Jesus’ Baptism/ Holy Spirit

Some believe Jesus was not filled with the Holy Spirit until John baptized him but this is false. Jesus was born holy.

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

Some may argue this by saying Jesus didn’t start his “public” ministry until after John baptized him but the baptism was to show the priesthood of John being replaced by the always faithful, never ending priesthood that could not be destroyed by man or evil. It could not be blemished by the sinful actions of men but fulfilled only by all righteous. God himself would replace the old priesthood. (Hebrews 7:15-8:13)

After Jesus baptism, Jesus came up out of the water, the heaven were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased by him.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

All three of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is represented.

John 3:26-36

“So John's disciples came to him and said, "Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us."

John replied, "No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.
You yourselves know how plainly I told you, 'I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.' It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. "He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.

For he is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment."

The Jewish priesthood was an image to the real priesthood to come in Jesus Christ (which is now in place.) The Jewish priesthood was to pave a picture pathway for us. What was a priest? What did a priest do? If there were no priests what could God use to help us understand Jesus as our high priest?

Jesus Christ is our high priest who intercedes for you and I. He is not only our high priest but was our Holy sacrifice for our sins. Without Jesus there is no remission or forgiveness for our sins. Jesus is the only way. He is the only high priest and sacrifice that is acceptable. He is the only way into heaven. You want forgiveness for your sins and go to heaven? You go to Jesus. You want a life empowered by the Holy Spirit? You go to Jesus. Praise God! We can come freely to God for these things because of Jesus Christ.

“For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth by means of his blood on the cross. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. “ Colossians 1:19-22

Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus was and is eternal life and to say Jesus needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit would say he wasn’t eternal life to begin with.

Jesus said “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded." John 10:18

Some may say Jesus didn’t know who he was until he read the scriptures about himself but that is false as well. Jesus knew who he was. It would be impossible for God to not know He was God would it not?

If you being human need the Holy Spirit’s help to make sense of the word of God and led you to all truth then how would Jesus be able to make sense of the word of God and teach religious teachers on what the word meant if he didn’t know who he was and hadn’t been baptized by the Spirit yet?

Answer: Jesus was already filled with the Holy Spirit without limit or measure. (John 3:34) The Spirit conceived him in Mary. Jesus knew what the word of God meant because he knew who he was which was the WORD. (John 1:1)

Here’s the account of Jesus when he was 12 years old: “Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” Luke 2:46-47

Remember what John said? “We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them!”

Why is this so important? Why does this need to be addressed? Though anointed and Holy Spirit filled baptism works for people it does not work for Jesus.

We must carefully look at people’s interpretation and words. We need to understand that though Jesus came to us in the flesh- born as a baby through the virgin named Mary, we also need to understand the fullness of the God lived within him. We need to understand that Jesus’ lineage is eternal and he created everything there is. He is life. He is God who is and was always righteous in Spirit.

Jesus is God and our priest who came down from heaven and became a human being. He did not have to earn eternal life for he is eternal and his lineage is eternal.

1 John 4:1-

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is the way to find out if they have the Spirit of God: If a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ became a human being, that person has the Spirit of God. If a prophet does not acknowledge Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist.”

May the Spirit of God guide and direct your actions.

Thoughts of Application

There are two things the Lord has been having me meditate on as he has been teaching me on what to teach. One is to not commit to our own understanding or perception of things. The second is our benefit of being committed to the Lord. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn your back on evil. Then you will gain renewed health and vitality” (Proverbs 3:5-8)

These things sound very elementary on the surface but not so much when we try to apply them to our life at times. When trial and struggle and challenge or unguarded word or action comes upon us what do you tend to listen to - the flesh or the Spirit of God?

Lately I am constantly reminded of Psalm 91. We will see and experience some difficult things in this life that can affect our heart if we don’t keep our focus on the Lord. Our thinking can become a plague to our lives.

How many times to do you allow what you see and hear and/or perceive to affect you? That doesn’t even include the memories that want to linger and nag at us.

What does this say about our level of commitment and obedience in our lives to the Lord?

Some might excuse themselves and say: “Well we are just human and that is what humans do” or “we are all sinners” or “There are just some things a person can’t overcome.”

