CHALLENGE 2: SPIRIT-FILLED

Part C - Spirit Powered 

The Incarnation 

You may be surprised as we consider now the role of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life and ministry. If you have never reflected on the relationship between Jesus and the Spirit, you may also encounter a sense of mystery. Listening to and emulating Jesus is a life-long challenge. As we proceed, remember disciples learn both from what Jesus taught and how he lived, and our desire is to embrace Jesus’ teaching and follow his example. But can we follow him in every way — are we called to emulate Jesus even as he was the worker of miracles? Jesus obviously ministered with Divine power. We, on the other hand, assume our human limitations will prevent us from following Jesus’ example in this way, but could that just be an excuse? In our search for understanding, we must go deeper. That deeper dive takes us to the “kenosis” (a Greek verb which means “to empty”) passage in Philippians 2:5-11. It begins with these verses: 

⁵ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. ⁶ Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. ⁷ Instead, he gave up [emptied himself of] his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
Philippians 2:5-7 

Verse 6 affirms that Jesus is fully God, meaning nothing is impossible for him. But the next verse literally says, “he emptied himself (Greek kenosis) of his divine privileges.” Jesus relinquished the privileges and rights he had as God in order to become fully human. He humbly and voluntarily assumed human limitations when he became incarnate (in the flesh). He set aside his divine knowledge and power to become like us.

God has no limitations. God is all powerful (omnipotent). Nothing is impossible for him. God also knows all things (omniscient). Humans, however, have countless limitations. In order to become fully human, Jesus emptied himself of his divine qualities and accepted human limitations. He remained God but became a fully human person—like us in every way (Heb 1:17), except he was sinless (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 1:19). The shocking truth is that the eternal God became mortal, born as a powerless and vulnerable baby.

Human Limitations

The implications of this truth are breathtaking. If Jesus became fully human, it means at his birth he had the same limitations as all human babies. The One who spoke the universe into existence, who ordered storms to be still, and who is the living Word (logos, Jn 1:1-4), could not speak a single intelligible word. In the manger, like all human babies, he communicated by crying. The Living Word had to learn to speak the word for “mama,” just like other babies. In a similar manner, the one who would feed thousands with just five loaves of bread and a few small fish, needed Mary’s milk to survive. The baby Jesus was God, but he had to wear diapers and relied on others to clean his bottom. The baby Jesus could not have known he was the Messiah, Son of God, Savior, and the Lord of all. He was like us in every way, even in death, except Jesus was sinless. However, in spite of those limitations, he grew up and taught with authority, healed people, cast out demons, raised the dead, turned water into wine, and died courageously. He rose from the dead. He did this all as a human being—limited like us, except he was sinless. 

The incarnation can become mysterious and trigger awe when we try to wrap our mind around it. The eternal God becoming a baby raises many thought-provoking questions. For instance, how did Jesus learn he was the Son of God, the Messiah and Savior, and Immanuel? And how did he learn his life mission was to save the world by dying on a cross? Jesus learned that he was God’s beloved Son in the same way we learn that we are beloved sons and daughters of God! As Jesus read, studied, meditated upon, and memorized the Scripture, the Holy Spirit must have progressively illumined his mind and confirmed these truths in his heart as he progressed through childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. His heart remained soft and receptive because it was not hardened by sin. 

The Scriptures reveal little about Jesus’ childhood. Yet what it does reveal is remarkable. Mary would have told her son that the angel Gabriel had come to her, telling her she would conceive and give birth to a Son and to name him Jesus (Yahweh is Salvation, Lu 1:31). The angel further explained, “He will be very great and will be called the Son of the God Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David…and his Kingdom will never end” (Lu 1:23-33). Then, like most parents, Mary and Joseph would have told him stories about his birth in Bethlehem, which fulfilled a well-known prophecy (Micah 5:2). 

His parents would have told him about the humble shepherds, the angelic choir, and the arrival of the magi—the exotic VIPs from the distant East and their expensive gifts suitable for royalty. They would have also told Jesus the magi’s prophetic words, how they described Jesus as ”the newborn king of the Jews” and explained “We saw his star and came to worship him” (Matt 2:2). When they arrived in Bethlehem and saw Jesus as a baby, “they bowed down and worshiped him” (2:4). Not every child hears their birth was so epic that even the heavens declared his arrival and that dignitaries traveled for months to worship him. 

Mary likely told the young Jesus about his cousin, John (the Baptist) and his God-given mission, “He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord” (Lu 1:17). Mary and Joseph would have shared with Jesus Simeon’s prophecy about him when he was circumcised in the Temple eight days after his birth. Simeon took him in his arms and declared, “I have seen your salvation…. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” (Lu 2:25-35). 

