THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER [Part 2]
SONG
Holy Spirit of God
Come fill my heart today
Holy Spirit of God
Come fill my heart with love
TEXT
"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." - Acts 10:38
Jesus, our Lord and Savior was anointed with the Holy Ghost and power before He went about doing good. This is to tell us that God is a God of principles. Therefore whatever is to be done needs to be done and there are no two ways about it.
In every aspect of life, there are laid down rules and principles. These rules and principles are strictly recommended to be adhered to by those who want to go thereby. Games are usually played according to rules. I'm not trying to categorize serving God as playing games. Not at all. I'm just trying to make us to understand that we have to serve God with understanding. There is a way to serve God acceptably. We should not be presumptuous about it.
Jesus commanded His disciples in the book of Acts.1:4 to wait until they were endued with the Power from on High.
Jesus, Himself did not start His ministerial work without being endued with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says from our Scripture reading for today that" … God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." - Acts 10:38.
The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him at His baptism, and He became full of power both in preaching and in working of miracles.
"And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:" - Mark.1.9 -10.
Jesus was both authorized and enabled to do what He did by a divine anointing. He was called Christ, the Messiah, the anointed One.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, and she conceived, bearing God's Son.
"...The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." - Luke.1:34-35.
On the even of Easter Sunday, the day of His resurrection, Jesus came and breathed the indwelling spirit upon His disciples.
" ...And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:" - John 20:20-21
This was to enable the disciples to be turned into new vessels (Jn 3:3) fit to receive and retain (Lk 5:37-38) the forth coming Wine (Lk 24:49; Acts 1:4-5) that was necessary to enable them to continue the work from where He had stopped. Jesus knew for sure that His disciples could not venture into the work He had commissioned them to do without the help of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, on Pentecost Sunday, He sent the promise of the Father.
"...And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts.2:1-4.
In the same vein, you and I can not do much or do anything without the ministry of the Holy Ghost.
If we desire to live to please God, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit, for by strength shall no man prevail, but by my Spirit says the Lord. "...This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts." - Zech.4:6.
The Holy Spirit does much more than we can ever envisage. He is able to single one out for differentiation from others.
PRAYER
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for I'm able to do all thing by Your Spirit in Jesus' Mighty name.