Excuse me if this may seem harsh but I say this gently and in love. How stubborn, arrogant, ignorant, prideful and away from Lord in thought are we going to be? How can anyone glorify the Lord with that type of thinking? How about salt and light? (Matthew 5:13-16)

We stifle and quench the Holy Spirit when we think these ways. And the ways we think affect the heart. That is why God says to “guard your heart for it affects
everything you do.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Another version of the NLT says: “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

Work of the Holy Spirit can’t be done in our own understanding or will power. The noise from our focus not on the Lord makes us deaf to the will and direction of God. And God knows what resorts from that type of thinking.

Our continual foundational focus must be on the Lord. There is the strength. As a foundation of a large building goes down way underground- same must be the roots of our faith that stabilize us as we go more deeply and intimately into our Father’s love.

“Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.” Proverbs 12:3

Our physical/ spiritual choice is directed by what is fed into the heart. Is the heart receptive to the Lord? Is it humble and contrite? Is it grateful to God? Is it reverent towards God? Is it surrendered and obedient to God? Does it know God’s love and know God is love? What perception and understanding is the heart living and swimming in? Is the heart quiet and still? Is the heart constantly meditating on the Lord and the things of the Lord? Is the heart’s home here or with the Lord? Where is the heart’s joy and hope in?

Men and women have done many regretful things because of their lack of commitment to the Lord and instead of bringing glory to God brought shame on themselves and hurt to others.

Think about this: just a man commits adultery by having lustful thoughts towards another woman that is not his wife and a person is a murderer at heart if they hate another person -what does that say about how important our commitment and focus on God should be?

What do you commit emotionally to -through your perception, circumstances, and understandings? Do you acknowledge God in all your ways?

What is God’s perception of you?

I believe where we perceive limitation God sees limitlessly more then we can even dare or hope for.

What do we really believe from God?

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised. And because of Abraham’s faith, God declared him to be righteous. Now this wonderful truth- that God declared him to be righteous- wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was for us, too, assuring us that God will also declare us to be righteous if we believe in God, who brought Jesus our Lord back from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God.” Romans 4:20-25

Hope faith and love.

Is your hope in God?
Is your faith in God?
Do you believe and live in God’s love?

“All who proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world. Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. We love each other as a result of his loving us first.” 1 John 15-18

Remember perfect love is childlike faith knowing in what Jesus has done for us and trusting in the Heavenly Father’s love for us.

This must be known not just in the head but also continually live in heart for it to empower the Christian soul.

Again it sounds elementary but who do we really let sit upon that throne in our heart at all times? Are you giving God the power to work in your life OR your "own" understanding and flesh, which enslave your life and don’t allow you to live out the potential in the freedom God has for you?

A choice in the mind and heart is more powerful then actions that follow it.

To the Hearts of Light

We will definitely see and experience and even feel difficult things in our life but those things will not conquer those who trust in the Lord and remember to live in childlike faith.

One of those most difficult things to experience is this “sense” of separation from God. Our connection with God seems slower then the slowest setting on an intravenous drip. You pray, read the word of God but there is no pitocin affect. No birth of direction or insight, you wonder if you have done something wrong so you repent for anything you might have done. The lessons you have taught have been assured by two or three sources but still you feel discouraged and even some desperation. You feel like a hypocrite because suddenly you have gone from the Roman officer to ask Jesus for healing for his servant and mother asking for a cure for her daughter’s demon possession – two examples of great faith- to a doubting disciple such as Thomas. You have seen first hand and experienced the power and miracles of Jesus yet now feel let down, rejected, put in a corner because of a personal feeling or understanding that is sending a choking intoxicant into your blood stream which is aimed at your heart. The purpose of this intoxicant is to keep the Holy Spirit from shining in your life. If the enemy of your soul can persuade you to use your own understanding like a closed flask that chokes out the source of light in your life - he will. He loves to undermine the pillars and scholars of the church.

You know it's not what you do that counts with God but what drives your heart. You know you love Jesus not for what He does but for who He is.

You have seen others fall- you remember the glory of God on them and how far away they are now from the Lord. You remember their understanding causing them stumble, fall and then go silent.

You feel weak but you remember the Lord telling you to persevere (Rev 3:10). You don’t want to fall or stumble yet you know the dangers if you stop walking forward. You don’t know if you could handle one more test in your life for it seems you are always tested and tested to a higher degree on what you teach and speak.

