The Spirit in Your Life
So the Spirit was with Christ from the beginning, especially in His baptism. And thirdly, let me say that the Spirit was active in Christ's ministry. You can see throughout His life how the Spirit empowered Him and enabled Him in many ways.
Consider firstly how the Spirit prepared Jesus for His ministry. In Mark 1:12 we see that the Spirit “sent Jesus into the wilderness where He was tested by the devil.” Could it be that you're in a time of testing, but the Spirit is with you and has sent you there because that's going to prepare you for something great? That's what happened for Jesus, and it was the work of the Spirit. Oh, hang tight if you're in a time of preparation, friends, and let the Spirit complete His work in you.
The Power of Spirit-Led Ministry
And then, when He entered into His ministry, Jesus had great power, and it was the power of the Spirit. Luke 4:14 says that “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.” That was just after He'd been tempted and spent that time in preparation. When we live in the Spirit and have faith in His indwelling in our hearts, there is a power that comes—a power over sin, a power to do good works. And Jesus, of course, is the prime example of that, living in the power of the Spirit. His life was filled with power, and it all came from the Spirit.
And Jesus was a powerful witness to God in everything He did. Of course, He was God; He was one with the Father, but everything He did pointed people to the Father, and that was also because of the power of the Spirit in Him. All His preaching, all His teaching, all His loving and caring for people in compassion—everything He did was empowered by the Spirit. It was not simply good deeds that any human can do. It was Spirit-empowered love! And that, too, is available for you and me, friends, because we are Spirit-filled.
Embracing Your Spirit-Filled Identity
Please remember that the Christian message and gospel don't end with "God loves you and died for you and forgives you." That's an amazing truth. And that's the beginning. That's what sets everything up. That's what prepares you for the second bit, which is being filled with the Spirit and doing good works in the Spirit's power.
Have you received the Spirit's power, friends? Have you in faith asked the Spirit to fill you, believed that He has, and then begun to walk with the power of the Spirit coursing through your veins?
Following the Early Church's Example
Christ's ministry was Spirit-empowered. And you know what, friends? So was the ministry of the early church. They were ordinary people like you and me, but they were Spirit-filled, and that is what made all the difference.
And so, receive the Spirit in faith. Just pray, ask Him to fill you, and then believe that right now He is empowering you every minute of every day.
Like Christ, you surely will live a life of powerful witness to God.
