Day 112: How Did The Spirit Work in Jesus’ Life and Now In Ours?
1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
Just as the Holy Spirit displayed His presence and power in the life of Jesus, so He does in our lives today. We return to a topic we have previously covered. It is vitally important that you see how the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of our Lord Jesus is a model for His work in our lives.
Before you read through these passages, a type of question that often comes up in this context is, “Weren’t Jesus and the Holy Spirit always united, always ‘one’? So how could Jesus be ‘filled’ with the Holy Spirt?” That is a good question. The only way I know to answer it is to say that when the Eternal Word—a member of the Trinity—became human, He lived His life as a human in exactly the same way we have to live our lives as humans. Even though Jesus is God, He did not depend on His own divine attributes to live His earthly life. Instead, He trusted His Father and entrusted Himself to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
This is an important truth and here is why: we are called to follow the example of Jesus and imitate His way of life. If He used His own divine “rights” and power, we could not be expected to follow Him. In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul says, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” Peter says, “…Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
We think of Jesus as our Creator, Savior, and King. And so He is! But He is also our example and teacher. He is the “Author and Perfecter of faith” as Hebrews says (see 12:2) and so He can teach us how to live a Faith-Full life that is pleasing to our Father. We will say more about this as we move through this final unit.
Now, read and reflect on these passages:
Jesus Was Conceived Through The Power Of The Holy Spirit
Matthew 1:18
Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:35
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God.
We Are Re-Born Through The Work Of The Holy Spirit
Titus 3:5
….(God) saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit…
Jesus Was Baptized By The Holy Spirit
Luke 3:21-22
… Jesus also was baptized. And while He was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight.”
We Are Baptized With The Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:13
For in/by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit.
Jesus Was Filled With The Holy Spirit
Luke 4:1
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,…
We Are Indwelled By The Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
Jesus Was Led By The Holy Spirit
Luke 4:1
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,…
We Are Led By The Holy Spirit
Romans 8:14
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.
Jesus Was Empowered For His Work By The Holy Spirit
Luke 4:14
Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the surrounding countryside.
We Are Empowered By The Holy Spirit
Ephesians 3:16-17
I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner person, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…
Jesus Was Anointed By The Holy Spirit
Acts 10:38
…with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.
We Are All Anointed By The Holy Spirit
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.
Jesus Was Appointed Son-Of-God-In-Power
According To The Spirit
Romans 1:4
…. [Jesus Christ] was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
We Are Appointed Sons Of God Through The Holy Spirit
Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) – if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him.
Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls “Abba! Father!”
Can you see in these passages how the work of the Holy Spirit shaped the life of the Lord Jesus and also our lives? What stuck out to you reading through these passages this time?
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
