbeat pounding through her body; but her spirit leaps with a knowing and assurance that if God is for her, then who can be against her. She tentatively weighs up the disturbing scenarios of what could happen, but her clamoring concerns seem to part aside as her heart carves a clear and present channel to the forefront of her attention—searing a pathway straight to her mouth.
And her quivering dry lips part to form the word, “Yes!”
Yes, I see it all now: I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me just as you say.
Luke 1:38 (MSG)
SAYING “YES!”
We can only suppose what Mary must have been wondering and hoping. But what we know for sure is that her response is one of humility and brokeness as she says “Yes!” to being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and conceiving this promise from heaven. She says “Yes” despite the potential cost, despite the impending reproaches and challenges, despite the imminent ‘stretching’—in every way!
Mary agrees to conceiving this purpose of God, and allowing it to work supernaturally through her life, despite a possible lifetime of village whispers and judgment...
She aligns with the cause of heaven even though she runs a high risk of losing those near and dear to her, like her family and her fiancé, Joseph.
She agrees to a plan to save multitudes, even though she could be persecuted and ridiculed—or even killed.
Her “Yes” was undoubtedly going to cost her much. But Mary was a forerunner, responding “Yes” to Jesus before there was ever such a thing as a three-point motivating sermon or an anointed altar call! And millions of people have been saying “Yes” to Jesus ever since. Their “Yes” is one that will echo throughout eternity!
There are poignant times in our lives when the Lord approaches us with opportunities from heaven; and we have to weigh up the consequences, choosing whether to stand against the status quo and say “Yes”, or to consent to the internal pressures of our comfort zones and fears. How about you? Are you willing to say “Yes” to the call of the Lord to overshadow your heart, and birth something new and supernatural in and through your life? Are you willing to take the risk to give God’s desire a chance? Despite the sometimes uncomfortable incubation, the painful delivery of God’s purpose, and the aftermath of those stretch marks (which cocoa butter and vitamin E do not remove!), will you say “Yes”? Will you surrender your life to a higher purpose?
WHAT IS IN YOUR ‘YES’?!
There were certain things Mary may not have known about the ongoing effects of her choice. I love this song written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene. Called ‘Mary Did You Know?’, it’s about all that was hidden in her promise:
Mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy,
has come to make you new?
This child that you delivered,
will soon deliver you.
Mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know,
that your baby boy,
has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby,
you've kissed the face of God.
The blind will see,
the deaf will hear,
and the dead will live again.
The lame will leap,
the dumb will speak,
the praises of the Lamb.
Mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
is Lord of all creation.
Mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy,
is heaven's perfect lamb?
This sleeping child you’re holding,
is the great I am.
What might the Lord have hidden for YOU inside YOUR “Yes”!? Are the words on your lips, “Yes, Lord, I am Your servant, Your friend... Whatever YOU want, I want! Whatever is Your will, I trust You.”?
THE DNA OF HEAVEN
When we agree to the overshadowing of the Spirit of God, and surrender to the outworkings of the Word of God in our lives, we become impregnated with a seed (or seeds) from heaven...
A SEED:
- a word / promise
- a thought / idea
- a creative enterprise idea
- a divine desire or passion
- nourishing hope and life (Note: The core of a seed will often be surrounded by a coating that nourishes the very early stages of germination and growth.)
A seed is planted within you and I which carries greatness and destiny, and can bring hope to those to whom you are sent. It is ‘the planting of the Lord’...
They will be called mighty oaks, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:3 (NIV)
They (the ones whom the anointed One is touching) will be called oaks (strong and fruitful) of righteousness, planted by the Lord—so HE will be glorified.
If we want to birth and sustain revival in our communities and nations (which is what you and I are designed and destined to do), then like Mary we need to say, "Let it be unto us according to Your Word...”
We need to believe in our hearts that with God nothing is impossible. And like Mary, we need to rejoice as we await the fulfilment of His promise: "My soul magnifies the Lord. And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
I don’t know about you, but I so long for the Lord to overshadow me more and more—in the true definition of the word—to envelop me in His haze of brilliance, and to invest in me His supernatural influence... to increase His Glory, His anointing, His enabling power upon, in and through my life.
My prayer is that He would find a resting place with me, and I would continually allow Him to refill me—and overflow me... that He would find a surrendered vessel, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable. And I would always remember that through the Blood of Jesus I am righteous and pleasing in His sight.
SELAH...
1) Has the Lord been whispering to your heart about a ‘seed’ HE wants to plant within you... or might have already invested in your life?
2) What is it likely to cost you?
3) Are you willing to say, “Yes”?
This article is an adapted excerpt from the new release 'Overshadowed'—by AJ Butel. You can purchase this book online at www.ajbutel.com.
