3 Baptism of the Spirit (A)
christian formation, spiritual formation, discipleship, prayer, bible study methods, mission, witness, how to, spirituality, spiritual, christian, christianity, lessons, study, guide,
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About This Project

mission!

In the previous chapter, we saw that one of the consequences of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is personal transformation. A second consequence is divinely empowered mission.

After Jesus’ baptism, Luke tells us that “as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him” (Luke 3:21-22) But what did Jesus pray for that caused the Holy Spirit to come? Luke tells us that baptism of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life resulted in two important consequences.

  1. The baptism of the Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to overcome the temptations of Satan, “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1-2). Unlike Adam and Eve who fell for Satan’s temptations, Jesus—continually dependent on the Holy Spirit—overcame his temptations.
  2. The baptism of the Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to enter into Spirit empowered ministry. After overcoming Satan in the desert, Luke describes how “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him” (Luke 4:14-15). Luke then quotes what Jesus said next, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” (Luke 4:18-19). While the coming of the Holy Spirit enables us to become transformed into  the character of Jesus, He also equips us for communion with Jesus in His mission. It is for Spirit empowered mission that we pray in column 3.

 

how shall we pray for others?

The daily Israelite sanctuary services—which illustrated Israel’s continual dependence on God—summarises our focus on prayer. In the previous chapter we saw the importance of being a living sacrifice which is continually consumed by divine fire. We also saw that God was clear that this divine fire should never go out. But why? The reason the divine fire should never go out was because divine fire was needed for the priest’s daily (continual) ministry in the Holy Place. In the Holy Place, there were three continual offerings of bread, light and incense which depended on holy fire. If sacrifices were no longer brought, the divine fire would die out, and the three offerings would cease. As we see in the tragic story of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-2), human-made fire cannot be substituted for divine fire in God’s work.

Sanctuary

Each of the three offerings in the Holy Place pointed to Jesus’ mission. Jesus is continually the bread of life (John 6:35, 51), the light of the world (John 8:12), and our intercessor (Hebrews 7:25). However, Jesus’ ability to perform this mission was because He was a continual sacrifice (Philippians 2:6-8) and was continually full of the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22).

In a similar way, every disciple of Jesus is to reflect Jesus and His mission. We are to continually tell others about the bread of life (Matthew 28:19-20), reveal the light of the Holy Spirit in our lives through Christlike character (Matthew 5:16), and pray for others (James 5:15). We are to do these continually as priests for God (2 Peter 2:9). Like the ministry of Jesus, our ministry is also dependent on the fact that we are continually “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1-2), “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). In contrast to Nadab and Abihu, we cannot afford to do mission with our own fire. Notice this connection between the divine fire of the Spirit and our mission,

What we need is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without this, we are no more fitted to go forth to the world than were the disciples after the crucifixion of their Lord. Jesus knew their destitution, and told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they should be endowed with power from on high. (Ellen White, 1 Selected Messages, 411)

 

using your journal

Our prayers for others in column 3 of the prayer journal will be shaped by this three-fold ministry. Pray daily for divine power from the baptism of the Holy Spirit so you can, a) reveal the character of Jesus to others (light), b) intercede in faith for the spiritual and physical needs of others (incense), c) have opportunities to share God’s word (bread).

Category
Communion with God, Prayer