You have taught all these wonderful secrets and insights and powerful truths from the Lord. You know it’s not always about feelings but you are no robot – for the Jesus you know is full of compassion, love, mercy and grace.

Knowing full well you can write a book or a reference of pages for others to openly read in your life you address your focus and in whom you really trust. (Psalm 91)

You ask yourself does the truth live only in your mind, in your heart or both? It should live in both.

Meditating on Jesus and what he has done - the dark plaguing your understanding and troubling our heart is taken away. The present circumstances go away. The light of truth (Holy Spirit) begins to breath mightily in your life again.

Relief…. for the quiet and humble heart.

(NIV) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

(NLT) And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15

"Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness.” Luke 11:34

“If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light." Luke 11:36

"Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! Luke 12:35-37

Living Out Wisdom

I know I haven’t written and I thank you for your faithfulness in coming back to read my notes. I have been mediating on the things God has been sharing with us more thoroughly. It is wonderful to receive new insights but the insights mean little if we don’t allow them to sink in more deeply.

A few weeks ago I had a vision of wisdom being a little girl about 5 or 6 or 7. In the vision I was also a little child as well about 4, 5, or 6 years of age when I entered through this gate.

This vision has really changed my outlook on what Wisdom is and should be … at least me.

If Wisdom is illustrated as a child, how does wisdom see things like love, justice, grace, mercy, faithfulness, hope, and joy?

How does she perceive life differently then what we may consider an adult or mature Christian?

What happens to the mind and heart that is given words of wisdom from God and combine them with childlike faith?

If those two things live in the heart – the process that we consider “life” is or should be done with heart. There is living with heart, playing with heart, working with heart, worshiping and praying with heart, and even dying with heart. There is where the Holy Spirit can truly take the wisdom that he has planted in our heart and use it to aid and direct and counsel us.

There a tree grows; it is not set back from correction but takes and accepts that correction in the best possible way. He/she doesn’t run from God but sees their need for God’s help and responds to it in a gracious manner.

Think of the law of love and the teachings the Lord provides us. Proverbs 6:23 says “For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way to life.”

“For the Lord disciplines and corrects those he loves. Just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:11

The way we see things greatly affects how we look and perceive life. Our faith is greatly influenced and affected by how we see and understand things. What maybe considered understood may not be quiet as understood as we thought. And sometimes what might seem not logical to us makes perfect sense to God. Yes our understanding greatly affects our faith and life.

Jesus says, “Wherever you treasure is there your heart and thoughts will also be. Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul but an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!” Matthew 6:21-23

For “The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like complete darkness. Those who follow it have no idea what they are stumbling over.” Proverbs 4:18

Just this week I was taking my daughter to school and from the east there was this crest of brilliant light at the edge of this flat blanket of grey clouds that covered the sky ceiling. The morning gleam of light was so strong I could feel my pupils quickly shrinking. It was beautiful.

Just think: “the way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.”

King David anointed with the Holy Spirit told his son Solomon, “Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment. If you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.” Proverbs 4:6-9

“Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family.” Proverbs 7:4

Proverbs 8:10-21 “Choose my instruction rather then silver, and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable then rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it. I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. All who fear the LORD will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption and perverted speech. Good advice and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just laws. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments. I love all who love me. Those who search for me will surely find me. Unending riches, honor, wealth and justice are mine to distribute. My gifts are better then the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! I walk in righteousness, in paths of justice. Those who love me inherit wealth, for I fill their treasuries.”

I believe these treasuries are in the heart.

Rubies, gold, silver… are worthless to a child of God. The things that matter most to a child of God are in the heart and mind.

Think about what a child desires in ideals like justice, love, dreams, possibilities, faithfulness etc. Think about a child’s ability to have joy in the little things and be merciful, forgiving, gracious, hopeful, trusting, etc. Now think on Childlike Faith.

Think on where your true treasures are to be stored -for there is wisdom. Reference: Matthew 6:19-21

David and Solomon knew how important wisdom is but her beauty and friendship is worthless if she has no place in your heart and you don’t appreciate her company.

Maybe if we understand wisdom as a child like illustration and are ourselves as children- we would to see things in a more childlike manner and live in childlike faith. Sometimes we see things in such an “adult” understanding that we are really far off in scope but when we start to understand we see maturity in God’s way is really seeing life in all the pure childlike nuances.