#1414. Luke 1:67-75 - Zechariah’s response to the Spirit (23/12/25)
- Matt Beaney
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional as we continue our Christmas series.
From Luke 1:67–75, when we’re inspired and filled by the Spirit, we praise God and help others to do the same.
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‘His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”’ (Luke 1:67-75)
1. The Holy Spirit inspires us
‘His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied…’ (Luke 1:67)
As with Elizabeth (v.41), when Zechariah is filled with the Holy Spirit, He begins to prophecy - to praise God as he is inspired by the Holy Spirit.
In Scripture, prophecy is a broad term describing speech that the Holy Spirit inspires. It may be:
Foretelling - Revealing something God will do in the future
Forth-telling - Declaring God’s truth and character clearly and powerfully
Zechariah’s song includes both: he forth-tells God’s greatness and foretells the ministries of Jesus and John the Baptist.
When the Spirit fills us, He leads us to speak words that build faith, reveal Christ, and strengthen others.
2. He tells of the redeemer and king
Zechariah rejoices that God has “come to his people and redeemed them.” He describes Jesus as:
‘A horn of salvation’ - The image of a strong, victorious king; the horn of a bull symbolises power.
Our Redeemer - The One who pays the price to set His people free.
Jesus is both King and Redeemer.
By His blood He has delivered us out of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of God.
Those who claim to speak by the Spirit but only stir fear or confusion are not reflecting His true work.When the Spirit genuinely inspires us, we grow in love for Jesus’ kingship and redemption - and we help others to love and trust Him too.
3. He speaks of God keeping His promises
Zechariah praises God for faithfully fulfilling His ancient promises to David and Abraham. God had pledged to send:
A King from the line of David
A Saviour who would bring mercy
A redeemer who would rescue His people
A covenant-keeper who would remember His oath
In Jesus, every promise finds its “Yes” and “Amen.”God does not forget His people. He does not fail in His word. Zechariah celebrates the God who keeps covenant across generations.
Response
The Holy Spirit longs to inspire and strengthen us - and in this challenging world we desperately need His comfort and courage.
Let’s ask Him to fill us.
Let’s listen for His voice as we read the Scriptures He inspired.
Let’s be ready to speak a word of encouragement, truth, or prophecy when He leads - whether in a church gathering or in a simple conversation with a friend.
Like Zechariah, may we be filled with the Holy Spirit, and may our words draw others closer to our Redeemer and King, the God who always keeps His promises.
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