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Luke

Luke 
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Day 43

Luke 3: 21-22 , 4:1-13 "FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT" Luke 4:1"

Day 43 – Luke 3

Text: Luke 3: 21-22 , 4:1-13″

FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT” Luke 4:1

Once again, we come across this phrase, “filled with the Holy Spirit”. The phrase comes up so often that we cannot help but ask why Luke kept using it. Let’s look at three suggestions as to why Luke emphasized the ministry of the Holy Spirit in his Gospel narrative:-

1. He sought to highlight the all-important role of the Holy Spirit in our life.

2. He sought to emphasize our need for the filling of the Holy Spirit and His power in our life

3. He sought to show how we too can have the Holy Spirit fill our life, and how His in-filling can make all the difference in our life.

4. John the Baptizer’s message must not be forgotten. He preached that when Jesus will come, He will give believers the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16).

Have you seen evidence of the Holy Spirit working in your life?

A QUICK REVIEW OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PERSON IS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Luke records for us a number of things the Holy Spirit does when He comes upon a person, and filling his life:-

1. He will especially protect the individual (In John’s case, there was special protection since Elizabeth was rather old, and past the normal age of giving birth – Luke 1:15).

2. He will especially empower Mary so that she could conceive miraculously. (Luke 1:35)

3. Effectively, the Holy Spirit prevented Jesus from inheriting the original sin that is the lot of all normal human beings (Luke 1:35)

4. When the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth, her heart was filled with a special sense of joy and thanksgiving (Luke 1:42-45)

5. When the Holy Spirit filled Zacharias, he was given special prophetic insight (Luke 1:67-79).

6. When Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit, he was given a special revelation that he would see the Messiah before his death. The Holy Spirit also led him unerringly to Jerusalem where he beheld Jesus and bore witness that He was indeed the promised Messiah (Luke 1:25-32)

THE HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDED IN BODILY FORM LIKE A DOVE UPON JESUS Luke 3:22

At the Baptism, John bore witness and identified the Lord Jesus as “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He also anointed Him to be the High Priest, according to the Order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5).

God loudly declared that Jesus was indeed His “Beloved Son”. The Spirit of God then “descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him” (Luke 3:22).

We are reminded of a prophecy in Isaiah 48:16, where we read,
“And now the Lord God and His Spirit have sent Me.”

“LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS TO BE TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL” Matt. 4:1; Luke 4:1
Luke noted that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. This was obviously a time specially set aside for the purpose of communion with God in prayer, before actual public ministry.

Matthew adds this important thought. The Spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted (better, “tested”) by the Devil (Matthew 4:1). Luke however makes another important observation, for he recorded the fact that Jesus was tested for the full duration of forty days! This is expressed by the phrase, “being tempted for forty days by the devil”. The temptation of the Lord Jesus was not just limited to three temptations. However, Matthew and Luke selected only three temptations as highlights of the powerful struggle between the devil and the Lord Jesus Christ!

We need never be afraid of any conflict with powerful spiritual forces, as long as we are filled with the Holy Spirit of God. It was the Holy Spirit who confidently led Jesus into the wilderness to enter into a spiritual conflict with the devil! The Spirit of God was confident that His power in the life of Jesus was sufficient to defeat the devil!

“BEING FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT” – IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE

As we read about the tremendous spiritual conflict that Jesus had with the Devil, we must bear in mind that the Spirit of God was upon Jesus. His Presence, and His power though not overtly stated in the spiritual battle, must be noted!

Let us recognize another important ministry of the Spirit of God in our life. His Presence and His power are absolutely indispensable in spiritual warfare!

Let us search our lives with a great sense of honesty. Do we see much evidence of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in our life? We have seen how the Holy Spirit can make such a difference in our life. Let us desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us ask the Lord to fill our hearts with the Spirit of God.