MY SOUL MAGNIFIES: 1

My Soul Magnifies You Lord: HONOR

Luke 1:39-56

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

Before I knew the theme for this month, and actually while I was preparing to fill in for Maghan last month on the topic of Affirmation, I was reading and praying, and I came across this comment online:

“One of the most common definitions of honor in the English language is "to have great respect and admiration." I want you to focus on the word “admire.” One of the things that helps us admire is “wonder”. I believe Honor means looking for the wonder in people. What's wonderful about someone? What character traits of God have been deposited in that person?

A friend of mine once told me she loved to listen, write down and memorize the prophetic words that other people get. When I asked why, she said, “Then I know how to treat them according to how heaven sees them.”

You see, honoring people is not at all dependent on whether we feel someone deserves to be honored. It is not dependent on other people's character. Rather, it is dependent on yours. Honor isn't something you get from people. It is something you give to people.” 

Now, while I agree that our emphasis should be on GIVING honor, I actually believe it is also VERY telling of our character when we look at how we receive honor as well, but overall as I read this quote I thought to myself, what an appropriate topic for Christmastime. A time FULL of wonder where we get to honor:

• God the Father for SO LOVING US and sending us His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON

• We get to honor Jesus for the honor He gave US in coming, living the life he lead, giving his life to overcome the sins of THE ENTIRE WORLD and make way for us to have relationship with God

• We get to honor the Holy Spirit for His supernatural fingerprint on the entire story AND that He has remained WITH US, a very present help in trouble

• And we get to honor OTHERS with special time together and fellowship, with gifts and all the things we do to make this time special

And NO santa or whoever you want to call him, it’s NOT based on merit or whether people deserve it. Santa affirms to our kids from a young age that our value is based on our own achievements, when in reality, the God of the universe created us with intrinsic value and purpose, gave his life for us while we were still sinners not deserving AT ALL, and made us co-heirs with Him, made us kings and priests in His kingdom.

Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

So I sent a text requesting to speak on the topic of Honor, when I found out our theme was “My soul Magnifies you Lord”, my excitement was REAL. One of those precious little Holy Spirit affirmations that come with walking with the Lord. 

My main point today is titled: the honor of kings and I have 5 factors that we get the honor of engaging in within that context. 

THE HONOR OF KINGS

TO SEARCH OUT A MATTER

Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
One of, if not, the biggest concealed things in our life is our identity and purpose. Our calling. 

And we get to search it out. We’re actually created to and have an innate drive to do so. 

BUT if we do not do this with our hearts properly aligned to search it in submission and collaboration with the one who created us, our identity and our purpose, we will inevitably take hold of an identity that is of our own making, preferences, comfort zones, limited perspectives and heart attitudes. This is putting creation above the creator and is effectively idolatry. 

Let’s FIRST go to scripture for the more sure word of prophecy and find there what God says about our identity and calling: 

Kings and Queens (Rev 1:6 Rev 5:10)
Royal Priests and Priestesses (Rev 1:6, Rev 5:10)
Members of God’s family (Ephesians 1:5)
Sons and Daughters (John 1:12, Romans 8:14, Phil 2:15, 1 John 3:1-2
Citizens (Phil 3:20)
The Bride (Ephesians 5:27, Rev 18:23, 21:2, 21:9, 22:17)
The Church (Matt 16:18, Acts 2:47, Ephesians 5:25-27)
Co-heirs (Romans 3:29, Gal 3:29, Tit 3:7, Heb 1:14, James 2:5, 1 Pe 3:7)
Co-laborers (Matt 9:38, 1 Cor 3:9)
Fishers of Men (mat 4:19, Mar 1:17)
Disciples (John 8:31, John 13:35)
Warriors (2 Co 10:3, 1 Tim 1:18)
Soldiers (2 Tim 2:3)
Eternal Stars (Dan 12:3)
Soul Winners (proverbs 11:30)
Light of the world (Matt 5:14)
Salt of the earth (Matt 5:13)
Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephraim 4:12)
The Temple (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19)
The New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-2)
City set on a hill (Matt 5:14) 
Joyful house of prayer for the nations (Is 56:7, Matt 21:13, Mark 11:17, Luke 19:46)
Lively stones (1 Peter 2:5)
Household of Faith (Gal 6:10)
Commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12)
Branches on the vine (John 15:5, Romans 11:21)
Sheep of his pasture (Psalm 74:1, Ps 95:7, Ps 100:3)
General assembly (Hebrews 12:23)
Those registered in Heaven (Hebrews 12:23)
New Creations (2 Co 5:17, Gal 6:5)
Bible Believers (Mar 5:26, Parable of the Sower, Acts 15:7, 1 Th 2:13)
Born again (John 3:3)
Brethren (Matt 23:8, Matt 25:40, Luke 22:32, Acts 1:16, Acts 2:29, 37, Rom 1:13, 1 Co 1:10, Gal 1:2, Ephraim 6:10, Phil 1:12…)
The Adoption (Rom 8:15, Rom 8:23, Rom 9:4, Gal 4:5, Ephraim 1:5)
Saints (Acts 9:32, Rom 1:7, Rom 8:27, 1 Co 1:2, 1 Co 6:2, Rev 8:4)
Soul winning eternal star s(Dan 12:3)
Holy nation (1 Peter 2:9)
Friends (John 15:14)
Overcomers (Revelation 2-3)
More than conquerors (Romans 8:31-39)
Worshippers (John 4:24)
Fishers of men (matt 4:19)
Branches  designed to abide in the Vine (John 15:5)
Sheep in the flock  (John 10:27)
Disciples (John 8:31, John 13:35, John 15:8)
Stewards (1 Tim 6:17-21, Matt 25:14-30, 1 Corinthians 4:1-2)
Chosen generation (1 Peter 2:9)
Soldiers (Epheisnas 6:13, 2 Tim 2:3-4)
New creation beings (2 Corinthians 5:17)

If the way you see yourself, carry yourself, make decisions, or behave does not reflect these realities, it’s more likely than not that you need to come back to God and realign your heart to see yourself as HE see’s you. 

Paul encouraged the Ephesians and us in praying for the believers in this way:

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

He said to the Philippians and to us:
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

He prayed over the Thessalonians:
Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

He encouraged Timothy:
I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel

Likewise this same emphasis of our calling and searching out is encouraged in Hebrews 3 and 2 Peter 1

TO BE ADOPTED AS A CO-HEIR & INHERIT THE KINGDOM

John 1:1-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Romans 8:12-17 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

1 John 3:1-3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

TO ENFORCE JUSTICE

1 Corinthians 6:1-11 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

TO BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER

Isaiah 56:7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Matthew 21:12-13  Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”

Mark 11:15-17 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”

Luke 19:45-46 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”

TO BRING HEAVEN ON EARTH 

Luke 11
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come. 

Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”

Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

One of the key ways to bring heaven on earth is to create a culture of Honor. You will find that Holy Spirit shows up where He is honored, and you will find that people show up where they are honored.

BID

• Know Jesus

• Choose Honor

Notes Provided by Esther Melody Smith