The Source of Christ's Power

First written Last updated Last viewed Times read 5,595

The Son of God, as a man, did not operate in the miraculous nor enter His ministry on earth, until He received the Spirit in fullness.

13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” 15But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. 16Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. Matthew 3:13-16

36The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all— 37you yourselves know what happened, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him 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 10:36-38

4For he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives through the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him through the power of God toward you. 2 Corinthians 13:4

The Christ was born as the Son of man. In this we can see the life that the Father has planned for mankind. It is one of complete obedience to and reliance upon Him. As men live in this way, having been transferred from the darkness of Satan's authority to the light of Yahweh's authority (Acts 26:15-18), they enter a realm where all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

We see this example perfectly lived by the Lord Jesus.

27They didn’t understand that he spoke to them about the Father. 28Jesus therefore said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things. 29He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” John 8:27-29

When we live a life pleasing to the Father, He is always with us—and with Him all things are possible. This great feat is accomplished through the Holy Spirit of Yahweh.

22and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form like a dove on him; and a voice came out of the sky, saying “You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22

The Prophesied Spirit-Bearer

Centuries before the Lord Jesus walked the earth as the Son of Man, holy prophets of Yahweh spoke of His coming and anointing by the Holy Spirit.

1The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound; Isaiah 61:1

Christ, knowing His calling from His Father, one day read this passage of Isaiah.

16He came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. He entered, as was his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, 18“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed, 19and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. Luke 4:16-20

After publicly reading, He then revealed that He was the fulfillment of this prophecy of old.

21He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:21

His listeners, fellow Jews in a synagogue, heard His words with gladness and wondered how this could be of one they knew to be born of a carpenter.

22All testified about him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, and they said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Luke 4:22

At that moment, the work of that prophesied Spirit of Yahweh began, as He exposed their hearts as being full of hatred and unrepentance.

23He said to them, “Doubtless you will tell me this parable, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in your hometown.’” 24He said, “Most certainly I tell you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. 26Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed, except Naaman, the Syrian.” Luke 4:23-27

Although this Man, the Son of the Living God, was ordained to heal their hearts and grant them liberty through His death and resurrection, their hearts would reject Him and the Spirit upon Him. Even then, their actions immediately changed to expose what was in their hearts.

28They were all filled with wrath in the synagogue, as they heard these things. 29They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff. Luke 4:28,29

But it was not yet His time.

30But he, passing through the middle of them, went his way. Luke 4:30

The Holy Spirit, long the friend of Yahweh's Son, now worked with Him as His anointing while living as the Son of Man. He was there on Christ, doing the will of the Father.

1A shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit. 2Yahweh’s Spirit will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh. Isaiah 11:1,2

Christ was the Promised One Who was to come into the world. He, as the Son of Man, would be the branch coming out of David's father, Jesse.

His power would come by means of the Spirit of Yahweh that would rest upon Him.

Possibly Related

Email the Author Write about this page

I welcome your questions, testimonies, suggestions and fellowship. Please contact me by using the form below.

The form notes which material this is and pre-fills the subject with its title.

The Good Message

As you read this site, you will hopefully come to know Yahweh more fully.

But all of this continuing knowledge is useless unless and until you come into union with Him. I use the word union because it is truly a marriage. It is that deep connection we all seek, for which we most often look in other people. However, the truth is that our hearts will only be fulfilled when we enter that union in fullness with the One Who made us.

This is the grace of God, that He has not stayed distant for us only to worship as Creator. But He has come unto us, even become one of us—in His Son, Christ Jesus—in order to share an intimate union with us. He desires such closeness that it truly will envelope our entire life, transforming us into something new and wonderful.

You may have already entered this union with Him and only seek to know Him better through reading here. But if you have not, as you do read, let this Gospel sink into your heart as you read it now.

God loves you, and has cast your sins into the sea. He has sent His only Son as the Savior of the world—that includes you.

That Son, Jesus Christ, was born as a man through a virgin who had given her life to Yahweh; He lived without sin, reflected the glory of His Father, God, in all His words and deeds, and was persecuted even unto death because of it.

His death upon a cross was the powerful explosion that separated you from your life of death. It remains for you, now, to enter into that death with Him. As you die to the one you are now, a person separated from God from your many sins, you will be born anew, with a nature predisposed to live rightly. This gift is free to you, with nothing you can do to earn it. It is the mercy of God to offer it to you, as He loves you so much! All you must do is receive it by trusting Him to have delivered you. Simply place your life in His hands and embrace the freedom that came through that death on the cross.

The Gospel is that Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again on the third day after His crucifixion! Death could not hold Him, as He was without sin. And so death will not be able to hold you, as you identify with Him fully through your trust in Him. Let go of yourself and confess Him as Lord of your life. The power of His death and resurrection will work in you all that your Creator has destined for you. You will truly enter a new life and experience that intimate union you have been seeking all of your life.

So ponder these words as you read here of this great God—Yahweh—and all that He has revealed to His creation. Let His Spirit testify to your heart that these words are true, that God is Love, and that He sent His Son so that you might receive the life that is unbound by time and space. As you feel that witness in your heart, simply believe and receive what He is offering to you, even now, and begin your new life as a child of God.

Please write to me and let me know when you take this step, as I will be your brother in Christ—we will be one in Him!