There is one more passage that helps illumine Jesus’ childhood years. When Jesus was twelve years old, Luke 2:41-52 says he traveled with his family to Jerusalem to observe the Passover festival. In the crowded streets of Jerusalem, without telling his parents of his plans, Jesus made his way to the Temple. When his parents finally found him there three days later, “sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them, and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (vs 46-47). Jesus exhibited unusual wisdom, spiritual insight, plus a keen grasp of biblical truth, discussing the Scriptures with prominent Bible scholars, perhaps learning more about how he fit into God’s unfolding plan of salvation. Jesus appeared to be a precocious twelve-year-old, which is not the same or even close to being omniscient—all knowing. 

Jesus undoubtedly continued to listen and reflect on the stories about his birth as he grew older while simultaneously feeding his growing hunger to understand God’s word at the school in the local synagogue. He grew physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually (Lu 2:52). Mary would have continued to share stories as he matured. Mary or Joseph would have explained that his birth had threatened King Herod which resulted in the slaughter of the innocents (Matt 2:16-18). Joseph would have also told Jesus an angel had appeared to him in a dream one night, saying, "Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother… because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him” (Matt 2:13). The topic of the virgin birth may have been even more of a mind-bender for him than it is for us. 

Throughout Jesus’ childhood years, the Spirit continued to counsel and tutor Jesus, helping him understand and make sense of his parents' stories, the teaching of the scholars, and the Scriptures. The Spirit illumined his mind to understand, and then moved those truths from Jesus’ head to his heart (just as he does with us). Concurrently, Jesus’ relationship with the Father deepened and matured under the Spirit’s guidance. This process continued until Jesus’ baptism, through which he demonstrated to the Father that he was all in. Jesus had been on a steep learning curve for thirty years (Lu 3:23) before he fully grasped his identity and that his mission would take him to the cross. Then through his baptism and the temptations that followed, he fulfilled the final prerequisites before beginning his public ministry.

Supernatural Power

We have no record of Jesus performing any miracles before his baptism and the start of his ministry. The question remains: How was Jesus able to perform miraculous signs and wonders without relying on his divine omniscience and omnipotence? The answer, according to Scripture, is that Jesus performed all of his miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus had learned his true identity (Son of God, Messiah, Savior, Lord, etc.) and his purpose and mission (to save the world by dying on a cross) from the Holy Spirit. His life and ministry showed us what human beings, even with all of our limitations, can be and do when they are filled with and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is not by our power, but by the Spirit, that the work of God is accomplished. Jesus taught and demonstrated this truth. 

Jesus both taught and modeled Kingdom living but knew this way of living (the Jesus Way) could not be achieved solely by hard work and good intentions. When a rich man asked him what he needed to do to be saved, Jesus replied that he must sell everything he had, give the money to the poor, and then become one of his disciples. Hearing his response shocked Jesus’ disciples. Afterward they asked him, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus’ response expressed a profound truth: “What is impossible for humans is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). Challenge #1 was emphatic: we cannot save ourselves. The Spirit draws us to Jesus and then helps us go all in. Then the Spirit takes up residence within us and empowers us. The Spirit is the game-changer. What God wants to do in and through us cannot be accomplished relying on our own resources. Yet if God asks us to do the impossible, the impossible becomes possible with the Spirit’s help. Kingdom living is impossible without the Spirit’s presence and power. The Spirit helps us, just as he helped Jesus transcend human limitations. The presence of the Spirit embodies and releases supernatural power in a way that enhances and completes the ordinary and natural. 

Let’s review Jesus’ example. Jesus was filled with the Spirit his entire life. Yet shortly before beginning his public ministry, he went to John to be baptized. I think that this was Jesus’ way of reporting for duty, demonstrating to the Father that he was all in and prepared to begin his mission. Then, as Jesus rose up from the waters of the Jordon River, the Spirit descended on him like a dove (Mk 1:9-11). He was filled with an overflowing portion of the Spirit. John’s gospel reveals God gave “him the Spirit without limit” (3:34). The mission which Jesus had accepted, was the most difficult and important assignment in human history, requiring the boundless power of the Spirit. But first, filled with a greater measure of the Spirit, Jesus faced and overcame the temptations of the enemy, “Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power” (Luke 4:14). He began his public ministry in the synagogue at Nazareth when he opened the scroll of Isaiah and read, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me…” (Luke 4:18). This pattern continued throughout Jesus’ ministry: Jesus ministered (words and deeds) in the power of the Holy Spirit. He exercised supernatural power, not because he was God (which he was), but because he was filled with the Holy Spirit. From birth to resurrection and ascension, the Holy Spirit filled Jesus with his presence, wisdom, insights, guidance, and power. The Holy Spirit made the Father real to Jesus, confirming his identity as the Son of God, the Savior of the World, the Spirit-anointed One (or Messiah), and the Lord of all. Jesus was Emmanual, God in human flesh, but he lived and ministered with human limitations. He demonstrated that with the Spirit’s help, it is possible to overcome human limitations. Our missions also require us to emulate Jesus by living and ministering, filled with the Spirit and relying on his power! 

