Jesus Our Image
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38
From the beginning, it has been God who continually sets the stage to partner with imperfect people in a co-laboring relationship. When we see that He did what He did as a man following His Father, then we are compelled to do whatever we need to do to follow His example. we are no longer content to live as we are. we will still celebrate His goodness, but now it will be from the very "trenches" that Jesus lived in. There are two conditions put upon us in Jesus' example. These qualifications are essential for us to emulate the life, presence, and power that Jesus made evident. First is the fact that Jesus had no sin. Without Jesus, we are hopelessly lost in sin. But we are no longer without Him, and never will be again. That lost condition is no longer a factor, nor is it our identity. Now we are found in Christ, without sin, because His blood has made us clean. Because of such overwhelming mercy and grace, we have met the first qualification. The second condition is that Jesus was entirely empowered by the Holy Spirit. As a man, He was powerless. But the Spirit of God came upon Him in His water baptism
When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22
It was right after that experience we see Him walking in power
Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Luke 4:1
Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. Luke 4:14
When Jesus wanted His disciples to live in the same power that He did, He had them wait in Jerusalem that they might receive what was promised-the same outpouring of the Holy Spirit He received, now to be released upon them all
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4
Jesus' life was an illustration of what one man could do who had no sin and was entirely empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus, who was entirely God, modeled life with the limitations of a man. To fulfill His mission, Jesus needed the Holy Spirit; and that mission, with all its objectives, was to finish the Father's work
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. John 4:34
If the Son of God was that reliant upon the anointing, His behavior should clarify our need for the Holy Spirit's presence upon us to do what the Father has assigned ... We must be clothed with the Holy Spirit for super-natural ministry. In the Old Testament, it was the anointing that qualified a priest for ministry
You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to Me as priests; for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.” Exodus 40:15
According to Jesus' example, New Testament ministry is the same anointing that brings supernatural results. This anointing is what enabled Jesus to do only what He saw His Father do, and to say only what He heard His Father say. It was the Holy Spirit that revealed the Father to Jesus. It would seem that with all the significance attached to the name "Jesus," anyone desiring to undermine His work of redemption might be referred to as "Anti-Jesus," not "Anti-Christ." Even religious cults recognize and value of Jesus the man. At the very least, cults consider Him to be a teacher or a prophet and possibly "a" son of God. This error provides us with an understanding of why antichrist was the name given to this spirit of opposition. The spirits of hell are at war against the anointing, for without the anointing mankind is no threat to their dominion. Jesus' concern for mankind was applauded. His humility was revered, but it was the anointing that released the supernatural. And it was the supernatural invasion of God Himself that was rejected by the religious leaders. This anointing is actually the person of the Holy Spirit upon someone to equip them for supernatural endeavors. So revered is the Holy Spirit in the Godhead, that Jesus said,
Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. Matthew 12:32
When Jesus was baptized in water, Heaven took notice. Here is an interesting description of this divine moment.
And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Mark 1:10-11
Jesus saw the heavens opening. What had been promised through the ages had started. But no one expected this: Heaven invading earth through the humility of a man-the Son of God, the Son of Man. The word opening means to cleave, split: It is translated as opening, split, and tears one time each, divided and tear two times each, and torn four times. Interestingly, it is the same word used to describe both the veil in the temple being torn, and the rocks splitting open at Jesus' death, as Heaven and earth shook as a witness to the injustice of that moment-one so perfect dying for those who deserve death.
Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; Matthew 27:51-52
In other words, the heavens opening at Jesus' baptism by John was not a simple parting of the clouds. It was a violent act, first represented by Isaiah's language when he prayed,
Oh, that You would rend the heavens!That You would come down!
That the mountains might shake at Your presence—
2 As fire burns brushwood,
As fire causes water to boil—
To make Your name known to Your adversaries,
That the nations may tremble at Your presence! Isaiah 64:1-2
An invitation had been made on behalf of humanity, and God answered in person. Tearing the heavens was in itself an act of ultimate grace and glory, resulting in spiritual forces of darkness suffering serious consequences. The man, Christ Jesus, is now clothed with Heaven, thoroughly equipped for all His earthly purposes. And His equipping was a prophetic foretaste of what would soon be made available to all.
