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You are here: Home / Uncategorized / Christopher Columbus and the Holy Spirit [Holy Spirit series]

May 20, 2014 ·

Christopher Columbus and the Holy Spirit [Holy Spirit series]

Uncategorized

I found this wonderful account of Christopher Columbus’ inspiration to sail to America. Probably not a story you’d find in any textbook, but a brilliant testimony of how the Holy Spirit was at work in his life. Below is an excerpt from a book Columbus wrote called Book of Prophecies. I find examples like this encouraging and hope you do, too.

Photo Credit: Muhammad Ali via Compfight cc

Photo Credit: Muhammad Ali via Compfight cc

At a very early age I began to sail upon the ocean. For more than forty years, I have sailed everywhere that people go. I prayed to the most merciful Lord about my heart’s great desire, and He gave me the spirit and the intelligence for the task: seafaring, astronomy, geometry, arithmetic, skill in drafting spherical maps and placing correctly the cities, rivers, mountains and ports. I also studied cosmology, history, chronology and philosophy.

It was the Lord who put into my mind (I could feel His hand upon me) the fact that it would be possible to sail from there to the Indies. All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me. There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because he comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures … encouraging me to continually to press forward and without ceasing for a moment they now encourage me make haste.

Our Lord Jesus desired to perform a very obvious miracle in the voyage to the Indies, to comfort me and the whole people of God. I spent seven years in the royal court, discussing the matter with many persons of great reputation and wisdom in all the arts; and in the end they concluded that it was all foolishness, so they gave it up. …

It is possible that those who see this book will accuse me of being unlearned in literature, of being a layman and a sailor. I reply with the words of Matt. 11:25, “Lord, because thou has hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hath revealed them unto babes. …

For the execution of the journey to the to the Indies I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps. It is simply the fulfillment of what Isaiah had prophesied. All this is what I desire to write down for you in this book.

No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Savior, if it is just and if the intention is purely for His holy service. The working out of all things has been assigned to each person by our Lord, but it all happens according to His sovereign will even though He gives advice. He lacks nothing that it is in the power of men to give him. Oh what a gracious Lord, who desires that people should perform for Him those things for which He holds Himself responsible! Day and night moment by moment, everyone should express to Him their most devoted gratitude. …

 

This post is part of a 4 week series about the Holy Spirit. Click HERE for other posts in this series.

This series will look at topics such as:

– Inviting the Holy Spirit to begin working within us
– How to listen for the Holy Spirit
– What it means to obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit
– How obedience is linked to trust
– How the Holy Spirit equips us, even when we don’t feel qualified
– What impact we can have in the world when we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit

If you like this series, consider subscribing. Enter your email in the subscribe box at the bottom of the page and I’ll send notifications of new posts directly to your inbox. Forward this to a friend who would like to learn more about the Holy Spirit.

 

Linking with: UNITE, Titus 2 Tuesday, Testimony Tuesday

Other Posts You May Like

Previous Post: « Become a Sleuth for Spirit Clues [Holy Spirit series]
Next Post: Take a Risk and Just Obey [Holy Spirit series] »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Holly Barrett says

    May 20, 2014 at 6:59 am

    What a great example of relying on the Holy Spirit and being obedient. Thanks for linking up to Testimony Tuesday!!

  2. Sabra Penley says

    May 21, 2014 at 6:38 am

    Wow. I have never heard this before. (Not surprising, I suppose.) What a great testimony of God’s work through us. And to what we can accomplish for Him if we move forward in what He has called us, in His power and wisdom. What Columbus faced was not unlike what Noah faced while he was building the ark–ridicule and opposition. May we always be faithful to His call!

Trackbacks

  1. Fired Up with the Holy Spirit! [Holy Spirit series] | Finding Hope says:
    June 8, 2014 at 5:01 am

    […] Christopher Columbus and the Holy Spirit […]

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Hi, I'm Kathryn! I'm glad you're here to journey with me! I'm just an ordinary girl following an extraordinary God, learning to seek God's possible in this world of impossible. Fueled by loads of coffee, I'm passionate about helping and encouraging you along this journey, too! Let's step forward together and learn practical ways to live into God's possible! Read More…

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