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When Lord Stirs people

There is a particular incident mentioned in the book of Haggai when God stirred up the spirit of people to come and work on a task.

Haggai 1:13-15

“Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord.  So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.” (NIV)

Other translation says that the Lord “sparked the enthusiasm” (NLT). This stirring started after God rebuked the people for their slackness and then people decided to obey the word of God which came to them. It also says that they feared the Lord.  It was followed by another message from God – “I am with you”.

“I am with you” is really comforting when it comes from the creator God who holds everything in his hands. What else do we need if we get that assurance? It resulted in people getting stirred in their spirit to go ahead and start the work they were supposed to do. Let me list the sequence of events again here.

1.       God rebukes people
2.       People obeyed
3.       They feared the Lord
4.       Promise comes from God – “I am with you”
5.       People are sparked to enthusiasm or stirred up the spirit
6.       They go ahead and do the work

Many times we lose heart and get discouraged. We are not sure what to do next. May be backsliding has hit us badly. How we react to the voice of God matters a lot. If we obey and believe what He says, then we can move ahead. So times we lose heart because we don’t remind ourselves about the promises which God has made in our lives. Jesus also said to His disciples that they will not be left as orphans but He will be with them.

Paul said something in 2 Cor. 9:2

For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.   (NIV)

Knowing about the service done by Corinthian church stirred the enthusiasm of many to action. Are we in need of a stirring today? Are we slack regarding certain things we should do? Do we need an encouragement?

When we get self-focused and tend to look too much towards ourselves, we begin to lose enthusiasm.  Some time we need a stirring from the Lord. For that we need to obey. Other times we need to look around. Finally we need to believe the word of God.

God says “I am with you”. You may think it’s impossible but God is with you.

May the Lord stir your spirits to do things which are in His mind. May your enthusiasm be sparked.


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