The Holy Spirit Power

A Necessity for Ministry

As we continue going through the book of Luke, we dive deep today into Luke 4:14-30.  First I’d like to take us back to Luke 4:1-13.  We see that Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, eating nothing and being tempted by the devil.  What was the outcome for Him being obedient and completely dying to His flesh?

Now we start our study in Luke 4:14-30:

“14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “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, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. 23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” 24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.  26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”

As we read, starting in verse 14, we see that it says Jesus returned to Galilee and was filled with the Holy Spirit Power.  Now, this is a very crucial bit of information and I’ll tell you why.  Jesus just got tempted by Satan himself and fasted for 40 days in the wilderness and He comes out, walks back to His hometown, and shows up with all sorts of Holy Spirit power.  If we read this correctly this is our perfect formula for doing what Jesus did.

As Christians we are called to be like Jesus, we read in Philippians 2:1-5:

“1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”

We are called to have the same mindset as Christ, so preparing ourselves should be second nature none the less. If we want to defeat Satan, walk obedient to the Word of God, or devote our life to ministry than we must do as Christ did.  Another look through the window of biblical history would be the time at Pentecost.  Here we see the Holy Spirit come upon the people like fire.  We read in Acts 2:2-4:

“1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Again we see this clear sign of the Holy Spirit coming down on these 12 and empowering them to go out, to go out and spread the good news and so they did.

In today’s times, we have too many people rushing into the ministry, even rushing into their Christianity.  They lack the enthusiasm to follow the necessary steps to build themselves up so they are properly prepared for the battle.  Jesus first went to see John the Baptist to get baptized and have the Holy Spirit descend upon Him, then He goes in the wilderness free from distractions to fast for 40 days, all while being tempted by the devil.  He did this for ministry preparation; He did this to weaken His flesh so He could overcome any temptation that may have presented itself.  He had a mission and He executed it flawlessly.

When people jump into their Christianity or ministry too quick or for the wrong reasons and they don’t prepare properly, that’s where Satan will get you.  People that are not equipped and filled with the Holy Spirit are easily misled, even though they might have pure intentions and truly believe they are on the right path they still can be misled.  Let’s look in Matthew 7:21-23:

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”

This will happen because of the deception from all the false teachers that will be among us, their mission is to deceive you with the things you want to hear and not what you need to hear.

We read in 2 Timothy 4:3-4:

 “3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching.  They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.”

This world is under the management of the evil one and so too many people fall victim to his lies and his deception.  These people are counterfeits they will mislead, they will say what your ears are itching to hear.  This must be realized and you must run from this and truly seek out for the Holy Spirit to guide you.  In today’s times, people are just not truly seeking God’s will for their lives or Jesus with a true passion.  We read in 2 Timothy 3:2-5:

2 “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”

This scripture paints a clear picture of end times.  We will see many that are called, who are preachers, many that have a sense of godliness, or ones who have a foot in the world.  I’d like to remind you that there will be many who will say, “Lord, Lord,” and will be denied.

This is the exact reason we must be prepared, we must be reading, and studying the Word of God which is Sola Scriptura – the supreme judge for all theological questions.  We need to die to our flesh so our Spirit can lead us.  We are in a battle and the closer we come to Jesus, the stronger Satan will bring on the attacks, we must be prepared.  The Bible says in Hebrew 4:12-13:  

“For the Word of God is alive and powerful.  It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.  It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.  Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”

If we don’t want to be misled or led astray then we must be in our Word.  We must let the Holy Spirit lead us and guide us, and keep our eyes on the end goal as Paul did and seek to do God’s perfect will for our lives.

As we read through Luke 4:14-30 we see once Jesus had the Holy Spirit Power, He went all over preaching with authority and how does it end for Him in his home town?  The people rejected Him and wanted to throw Him off a Hill, so yes there will be places you go, especially in your hometown where your passion for Christ will be rejected, but you must move on as Jesus did.  His mission was clear and he executed it perfectly and we also see in Paul’s life once his mission was clear to him, he followed suit.  Today I encourage everyone to please seek the Word of God and accept the Holy Spirit, die to your flesh and your desires and seek to do the perfect will of God and that is the Great Commission.  

Matthew 28:16-20:

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”