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 BOSTICK

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Ivory Bostick
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-2526-4

Contents

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...