The Finger of God
Dr. Valson Abraham
All of us need a special healing touch of God upon our lives that renews as well as purges out what is unnecessary or harmful.
The ancient Egyptians of Moses’ day referred to this as “the finger of God.” This is a colorful term that refers to God’s direct and miraculous intervention in human affairs. The Egyptians were referring to how God miraculously freed the Israelites through the judgment of plagues upon Egypt. At the same time, the finger of God brought freedom to His chosen people, held in bondage by a king who thought he was a god.
We also see “the finger of God” in judgment upon the corrupt Babylonian monarch, Belshazzar, as a large hand appeared and spelled out his imminent doom in letters for the whole kingdom to see.
But “the finger of God” appears also in God’s acts of grace and mercy as He writes the Ten Commandments for His chosen people, Israel. Later, Jesus frees people from the power of demons by “the finger of God” (Luke 11:20).
Today, we experience “the finger of God” most notably through the work of the Holy Spirit. Before He departed His earthly ministry, Jesus promised His disciples—and us—the privilege and blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit is our “down payment,” so to speak, for all that God intends to miraculously work in us.
The Holy Spirit marks us as God’s possession for now and for all eternity. The Holy Spirit teaches us all things (John 14:26) and places the power of heaven in our earthly and mortal bodies, so that we may live a measure of heavenly life on earth. The Holy Spirit keeps us as God’s possession until the day that Christ returns and sets up His heavenly kingdom on earth.
The Holy Spirit is more than a force or power. The Holy Spirit is God Himself dwelling in and through us. The Holy Spirit is the same One who created the heavens and the earth, the galaxies and stars, and all the millions of species of plants and animals. None of us has fully grasped or experienced the full power of the Holy Spirit that is our awesome privilege.
The Holy Spirit guarantees our inheritance in God’s kingdom. The Holy Spirit is our constant companion. The Holy Spirit does battle for us and to give us protection and victory. The Holy Spirit sets up divine appointments for us, guides us into truth, and gives us heavenly power. The Holy Spirit enables us to display the life of God to a world who does not believe in God.
We can have the Holy Spirit in our lives, but we may not experience the full impact of the Holy Spirit because we are ignorant of His ways. We may harbor sin and bitterness, and thereby resist the work of the Holy Spirit. We may grieve the Holy Spirit because we choose to depend upon our own limited resources rather than the Holy Spirit’s endless resources. We may quench the Holy Spirit through unbelief.
“The finger of God” is still at work today even as in Bible days. How does the “finger of God” work today? What do fingers do?
The finger invites. Through the Holy Spirit, God invites us to become a part of His kingdom and join Him in His work. Through the Holy Spirit’s power, we invite others into His kingdom.
The finger writes. Through the Holy Spirit, God writes His law on our hearts.
The finger grips. Nothing slips out of the grasp of God. Whoever or whatever He holds, He holds for all eternity. We who have trusted in Him through Christ have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. Once sealed, we can never slip out of His grasp.
The finger points the way. In the same way, the Holy Spirit points us to the truth. We can depend upon the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom in life’s most challenging circumstances.
The finger works. The Holy works in us, and when we give Him permission, He enables us to live and work in ways that display the glory and character of God to the world around us.
Through the Holy Spirit, we may become agents of the Holy Spirit, inviting others into His kingdom. We may write things that move others to respond to Christ. We may faithfully seek out those whom God wants to seal for His kingdom. We may point the way for others to receive Christ. We may do the work that God has given to us, empowered by His might.
Let each of us seek to become better acquainted with the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives that we may better minister to others who await Him.
Father God, I thank you that you continue to minister in my life and the lives of others through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Help me to become better acquainted with this great Friend and power within me, through prayer and through the study of your Word, that I might become like “the finger of God” in a world that desperately needs you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
