HOW’D HE DO IT?
Have you ever wondered how Jesus did it? He healed all types of sicknesses, set demonized people free, turned water into wine, brought dead people back to life, and He even did some nature-defying acts like encouraging Peter to fish on the other side of the boat with result being a net-busting haul of fish that required other boats to help him. Jesus was spectacular and utterly unique!
Yes, Jesus was God and yet . . . at the same time He was fully human.
We must remember that Jesus was like us in every respect – heart, mind, will, emotions and all of it wrapped up in a human body. He became human in full so that he could identify with us . . . and equally important, that we would be able to completely identify with his humanity. Take time to read Hebrews 2:14-17 and 4:15. It’ll shed some light on this matter.
Now back to the opening question. How did Jesus do it? You’ll find the answer in the following two verses
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news ... (Luke 4:18)
And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. (Acts 10:38)
Did you see it? Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to do all his incredible demonstrations of power. The empowerment of the Holy Spirit made all of it possible. His attention-grabbing exploits were to bless the recipients of His actions with the love of God and to draw attention to the message about the Kingdom of God. It was crucially important for his followers to understand the Kingdom.
Not only did Jesus operate in the power of the Spirit, he expected each of us, his followers, to do so as well.
In John 14:12, Jesus makes an amazing claim: I tell you the truth, anyone, who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Wow! We get to do what Jesus did! But how?
How?
Well . . . Jesus says it will be done through the power of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the book of John, chapters 14, 15:16 and 16:5-15 Jesus speaks often about sending the Holy Spirit, “another Counselor,” and the “Spirit of truth” The anointing of the Holy Spirit would be the mechanism through which Jesus said that we, His followers, would do even greater works. The empowerment of the Spirit is the anointing. It’s simply the fuel of God’s presence on you or me for the purpose of the work of the kingdom. It’s for that reason we are praying for Holy Spirit power.
Remember, Jesus intended that we be included in his anointing.
PRAYER PROMPTS: Pray to . . .
· For the power of the Holy Spirit.
· Accept and receive the Holy Spirit’s anointing.
· Believe (have faith) that Jesus meant what he said. I can do what HE did!
· Act upon my faith because faith without action is dead on arrival.
· Recognize the open doors God is providing.
· Agree with what Jesus said about doing what he did as well as greater works . . .
· Step out in “proclaiming” the good news of Jesus Christ.
· Thank the Lord Jesus for going to the Father so that the Spirit would come into and upon us.
· Recognize when God is prompting you to use Holy Spirit power.
· Remain humble. It’s God’s anointing upon you and me. Not our power, skill or ability.
MY PRAYER FOR YOU:
Father, I pray that each one reading and praying with me, even as they agree with these words right now, would absorb the truth of the Holy Spirit’s anointing and actively receive His empowerment. Let the anointing be real and not a human substitute. Grant your wisdom to know when and how to use the anointing. Give clarity of speech. And finally, help each to give YOU all the glory! In Jesus’ name, amen!