Lesson 5

Ezekiel Chapter 2 Part 1

By
Pastor Bill Mazzulla III

Ezekiel Chapter 2:1-2
1 And he said unto me,
Son of man, stand upon thy feet,
and I will speak unto thee.
2 And the spirit entered into me
when he spake unto me,
and set me upon my feet,
that I heard him that spake unto me.

A little review is beneficial.
Ezekiel's name means "God strengthens" or "strengthened by God".
In the sense that all who are followers of Jesus Christ and are filled by God's Holy Spirit, we are "ezekiels".

In chapter one Ezekiel had a glorious vision of heavenly creatures and God's throne.
In conclusion of our last devotion about Ezekiel we mentioned that
"In 1:28 when Ezekiel saw the Lord and His glory, He fell on His face"

This where chapter 2 picks up.
Ezekiel is on his face worshipping God and so over-awed at God's majesty and power that he is too weak to stand up in God's presence.
As Christians, servants of God, as His voice and body in action on this Earth, we need to know when it is time to pray, praise and worship God and when it is time to stand up to receive instructions, orders from our loving master and Saviour.

God tells Ezekiel, that he should stand up and then he will speak to him, then Ezekiel will receive his orders, his commission as a prophet.
Since in verse 2 Ezekiel was too weak to stand up, God's Spirit, the Holy Spirit entered into Ezekiel and set Ezekiel upon His feet.
Anything God instructs us to do, God will enable us, give us the strength to fulffill what He, God, has asked of us.

Phillippians Chapter 4
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned,
in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound:
every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry,
both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Phillipians 4:13 is not talking about a person having every skill in the world.
For example I do not think there is a person in the world who could both build a safely working motorcycle from scratch and also make a wedding gown from scratch with the quality of a professional seamstress. If there is such a person that could do both well, that person is very rare.
So obviously it is not talking about natural skills but Phillipians 4:13 if you study the context of the chapter, this verse is talking about the ability to be able to be blessed tremendously and to suffer tremendously and still be spiritually faithful to Jesus Christ. That only comes from strength from God.
As Ezekiel's name "God strengthens".

In our New Testament age God's Holy Spirit gives every believer the ability to serve Jesus and be God's light, God's representative here on earth.
If you do not feel that way then you need to seek more of God, more of Jesus in your life and more of His Holy Spirit. This something that is always beneficial for all of us to do anyways.

I know I have previously mentioned about Ezekiel meaning God strengthens and how that relates to the Holy Spirit. The reason is this is a very important lesson for us all.
It probably will come up again in this series so please understand, I am not forgetting that I already discussed it, just that it is important to remember.

Luke chapter 11
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you;
seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father,
will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish,
will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:
how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

For the full text of this promise read Luke 11:1-13.

Our Heavenly Father who has greater love then any human and is more perfectly loving then even the best earthly fathers will not hold back any good thing from His children (us believers) so do not be afraid to ask for more of His Holy Spirit in your life and
do not be afraid to ask for more of His presence and power in your life.
God will give every good gift we ask for.
So ask God for wisdom, for more of His Holy Spirit, and He will give liberally.
You will be glad you did.

Philippians 3:1
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.

4:4 REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE.