Are you tired of going through the motions and feelings as though you have more to offer this world? Have people stereotyped you and, maybe, you have made their words about you a self-fulfilling prophecy? Escape the labels and titles projected on you by people and through faith, expect an encounter with destiny. Your life is about to change and you can thank God for it! - Ivory Bostick, Senior Pastor, Tree of Life Worship Center "Hail Mary" is a timely and revelatory book. It is written at a time when God is releasing His glory in the earth through His people. In order for this to happen, it is paramount that believers know who they are. They must know Christ, know that He dwells in them and that they are empowered by the power of the Highest. "Hail Mary" comes to ignite and rekindle that knowledge in believers so that, like Mary, what God has put in us produces a sound that releases His glory in the saved and to the unsaved. - Sandra Jones, Associate Pastor, Tree of Life Worship Center
Hail MARY
Discovering the destiny and purpose for your life by following Mary's amazing storyBy IVORY BOSTICKAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Ivory Bostick
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4772-2526-4Contents
Preface............................................xixThe Annunciation...................................1The Acknowledgement................................9The Submission.....................................15The Encounter......................................21The Witness........................................27The Abode..........................................33The Release........................................39The Journey........................................47Rejection..........................................55Worship and Praise: Magnificat.....................63The Preparation....................................71The Manifestation..................................77
Chapter One
HAIL MARY The Annunciation
"And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ." (Matthew 1:16 KJV)
Have you ever noticed how God announces those whom He has chosen and prepared to do His will? there is no fan-fare or need for these individuals to toot their own horn. The fact of the matter is that most of these individuals find themselves unworthy to do what God is requesting them to do. For the most part, they are unknown to the Who's Who in the world and are generally from places that are rarely noticed for any importance.
Mary's announcement came as a subtle inscription located in the New testament scriptures of saint Matthew. He listed her in the genealogy of Jesus as the wife of Joseph of whom was born Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:16). More emphasis was placed on her virginity than on her (Isaiah 7:14 and Luke 1:26-27). Although it is not clear who Mary's mother was, there is evidence that Heli was her father, she was from Galilee called Nazareth (possibly from a Judean tribe), and she was espoused to Joseph, the son of Jacob. So, it is apparent that Mary's life was not an opened book and her sufferings were very real. She was a peasant girl. Have you ever wondered why God brings you through a particular family line? sometimes you feel you don't fit in with your family, and you doubt your worth. God is setting you up for your future and your destiny; so it is important never to despise humble beginnings. Humility and humiliation are prerequisites for promotions and elevations. God is always bringing those to the forefront who have had troubled pasts.
God knows what He wants, and what He wants is you and I. His emphasis is on our earthen vessels that He puts His treasure into, not on the frailties of our flesh. Mary's purpose was revealed in the old testament book of Isaiah chapter 7, verse 14 that states, "a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name, Immanuel." God has a way of keeping us hidden until such a time that He will unveil us. Haven't you received prophecies about your future that seem far-fetched? Do you think Mary knew that she was highly favored of God or that she was chosen before her birth to be the mother of our Lord and savior, Jesus christ or did she focus on the name that was given her by her parents? People will call us a lot of names—some deserved and some not deserved—but despite negativity and our self-fulfilling prophesies, God's thoughts towards us are "thoughts of peace not of evil to give us an expected end" (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV) or as another translation states, "to give us a hope and a future" (NIV).
Mary's name meaning bitter, contentious or rebellious did not stop the Lord from being with her. He made the greatest deposit that anyone could ever impart into her spirit. God's words to us will always change our lives and our situation. God's words through Gabriel, His messenger, and the workings of the Holy spirit changed everything about Mary even her name. Now, people all over the world call her, "virgin Mary" or "Mary, the mother of Jesus." God perfects and validates our yielded vessels, even as He announces and displays our worth/value to the world. Mary was an ordinary girl, but God knew that she had the potential to produce greatness.