The Spirit, the Disciples, and the Church

The disciples of Jesus spent three years listening to and watching Jesus. They heard him teach about the Holy Spirit and they saw what the Holy Spirit did through him. The risen Jesus gave them an impossible task: to continue his ministry. He announced, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (Jn 20:21, see also Matt 28:18-20, Acts 1:8). However, Jesus knew this was an impossible mission for limited humans to accomplish by relying on human resources, just as his mission had been impossible if it relied on human resources. Thus, his final instructions to them (moments before he returned to the Father), were to wait in Jerusalem until they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5, 8) before resuming his ministry. Ten days later, on the day of Pentecost, they were filled with the Spirit. Then, and only then, they were equipped to follow Jesus’ example and carry on his ministry. What formerly was impossible, now became possible with the Spirit’s help.

Pentecost changed everything. The church was born when thousands of ordinary people went all in for Jesus and were filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit transformed and used these ordinary people to continue the ministry of Jesus. Ordinary people began to share their possessions, to love one another sacrificially, and to courageously share the good news through their words and their actions. They produced fruit that far exceeded the sum of their efforts because of the Spirit’s presence and power working through them. 

Think about it. After Jesus had been crucified, raised, and ascended to the Father, there were only one hundred twenty disciples that had remained faithful to Jesus. Yet on the day of Pentecost, when those one hundred and twenty people became Spirit-filled disciples, at least three thousand additional people became spirit-filled disciples. That is twenty-five times more disciples at the end of the day than the hundred and twenty that Jesus had left behind after three years of ministry. Jesus kept his promise that his disciples would do greater things than he did (Jn 14:12). 

On the day of Pentecost and through the early chapters of Acts, only Jews became disciples. But when persecution scattered the disciples (chapter 8), they shared the good news wherever they went. Philip (not one of the twelve) went to Samaria and preached the gospel, and did miraculous healings and exorcisms. This resulted in many Samaritans becoming apprentices of Jesus. Then the first Gentiles went all in for Jesus (chapter 10). Within a few years, the gospel had taken root on three different continents. The church had become multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-national, multi-racial, and multi-lingual. And now, two thousand years later, the church has spread to every inhabited continent and numbers nearly two and one half billion people. It never could have happened without the gospel, including the incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus; plus, the presence, power and guidance of the Holy Spirit working through ordinary people. 

Jesus keeps his promises. He last words to his disciples before his ascension were: 

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 

This is precisely how events unfolded. It was not the result of human planning. Rather, it was God’s plan and it depended upon the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in every disciple, transforming ordinary people into Christ-like people who were available to be used by the Lord. The Spirit makes it possible for us to love others like Jesus loves us. The same Spirit that lived in Jesus lives is us. Jesus spoke a profound truth when he promised, “What is impossible for humans is possible with God.” 

Yes, there is mystery and wonder as we reflect on the incarnation, God becoming human, and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit at work in and through people. The distinctions between the natural and supernatural, the human and the divine, the possible and the impossible become blurred, which leads to wonder, awe, and worship. God is greater than we can comprehend, and his ways are not our ways, but his ways include each one of us. When we’ve gone all in for Jesus and the Spirit lives within us, we become part of the continuing story of God’s redemptive plan, and God gets all the glory.

THINKING IT THROUGH

“At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them.
You will be changed into a different person.”  1 Samuel 10:6

THE TRUTH: Jesus promised that after his ascension his disciples
would be filled with his presence and power through the Holy Spirit.

THE CHALLENGE: Disciples live Spirit-filled and Spirit-empowered lives.

Each part of every four-part challenge concludes with a “Thinking it Through” segment which consists of a list of Scriptures related to the topic being considered, questions for group discussion and personal reflection, and notes. Each of the twelve challenges will end with an exercise to guide you through the process of naming lies, believing the truth, and clarifying the personal implications and applications of the truth to your life. Truth, if believed, must be lived, and living the truth brings personal transformation (Kingdom living). Please consider this section as a tool to help you to understand the truth, not as a test or as busy work. 

