JESUS AND THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

JESUS AND THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

Matt. 3:16 ¶ When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

Jesus loved these get-aways with family and friends. He had fond memories of the trip to Jerusalem with his village when He was twelve. He got to see Jerusalem and was also able to visit His Father’s house. That was one of the fondest memories that Jesus had. This trip was going to be different. Rather than going to the temple and visiting the city, they were headed out into the wilderness. The prophet John had been causing quite a stir. Everyone in Nazareth had been talking about him, everyone had their opinions. Some thought this would finally be the end of the Roman domination, others thought John was a religious huckster looking for his moment of celebrity, still others thought John had simply lost his mind. You know what happens when you take the scriptures literally and go too far, especially with all the fasting John was said to be doing. Still others hoped this was the time of awakening the scriptures spoke of, maybe John was the voice in the wilderness that Isaiah had prophesied.
When Jesus arrived at the Jordan, He knew His life was about to change. The Spirit of God was all over John, it was in his face and in his words. This was the moment Jesus had waited for all His life. Before you knew it, Jesus was in the Jordan River with John. “Baptize me John, we must fulfill all righteousness”. Reluctantly, John immersed Jesus into the dark waters of the Jordan River. What happened next began a revolution that changed the world. The heavens opened, The Father spoke, and the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus. His ministry was about to begin. The Fire Bible speaks about this incredible event, Jesus being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

“Everything Jesus did—his preaching, his healings, his suffering, his victory over sin and Satan’s power—he did by the power of the Holy Spirit. Even though he was fully God, he willingly laid aside and limited his rights and privileges as God. In becoming fully human, he had to operate the same way we must—as people dependent on God’s Holy Spirit. If Jesus could do nothing apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, how much more do we need the Spirit’s power. The Spirit equipped and worked powerfully through Jesus to accomplish God’s plan of restoring his relationship with all people. Jesus himself would later baptize his followers with the Holy Spirit so that they too might have the Spirit’s power to accomplish his purposes for them.”

Jesus began His public ministry of preaching, teaching, healing the sick, and driving out demons from this day forward. He was totally dependent on the Holy Spirit for His work. How much more do we need His power today to effect our hurting world.