Why do you think God chooses to use ordinary people? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Do you feel your life is ordinary or great? Explain why? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Have you received prophecies about your future that seem far-fetched? If so, what are they and why do you feel they are far-fetched? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Personal reflections ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Chapter Two
HAIL MARY The Acknowledgement
"... Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not Mary: for thou has found favor with God." (Luke 1:28-30 KJV)
Gabriel, the heavenly messenger, whose name means man or hero of God, recognized Mary's potential. No doubt he had conversations with God before confronting her. Tradition labels him as the one reporting the corrupt state of mankind to the creator and receiving his commission. He is recorded to be the spirit of truth in the Koran of a long existing religion. According to Christian doctrine, Gabriel is God's archangel and messenger. God sees mankind, and being that He is omniscient, He really doesn't need anyone to report man's state of being to Him. In light of understanding Gabriel's role, it is safe to say that on the day that he met up with Mary, he was doing the will of his creator—giving her His message.
Gabriel's task was to help Mary acknowledge and accept who God said she was despite who she may have thought she was. certainly, his salutation alarmed and troubled her to the point of resistance, leaving her with questions of God's favor toward her. How could she be highly favored and blessed among women? Who knew her other than the people in her immediate circle? so frequently when God's words about us come through His messengers, they are rejected or the receiver acquiesces to cover up his or her lack of belief.
God sees a bigger picture and his plans for us are great. He is the master planner and the God of all creation. Isaiah, a prophet of the Lord, wrote these inspired words as he heard God revealing a part of His awesomeness:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:8-11, NIV)
The truth has a way of making us free. Once Mary accepted the possibilities of conceiving a child through the Holy spirit without a man, and becoming the mother of a king, she acknowledged that she was the "handmaid of the Lord." Mary said to Gabriel, "be it unto me according to thy word."
Agree with God quickly and acknowledge that there is greatness in you. You are who God says you are and you can do what God says you can do. Oh yes you can! Gabriel met Mary in the city of Galilee named Nazareth. Galilee in typology is a place of wandering or circling and Nazareth with its narrow hills and sunken basin is typed as a place of low self-esteem, narrow mindedness and sunken dreams. When God's words of encouragement and elevation are spoken into your life, it may be easy, or convenient, to judge those words based on your current situation. Know that the Holy spirit is the spirit of truth not Gabriel. He is the change agent and He causes us to become agents of change. As we agree with God's words about us, we will experience the mystery of His power and His love. Gabriel's task was to help Mary acknowledge and accept who God said she was despite who she may have thought she was. How do you see yourself? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
What do you think God sees when He looks at you? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Personal reflections ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Chapter Three
HAIL MARY The Submission
"And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word ..." (Luke 1:38 KJV)
The process of submission is often misperceived. Brides are reluctant to repeat the word in their wedding vows and criminals struggle with officers of the law when asked to "halt" and yield to authority. Mary wasn't arrested by the angel, Gabriel neither was she bewitched and asked to surrender to a superior force. She was saluted and told God's plan for her life. Have you ever questioned words that were spoken to you by a perfect stranger, prophet of the Lord, or a pastor? Gabriel had a message from the Lord for Mary. He told her that she had found favor with God, that she would conceive a son in her womb, and that His name should be called Jesus. That was a lot of information to process. Imagine Mary's thoughts. Would yours be—"What is he talking about?" "Is he crazy?" "No way!" and the big one, "Has he lost his mind?" No doubt Mary was overwhelmed by the prophecy because her question was, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man" (Luke 1:34). As Gabriel explained that the Holy spirit would come upon Mary and the power of the highest would overshadow her, God gave her clarity and peace. Mary's response was, "behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word ..." (Luke 1:38).
Clarity is the prerequisite for understanding. It's the key that unlocks reality. Mary submitted to a life changing experience once the reality of God's plan took root in her spirit. She realized that submitting to God's thoughts about her and His love had unlocked within her a new attitude about herself. God's word was accomplished in Mary ["... it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the things for which I sent it."] (Isaiah 55:11 NKJV) she didn't have to lift a finger to help Him do His work.
