Chapter 5: SHUT UP AND BE BLESSED

Guard Your Mouth

Psalm 141:3 (AMP)Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips [to keep me from speaking thoughtlessly].

Things People Say That They Don't Mean...

• "You don't have to get me anything..."...that's a lie
• "It's fine."...Literally nothing could be less fine.
• "I'm almost there!"...I left my apartment one minute ago.
• "I'm not looking for something serious."...I'm not looking for something serious with you.
• "I'm about to get on the subway/in my car. Can I call you back?"...This conversation needs to end right now.
• "It's not about the money."
• "Let me be honest."
• "With all due respect..."
• "It's doesn't matter if you win or lose it how you play the game"

Too many times people say what they don't mean. Let's look at Luke 1, and in this story, we will see God step in and close someone's mouth.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

Luke 1:5-7 (AMP)In the days of Herod [the Great], king of Judea, there was a certain priest whose name was Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron [the first high priest of Israel], and her name was Elizabeth. They both were righteous (approved) in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.

Zacharias and Elizabeth didn't merely go through the motions in following God's laws; they backed up their outward compliance with inward obedience. Their obedience was from the heart, and that is why they are called "righteous in the sight of God."

Remember, God knows your heart

But they were childless, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both far advanced in years.

We all have something that we are dealing with or an area where we need God to move on our behalf. Just because you are doing right by God doesn't mean life will be any easier, you just know who to lean on when you are going through. We will have a cup we don't want to drink, a trial we don't want to go through...For God rains on the just and the unjust alike.

Look at Paul's Thorn in his side (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). God will often allow the strongest believers to go through the most stuff. Job didn't do anything wrong, but he still dealt with hard trials.

• Could it be that what you are going through was God working for a greater testimony in you?
• Could it be that God is just trying to get some glory out of your story?
• Could it be that God is using this test to elevate you?

This is a reminder that God answers prayer in His own way and in His own time, sometimes we just have to wait. He worked in an "impossible situation—Elizabeth's age and barrenness—to bring about the fulfillment of all the prophecies concerning the Messiah. If you want to have your prayers answered, you must be open to what God can do in impossible situations.

Luke 1:8-9 (AMP)Now it happened while Zacharias was serving as priest before God in the appointed order of his priestly division, as was the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter [the sanctuary of] the temple of the Lord and burn incense [on the altar of incense].

It happened when He was serving God

Each morning a priest was to enter the Holy Place in the temple and burn incense. The priests would cast lots to decide who would enter the inner sanctuary, and one day the lot fell to Zacharias. It was not by chance that Zacharias was on duty and that he was chosen that day to enter the Holy Place—perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Luke 1:10-13 (AMP)And all the congregation was praying outside [in the court of the temple] at the hour of the incense offering. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. When Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled and overcome with fear.

Only two angels are mentioned by name in Scripture—Michael and Gabriel—but there are many who act as God's messengers. Here, Gabriel (1:19) delivered a special message to Zacharias. This was not a dream or a vision. The angel appeared in visible form and spoke audible words to the priest.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, because your petition [in prayer] was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John."

Zacharias interceded for others; God gave him his breakthrough. The greatest desire of Zacharias's heart—to have a son—would come true. Some scriptures to remember are Psalm 37:4-5; Matthew 6:33 and Philippians 4:19.

Zacharias's Response

Now that the angel has delivered the message from the Lord, let's skip to verse 18 to look at Zacharias response:

Luke 1:18-20 (AMP)And Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I be certain of this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in age."

And now, Gabriel responds…

The angel replied and said to him, "I am Gabriel; I stand and minister in the [very] presence of God, and I have been sent [by Him] to speak to you and to bring you this good news. Listen carefully, you will be continually silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe what I told you; but my words will be fulfilled at their proper time."

Zacharias doubted the angel's word. From Zacharias's human perspective, his doubts were understandable—but with God, anything is possible. No matter how impossible God's promises may seem, what He has said in His Word will come true at the right time.

