Thursday, December 15, 2016

Did Jesus live 30+ years without the Holy Spirit?

I am going to post about something that I don't have much insight on, but the thought struck me as I was reading tonight. I have been reading (very slowly) the book Adopted for Life, by Russel Moore. It's a great read and deep theologically, spiritually, and about the power of adoption in Christ and with children here on Earth. I read just a few sentences tonight (12/15/16), and a statement he wrote caught my attention and prompted this blog post.

When the "flesh" can't produce a deliverer for the human race, the Spirit overshadows a virgin's uterus and conceives a new humanity (Luke 1:35). The Spirit descends on Jesus at his baptism, as God's voice proclaims his acceptance of his "beloved Son" (Matt. 3:17).
Did you catch that? It "appears" that the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) did not descend onto/into Jesus UNTIL HIS BAPTISM. If true (remember, I am not proclaiming this to be 100% true though it seems according to the Bible to be so), does that not strike you as both very interesting and amazing? That means, if Jesus was somewhere in his late 20's to mid/late 30's when He was baptized by John (roughly 29 A.D.; not 100% sure), that He lived his first years on Earth without the power of the Holy Spirit - in Him. The Bible says that Jesus was "without sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:15, 1 John 3:5, Isaiah 53:9, 1 Peter 1:18-19). SO, if He lived through his childhood, teen years, and early adult years without the power of the HS and was still without sin, isn't that remarkable?! It was a miraculous occurrence that Jesus lived as a teenager and did not sin!!! 

He wasn't just "God." He was fully man as well, and stepped out of Heaven and into flesh and blood, taking on the role of a servant, and lived a sinless life, in perfect obedience to His Father in Heaven (Philippians 2, Mark 10:35-45). And, if this is true, He did it the first 20+ years of His life through prayer and seeking His Father's will and not with the power of the Holy Spirit. He even said that the Holy Spirit would come only after He ascended into Heaven (John 16, Acts 2):
And this was his John the Baptist message: After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. - Mark 1:7-13, NIV
So what's the point? Well, I don't know fully, but here is what I know:
  • Jesus lived a perfect life and was the ultimate, final, perfect, spotless sacrifice for us. He who knew no sin became sin so that death would no longer be victorious over us; and we could be reunited with our Heavenly Father through Him (John 17:3 - eternal life). 
  • It appears that Jesus lived most of His sinless life without the power of the HS but relied on prayer and His relationship with His Heavenly Father (John 5:19).
THEREFORE, if we have been united with Christ and fully trust in Him for life abundantly, here on Earth (John 10:10), and forever in Heaven, and we have been given the HS upon our profession of faith (Ephesians  1:13), then what excuse do we have as true believers and followers of Christ? We have been given the Holy Spirit to teach us, correct us, guide us, remind us, strengthen us, and help us live in union and obedience to Christ (John 14:15-17, 26; Romans 8:26; Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Corinthians 6:19).

Are you walking in the Spirit or trying to live according to the flesh? If like me, you are struggling to live fully in the power of the Holy Spirit. I get caught up in my own pride, fear, shame, regret, and impatience and forget that the Holy Spirit lives in me. I blow it often. I am reminded that I can't do it apart from Christ, and Christ is very gracious and patient with my "maturing process," even when it seems I am very slow to "get it." The Apostle Paul even struggled with doing what was right and good (See Romans 7:14-21, 8:1).

Got marriage struggles? Ask the Spirit to help.
Got money problems? Ask the Spirit to help.
Stressed, depressed, and restless? Ask the Spirit to help.
Fearful, anxious? Ask the Spirit to help.
Tempted to sin? Ask the Spirit to help.
Needing wisdom? Ask the Spirit to help.

Whatever you are feeling or facing, the Spirit is available 24/7. Wow, I need this reminder every minute of every day...especially when parenting my first teenager. I have really gotten off track lately with trying to be a good father to a new teenager. Forgive me son for failing so often.

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Ephesians 1:13
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

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