God sends words of prophecy to us through His vessels of honor, but often times they are dismissed through disbelief. Apostle Paul wrote, "faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 1:1 KJV). This scripture helps us to understand that we can only submit to God's spoken word through faith. It is pleasing to God when we have faith in Him. Faith comes by hearing the word of God and submitting to the power of truth within it. Biblical history does not confirm whether Mary knew how to worship God at that moment neither was the status of her relationship with Him known. What was known is that she found favor with God. This knowledge sparked Mary's submission in the presence of Gabriel, the Holy spirit and the power of the Almighty.
Mary's reality was that God found her while she was alone and expressed that He had chosen her to fulfill His purpose in the earth. From the minute Gabriel saluted her until the time of his departure, Mary experienced the glory of God and the joy of submitting to the will of the Father. As the title of the musical authored by Vinnette Carroll states, "your arms [are] too short to box with God." So, don't struggle. Submit to His will, and He will make His words clear to you. Jesus came that you may have life more abundantly (John 10:10 KJV).
The process of submission is often misperceived. How do you define submission? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
What were you taught about submission and, after reading this chapter, has your attitude towards being submissive shifted? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Personal reflections ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Chapter Four
HAIL MARY The Encounter
(Luke 1:26-56 KJV)
In the sixth month, in the city of Galilee, Mary had an encounter with Gabriel, the Holy spirit and the "Power of the Highest." she arose, after such an awesome experience, and went into Judah (known as the hill country) where she had another encounter with her cousin, Elizabeth. several significant things happened during these encounters: (1) Mary received a Word from the Lord; (2) she received the Holy spirit and the "Power of the Highest;" (3) she ascended into Judah (praise) with haste and upon her salutation to her cousin, Elizabeth; (4) a manifestation and impartation took place—Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, her child leaped in her womb, and she and her unborn babe were witnesses to Mary being the mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Mary's ascension to the hill country was a transition. Yes, a transition into a higher level and dimension of praise and a greater understanding of God's divinity and power. Whenever the Holy Spirit is involved, transition is immediate and imminent. Believe me, power accompanies the Holy spirit!!! the "Power of the Highest" is God Himself. God has His own power. Luke recorded these passages of scripture, "... It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power, but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you...." (Acts 1:7-8 KJV) so, impartations are imminent also after you have had an encounter with the Holy spirit.
I hope you realize the potency of your encounters with the Word of God and the Holy spirit. Your testimony (the word of God in your mouth) can positively affect those who hear it even as Mary's salutation transformed Elizabeth's life and alerted her unborn child that there is a power within. How quick and powerful is the word of God (Hebrews 4:12) that comes to make us powerful in the earth.
Jesus is the word that was made flesh and came to dwell among us (John 1:14). He is the same word that was deposited in Mary's womb in the sixth month and excited Elizabeth's baby (John the Baptist) while she was six months pregnant. There is something wonderful about the number six. It is the number of man that came into existence on the creative sixth day. Jesus is both human and divine—man and spirit and He gives us encounters of Himself to empower us for a lifetime.
Have you ever had an encounter with Jesus (the Word) and the Holy spirit? Do you desire to be empowered by the Holy spirit and have a positive affect on the people and situations around you? Well, you can today! Jesus will meet you and fill you with His power. He did it for Mary and Elizabeth. It doesn't matter where you are in your life.
Mary was in a place of wandering and Elizabeth was hiding in her house with an unbelieving spouse. The sharpness of God's word will pierce hardness and darkness. God will fill you with His spirit, His presence, His joy and His love. The transition will manifest itself through the blessings that others will receive from the power of your testimony.
Have you ever had an encounter that has caused a transition in your life? Explain a time when someone or something has empowered you. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Your testimony can positively affect those who hear it. Explain a time when your words have empowered someone else. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Personal reflections ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Excerpted from Hail MARYby IVORY BOSTICK Copyright © 2012 by Ivory Bostick. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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