Why did Jesus need the Holy Spirit?

In the Bible, the very beginnings of Christianity and the rapid growth of the New Testament Church are summarized by Luke in the opening chapters of the book of Acts.  It is the story of Jesus passing the baton of His earthly ministry to His disciples, commonly referred to as the great commission.  As a prerequisite to that appointment, Jesus instructs His followers to wait for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  The call for their patience is disclosed by Jesus himself in chapter one, verse eight.

Jesus said to them: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

It is not difficult to comprehend why His followers would require the power available through the Holy Spirit. (I outline this in the accompanying newsletter.)  But why did Jesus need the Holy Spirit to accomplish the mission assigned to Him by the Father?  The answer, of course, is found in Scripture, and reminds us how God prepared Jesus before His earthly ministry began.  This account is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  I chose Mark’s gospel for emphasis. 

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.   And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.  Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”   Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.   And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. (Mark 1:9-13) (KJV) 

There are two things that ought to stand out to us in these verses.  First, Jesus’ ministry did not start until He was baptized and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  It is important to remember that while Jesus was still the Son of God, He had taken on flesh to become one of us.  The Spirit of God empowered His flesh to carry on the mission of God.  In unity with the Trinity, Jesus as man, was not only an excellent teacher and relatable to His audience, He was also our role model throughout His earthly ministry. 

Second, exposing Jesus to Satan’s temptation was not an option, it was an imperative.  Scripture tells us that the Spirit “drove” Him.  One commentary stated it was God’s will for Jesus to prove Himself to us by resisting temptation to sin – something no human has ever been capable of achieving.  By doing so, He set Himself as an example to the disciples and to us that victory over the enemy is attainable.  Having triumphed over Satan, Jesus can now call others to share in His spiritual inheritance.  Remember what we are told in Hebrews and in Romans.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:17-18) 

The Holy Spirit unites us with Jesus.

Did it ever occur to you that we are sharing in the same struggle with the same enemy that opposed Jesus throughout His earthly ministry?  At the same time, the same power available to Jesus through the Holy Spirit resides in us to defeat this enemy.  Our profession of faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior is just the first step toward that victory.  Pursuing the knowledge of God is what follows, and that becomes a live-long quest for the mature believer.

We will be tempted, we will be tested, and we will suffer in this fallen world (just like Jesus).  But we are already victorious because the Spirit of God was gifted to us at the moment of our salvation.  The same power that was available to Jesus and necessary for Jesus to defeat Satan’s agenda while He was in the flesh, is not only available to us, that same Holy Spirit lives within us! 

So, the Holy Spirit unites us with Jesus in victory, but along with that promise there is a calling.  It is the same command given to the disciples and the New Testament church.  As born-again believers, we are all called to the great commission – to be evangelists for the gospel.  Most of us are awkward at it, but when we do attempt to share the gospel, are we speaking from our own earthly knowledge or are we empowering our message through the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit? 

Jesus said: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)v 

May I encourage you to pursue a relationship with all three members of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?  Upon full engagement, the once meager and tentative disciples proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness and confidence.  Perhaps more than the others, Peter’s transformation is remarkable.  Scripture tells us his first proclamation of the gospel resulted in 3,000 new believers.  And his words still hold true today.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)

In ‘Take Captive Every Thought’, I do my best to share what the Holy Spirit has revealed to me in regard to living a victorious Christian lifestyle.  This study is a true testament to God’s ability to save the lost, revive the dead in spirit, and use a common sinner to advance His Gospel.  Should you choose to read the book, I trust the inspiration of the Holy Spirit will be self-evident as you progress through the chapters.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit

Penned by His faithful servant. 

To God be the glory!

Please share this resource with family and friends.  Our ministry continues to grow through God’s grace and word-of-mouth referrals.  Thank you for your continued support and God bless! 

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