Haggai 1:14-15

Haggai 1:14-15 (ESV): “14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.”

The stirring of God is often the catalyst that causes the wayward to return to the Lord and become a functioning part of the body. He usually begins with leadership first! Pray for this stirring!

The Lord revealed to Haggai that the reason the exiles were not rebuilding God’s house was their lack of fear of Him. How could that be? They had just spent seventy years in Babylonian captivity! It is easy to lose perspective when our eyes are on ourselves rather than on the Lord. So the Lord stirred the spirit of the leaders and the people, and they returned to the work He had called them to do.

Do you long to see revival take place? It cannot happen unless God does the work. Unless man is willing to die to self and live for God, we will never see it happen. The stirring of God is clearly linked to the willingness of man to surrender to Him. When repentance and the fear of God (v. 12) are present, the stirring will occur. Do your part, and He will do His. Amen.

Father, we long to see You move. You no doubt desire to stir the hearts of men as well. We humble ourselves before You and ask that You stir our spirits as You did the remnant in Judah. Bend us, Lord, we pray, in Jesus’ name, amen.