The Spirit In Jesus

On this second to last day before Holy Week commences, we have been kept faithful by our Holy Spirit to remain and not quit travelling with Him. O yes, there have been times, many times to be exact, when our feet would slip and we would fall. But thanks to our Almighty Guide, in His faithfulness, He was the One who was able to keep us from falling.

We have persevered, despite the times when we felt left out, when we could not keep up and found ourselves at the back of the line, feeling very lost and inferior indeed. But thanks to our Merciful Guide, in His sympathy, He was the One who was able to comfort and encourage us on.

Now, as the time draws much closer, with ever increasing speed, we are even more conscious of our human weaknesses and our tendency to easily stray and wander off. But thanks be to our Holy Spirit, we have an Advocate, One of Truth, who will not allow the deceiver to gain victory over us, if we stay grounded and obedient in Him.  

Holy Spirit, thank You for including me. Thank You for welcoming me with all my faults and weaknesses. Thank You for not giving up on me and turning me aside. My one and only hope is You, and in You. Thank You for Your Word, for You are faithful. And most of all, dear Holy Spirit, thank You for Your undeserving Love. Amen!

Now, on this penultimate day, we return to the question, which asked whether or not the Holy Spirit played the same pivotal and operational roles in the Blood Works of Jesus. We wanted to know if the same power words, Overcome, Overshadow and Overpower, as was done with Mary, could be applied to Jesus also. Having been slowly guided through the first two, we have come to the third power word. Once again, we go slowly, as we travel on together with our Teacher, Guide, Counsellor and Enabler.

Overpower – The Holy Spirit’s power raised Jesus from the grave.

The Holy Spirit is Omnipotent and He is able to do as He desires, regardless of how situations may seem absolutely final and impossible to us. He has chosen to go above and beyond even the laws of life, as He overpowers even the powers of death, hell and the grave. He does not just bring Jesus from the grave, but He conquers them all.

Listen to what the young man in white says to Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome, the three women, who went to Jesus’ tomb to anoint His Body. Don’t be alarmed, he said. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. Mark 16: 6. Note what the man in white, sitting in that tomb on the right, says to them. He gives them the best power news ever, assuring them that there was no need for them to be alarmed at seeing him there. There are two opposite powers mentioned in his speech, as he speaks to the three women.   

Power of Crucifixion – You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. The power of crucifixion is physical power and authority, which come from sin, darkness and evil. Jesus was our Scapegoat, in that all our sins, and I mean all of them - past, present and to come - were piled on Him. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2: 24. Jesus is also our Sacrificial Lamb. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2: 2

Jesus, in His humanity, His human flesh, became a curse for you and for me. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. Galatians 3: 13 – 14.

We only needed to hear certain stinging words and we would fall in fear and trepidation before the law and Satan. There are words such as death, sin, hell, the grave, curse and crucifixion. They had power over the human person. They had power over Jesus, as a totally human person. We know this because He died. Jesus literally died, because of sin. Sin sent Him to the cross, because in truth and in fact, He took all our sins upon Him. For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6: 23a. Jesus gave Himself over to the powers of law and sin and He suffered and died a very cruel death, to save us from perishing.

Power of Resurrection – He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. The power of resurrection is Supernatural power and authority, which come from the Spirit. It is good and righteous. The Gift of God is eternal life, for Jesus rose.

Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1: 3 ESV

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. Romans 6: 5

Has not the Spirit overpowered even the evil one, when He raised Jesus from the dead?

What a showing! What a revealing! What a thanksgiving! O the powerful Blood Works of Jesus, through the inimitable Holy Spirit.

Tomorrow, as we look to the final day of travel before Holy Week, we are being kept energized, quickened and encouraged by the same Holy Spirit, who wills us all to be present.