Friday, December 5, 2014


Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit.  The miracles that he did, the words that he spoke, the kindness and compassion that he showed to people, his life and his death, all was the outflowing of a Spirit filled life.  It was from God that he received; and was enabled to freely give.  The Spirit gave him eyes to see all things.  And the Spirit gave him words to speak that would be a blessing to all mankind.  At the beginning of his public ministry Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit in a remarkable manner.  "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:" Mathew 3:16.  Afterwards, though not in so remarkable a manner, Christ continued to receive the Holy Spirit day by day.

A life led by the Spirit was not always easy for others to understand; but that was in itself enough to give meaning to all that He did.  Jesus did not come to do his own will, but the will of his Father in heaven.  He did not live to please men; but to honor God; and at the same time uplift humanity.  The record of his life being led by the Spirit is clear, and insightful.  "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil."  "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.  And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all."  Luke 4:1, 2, 14, 15.  When he announced his mission in his home town he read from the prophet Isaiah.  "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."  Luke 4:18, 19.  And as he began to speak "they all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth."  Luke 4:23.  Jesus was "meek and lowly" and yet was always firm for principle, never turning from the path of duty.  He had compassion on the multitude, which were as sheep without a shepherd, but he was not afraid to rebuke the proud.  He was kind and gentle with every individual treating each as a child of God and at the same time taught the way of God in truth.  People were often amazed at the things He said and did; at other times many were offended.  Many were thankful for the wonderful blessings they received; others cast contempt on the work he was doing.  At one time a multitude tried to take Him and make Him king; but at last, He was crucified.  But in all that he was, and all that he did God's purpose was fulfilled.  The blind that could see, the lame that could walk, and the poor that could understand the gospel, all were a living testimony to the power of God in Jesus Christ.  The results of one Spirit filled life are remarkable. 

How was it that Jesus received the Holy Spirit?  Can we have the same power in our lives today?  Paul tells us "we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."  Romans 6:4.  "Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him."  Luke 3:21, 22.  Jesus received the Holy Spirit in answer to his prayer, and likewise, he teaches us to pray for the Spirit.  "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  For every one that asks receives, and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.  If a son ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?   Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  Or if he ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:  how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"  Luke 11:9-13.  No greater gift is available to us today than the presence of the Holy Spirit; and God is waiting to answer our earnest prayers  for that which we most need.

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