A Glorious NightSample

John the Baptist would challenge the nation to repent of their sins and be baptized in anticipation of the coming Messiah. He would also identify His cousin as that Messiah, even baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River in preparation for His ministry. But John and Jesus first met before either was born. Luke tells us that when a pregnant Mary visited Elizabeth, John jumped for joy in his mother’s womb. That motion released something, or rather Someone. “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Luke 1:41, NIV)

When we encounter Jesus, the experience doesn’t stay contained. It spills over into our relationships, into our interactions with others, and into every aspect of our daily lives. Now, that doesn’t mean that those you come in contact with will be filled with the Spirit and prophesy, like Elizabeth was. It does mean that knowing Jesus has the power to shape how we speak, how we serve, and how we react to the world around us. When the joy of experiencing Jesus fills us, it overflows and changes the world we live in.