Related Scriptures

Numbers 11:19 ¹⁹ But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them all!”

Judges 6:34 ³⁴ Then the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. 

Judges 14:6 ⁶ At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him [Samson] , and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands.

Luke 1:41 ⁴¹ At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Isaiah 42:1 [Messianic Prophecy] ¹ “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations. 

Micah 3:8 ⁸ But as for me, I am filled with power— with the Spirit of the Lord. I am filled with justice and strength to boldly declare Israel’s sin and rebellion. 

Zechariah 4:6 ⁶ Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 

Matthew 12:28 ²⁸ But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 

Matthew 1:18 [The Birth of Jesus the Messiah] ¹⁸ This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Luke 1:35 [Angel’s message to Mary] ³⁵ The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 

John 3:5-6 ⁵ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 

Luke 2:25, 27 [The Prophecy of Simeon] ²⁵ At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him.

²⁷ That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required…. 

Luke 4:1 [The Temptation of Jesus] ¹ Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness…. 

John 6:63 ⁶³ The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

John 14:17 ¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

Acts 4:31 [Prayer meeting after Peter & John were released] ³¹ After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

Questions 

You are encouraged to use these questions for group discussion or personal reflection. Respond to the questions that are most relevant or interesting to you (I urge you to write your responses in a journal or notebook). 

1. Part C began with a brief discussion of the Holy Spirit’s role in Jesus’ life and ministry. It affirmed Jesus was God, but that he voluntarily surrendered his divine power and knowledge when he became a human being. Consequently, when he did miracles, he did them by the power of the Holy Spirit. Did this discussion excite you or trouble you? Why? 

2. This cycle raises the issues of miracles in our present age. Have you ever witnessed a miracle? If so, describe what happened. 

3. Many people simply assume that Jesus performed miracles and had all the answers because he was God. Do you think this is an adequate explanation of how Jesus completed his mission according to the gospels? 

4. The narrative included a lengthy discussion about how Jesus may have learned his true identity (God incarnate) and the nature of his mission. Did you find it disturbing or encouraging? Why? 

5. Do you think there is a better explanation of the Kenosis passage (Phil 2:6-11) than what you have read in Challenge #2, Part C? If so, please explain what you believe it teaches. 

6. Should disciples expect miracles, be open-minded about reports of miracles, or be suspicious of claims of miracles happening in our present age? Give examples.

7. God’s existence is supernatural by definition and miracles are supernatural phenomena. When we make prayer requests to God that are answered, should the answers to the prayer be considered miraculous? Why or why not?

8. The second part of Part C identifies another role the Spirit plays in the lives of disciples: The Spirit fills us with power to accomplish any task God has assigned to us. The Spirit can make what is humanly impossible, possible. We do God’s work in God’s power for God’s glory. Jesus is our model. The goal is always God’s glory, never self-promotion. Have you ever, in obedience to Jesus, attempted something that seemed impossible? Explain it. 

9. Disciples are apprentices of Jesus in kingdom living. He teaches us both through his spoken words and through his example. Which is more difficult, obeying his teaching or following his example?

10. What is the most important truth about the Spirit have you learned thus far in this study? 

Notes 

Pentecostalism is a portion of the church that places emphasis on the role the Holy Spirit. I believe God has used Pentecostalism to remind the wider church to the importance of Holy Spirit’s ministry. Yet I differ with Pentecostal teaching (as I understand it) on the baptism of the Spirit. Pentecostal theology, like the wider church, views the finished work of Christ on the cross in the same way as other parts of the Christian Church. Jesus does it all. We are saved by grace through faith. 

Yet Pentecostals believe salvation is a two-stage process. First, the person is saved by going all in for Christ. Secondly, at some point after the first stage, the believer receives Spirit Baptism or the baptism in the Spirit. The believer receives the Spirit baptism, which is confirmed by speaking in tongues (unlearned languages). 

“The Jesus Way,” on the other hand, understands that we are baptized by and in the Spirit when we are saved (go all in for Jesus). The Spirit played a prominent role in the birth our faith. At the moment we believe and go all in, the Spirit comes into us (enters our hearts) and lives in us from that moment onward. We receive salvation and Spirit baptism simultaneously while Pentecostals believe these are two distinct events. We affirm the Spirit may or may not give people the gifts of tongues, but we do not view speaking in tongues as “confirmation” of having received the Spirit. According to apostolic teaching (which defines The Jesus Way), confirmation of the Spirit’s indwelling presence is the verbal declaration that a person believes “Jesus is Lord.” 

1 Corinthians 12:3
So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

Copyright © 2024 Don Waite

All rights reserved.

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