Jesus, himself, received the powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit and overcame temptation by Satan.
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| JESUS BAPTIZES WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT |
Rugged John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. John preached a gospel of repentance along the Jordan River. He wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild honey.
“You brood of vipers!” he warned
the religious Pharisees.
Brood of vipers! When I first arrived in Silver Springs, Florida (1984), the news reported a distraught, blond young woman ran all bare foot through the picnic area, swam the Oklawaha River, and disappeared into the primeval growth.
Rescuers found her body in a brood of black water moccasins, poisonous snakes. Of such, John considered the religious Pharisees. Jesus later used the same image.
Fire is symbol of purification. A farmer burns his fields to clean the grounds of weeds and impurities including viruses and bacteria. As such, repentance is the fire that cleans the sin of men and women.
When Jesus arrived at the Jordan, John baptized him with water. The Holy Spirit came on Jesus, and God the Father spoke audibly.
“This is my Son, whom I love;
with him I am well pleased”
(Mathew 3:17 NIV).
Jesus is God and man, but he functioned in his manhood as an example. Thus, he observed the customs of Jewish culture and religion.
He spiritually received the anointing of the Holy Spirit. He prayed in continual unity with his Heavenly Father. Even, as we can.
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert to fast and to pray for forty days and to overcome the temptations of Satan with victory.
The three temptations appealed to the flesh for bread, to the heart for spiritual pride and power, and to the intellect to worship the devil, himself, in exchange for the kingdoms of the world. (Sounds like contemporary politicians.)
Jesus answered the Devil
in three powerful statements.
“It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'” (Matthew 4:4 NIV).
“It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test'” (4:7).
“Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only'” (4:10).
Scripture tells us, the angels came and ministered to Jesus.
He showed us throughout his ministry how to live, filled with the Spirit of God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
– Bill Hunt © 2010
NOTE: Please let us know your thoughts in the comment box. Have you ever experienced the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?
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and Pentecost. Note the Five Star Ratings and how many voted!
and Pentecost. Note the Five Star Ratings and how many voted!
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