ABIGAIL’S GIFT OF COUNSEL

Today we want to ponder Abigail’s gift of counsel. We’ve already discussed that she possessed God’s spiritual gifts of wisdom and understanding. Those two gifts would have been necessary to build up the spirit of counsel which Abigail used like an expert with David.

Humbly, showing nothing but respect, brotherly love, and concern, this woman was able to convince a strong-willed man that he was about to step out of the will of God for his life. She did so without offending or making him angry. As a matter of fact, David had nothing but gratitude to show for Abigail’s wise counsel.

AN AMAZING GIFT

How many women do you know who could pull this off? Not many! The secret whispering in the background of this scene is that it wasn’t actually Abigail who pulled off this impossible feat. It was God working through Abigail. By being attentive to God’s Spirit of Counsel living inside her spirit, Abigail was simply being an obedient servant. Her obedience helped God’s causes, David’s path, and eventually even Abigail’s own personal security and happiness.

This type of help from God’s Holy Spirit’s attribute of Counsel is something that every woman and man should strive to attain. If that were so, we might all be living in peace and joy. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful world? Let’s look into more of the importance of this attribute of God’s Holy Spirit, which God offers freely to all of His people.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPIRIT OF COUNSEL

Exactly what are the characteristics of The Spirit of Counsel? I’ve listed them below:

1. The Spirit of Counsel teaches the torah.
2. The Spirit of Counsel bears good fruit.
3. The Spirit of Counsel gives hope for a future.
4. The Spirit of Counsel works in light of eternity.
5. The Spirit of Counsel brings light and new life.
6. The Spirit of Counsel binds the individual using it to the community.
7. The Spirit of Counsel comforts.

As we think of the situation which Abigail and David faced when they first met, and how God worked through Abigail at that time, you can point to all of the above seven attributes of The Spirit of Counsel. The Spirit of Counsel resulted in the application of both wisdom and understanding in David’s circumstances.

A TEST OF THE SPIRIT OF COUNSEL

There is a test involved in the operation of this part of God’s Holy Spirit though. The person for which the blessings of this gift are intended has to be willing to receive good and godly counsel. This means that the person receiving counsel must also discern that the counsel comes from wisdom and truth.

In the Hebrew language the word “counsel” is “etzah.” The root of that word is “etz” which means “tree.” The scriptures use trees often when speaking of counsel. Abraham lived under the oak at Mamre. Deborah judged under a palm tree. The third day of creation was marked by seed bearing plants, specifically trees.

Since the Spirit of Counsel comes from the foundation of the Spirits of Wisdom and Understanding, it is considered to be third in the order of the attributes of God’s Holy Spirit. Being third would relate to resurrection and eternal life, if we think of Our Messiah. He is the One who gives us these gifts of the Holy Spirit. The consequences of walking in this gift of Counsel are relevant to eternal life.

RIGHT COUNSEL CARRIES ETERNAL TRUTHS

The things that happened between David and Abigail on the day they met on the road were central to David’s eternal destiny. Had Abigail not confronted him with God’s will and the Spirit of Counsel operating through her, David would have sinned greatly. This would have had an effect on the rest of his life. He was destined to be a King. Little did the world understand how his Kingship was destined to set up an eternal throne through which our Messiah would come and change the world.

I would suggest that this Spirit of Counsel operating within Abigail’s spirit was very important. It actually helped to change history, both for David and Abigail, and eventually for the world.

A COMMITMENT TO WALK IN GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT

So, what should we take away from this? Besides being in awe of how God operates in our day-to-day lives, we should all commit to walking in these important gifts of God’s Holy Spirit.

As you go through your day, you never know when The Spirit of Counsel living within your spirit will rise up and change the world completely. It will not be apparent to anyone at the time, but God will know, you will know, and eventually all of eternity will see the evidence of your faithfulness.

The Spirit of Counsel is what connects God’s Creation with eternity. Seeds planted from this spirit can lay dormant and in darkness for a long time, then when The Sewer of The Seed brings light to a situation, the harvest will come forth. The firstfruits of eternity will appear. The person who received the Spirit of Counsel with wisdom and understanding will escape judgement. They will know life everlasting with God.

PRAYER FOR THE GIFT OF COUNSEL

My prayer for you today is that you receive God’s gift of The Spirit of Counsel into your life. Use it to reverse engineer anything Satan tries to throw in your way. Stay the course and complete the destiny God has mapped out for you. The Season of Joy is coming. Be blessed and filled to the brim with God’s good gifts.