He doubted God and asked for a sign of the fulfillment and the sign itself became a punishment for his unbelief. God had a plan for Elizabeth, and the unbelief of her husband may have hindered the faith of Elizabeth. Therefore, because of Zacharias's unbelief, the Lord shut his mouth.

• Sometimes your greatest hater is in your house
• The Bible says the prophet gets no honor in his own home (Mark 6:4)
• He had to shut him up to bless him

Proverbs 18:21 (AMP)Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

Luke 1:21-25 (AMP)The people [outside in the court] were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering about his long delay in the temple. But when he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute.

Many times, God shows us things and we become excited about it, and we share it with our friends; sometimes their unbelief will dampen our spirits. They begin to make us doubt whether we heard from the Lord or they begin to treat us differently. Joseph's story of telling his family is a perfect example of telling the wrong people - Genesis 37.

When his time of priestly service was finished, he returned to his home. Now after this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she secluded herself completely, saying, "This is how the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor on me, to take away my disgrace among men."

Jesus' Birth Foretold

Now let's look at the difference between the revelation of John and the revelation of Jesus.

Luke 1:26-31 (AMP)Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth's pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, the angel said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly perplexed at what he said, and kept carefully considering what kind of greeting this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus."

Gabriel delivers a similar message:

• Don't be afraid
• You will have a baby boy
• I will give you his name, Jesus

Luke 1:32-38 (AMP)He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin and have no intimacy with any man?" Then the angel replied to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a cloud]; for that reason the holy (pure, sinless) Child shall be called the Son of God. And listen, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible." Then Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel left her.

Comparing Two Responses

Luke parallels Zacharias story with the announcement made to Mary.

Situation:Like Zacharias and Elizabeth, Mary is unable to have children. They are old. She is a virgin (compare 1:5-10, 26-27)

Message:Like Zacharias, the angel comes to Mary with the miraculous good news. (compare 1:11-17, 28-33) (Don't be afraid (1:13, 30), You will have a son (1:13, 31), You will name him… (1:13, 31) He will be great… (1:14-17, 32-33))

Question:Like Zacharias, she asks "How" – though it's a very different sort of question than the one Zacharias asks. (compare 1:18, 34)

Response:Like Zacharias, she gets an answer. (compare 1:19-20, 35-38)

Zacharias: Situation – Message – Question – Response – Reaction – DOUBT!

Mary: Situation – Message – Question – Response – Reaction – SONG!

Luke 1:18 (MSG)Zachariah said to the angel, "Do you expect me to believe this? I'm an old man and my wife is an old woman."

Luke 1:34 (MSG)Mary said to the angel, "But how? I've never slept with a man."

Zacharias's Restoration

After Zacharias has suffered through the punishment for his unbelief….

Luke 1:60-64 (AMP)But his mother answered, "No indeed; instead he will be called John." And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by that name." Then they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all astonished. At once Zacharias' mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking, praising and blessing and thanking God.

Lesson to Learn

Be careful how you receive the Good News – the Gospel, Luke warns. To those who believe their mouths will be opened, but the mouths of those who disbelieve will be shut.

Wisdom Keys

1. Guard Your Mouth

Psalm 141:3 (AMP)Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips [to keep me from speaking thoughtlessly].

Genesis 37:5-9 (AMP)Now Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more. He said to them, "Please listen to [the details of] this dream which I have dreamed; we [brothers] were binding sheaves [of grain stalks] in the field, and lo, my sheaf [suddenly] got up and stood upright and remained standing; and behold, your sheaves stood all around my sheaf and bowed down [in respect]." His brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Are you really going to rule and govern us as your subjects?" So they hated him even more for [telling them about] his dreams and for his [arrogant] words. But Joseph dreamed still another dream, and told it to his brothers [as well]. He said, "See here, I have again dreamed a dream, and lo, [this time I saw] eleven stars and the sun and the moon bowed down [in respect] to me!"

Weekly Confession

James 1:19-20 (AMP)Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; for the [resentful, deep-seated] anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God [that standard of behavior which He requires from us].