Email from Abiding Place Daily Bread – November 14, 2024 (The Fifth Day – Genesis 1:20-23) Acts 2:1-4 – And on the day that Pentecost came, they were all of one purpose in the same place. And suddenly there came, out of Heaven, the sound of a violent rushing wind and it filled the whole house where they were seated. And there appeared cloven tongues like fire, and they set down upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit spoke forth from them. Jesus’ Ministry And Being Filled With The Spirit One of the central themes of Jesus’ ministry was that He was the One Who would baptize in the Holy Spirit. This part of the ministry of Jesus did not begin until after He was raised from the dead and exalted as the King of Kings and Redeemer of all mankind (John 7:38-39; Acts 2:33). Although the Holy Spirit came upon men in the Old Testament, the idea of being baptized in the Spirit is not found there. The Spirit of the Lord was given to selected individuals in the Old Testament so they might reveal Heavenly things and execute God’s will (Exodus 28:3, 31:3, 35:31). God filled certain ones of Israel with the Spirit of wisdom in order to make Aaron’s clothing. God filled Bezalel with the Spirit of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in all manner of workmanship so he could fashion all of the unique furniture and features of the tabernacle (Exodus 36:1). Seventy men in Israel were given the Spirit in order to prophesy and speak on behalf of God alongside of Moses (Numbers 11:25). The Holy Spirit came upon the judges of Israel to give them supernatural abilities to defeat the enemies of Israel (Judges 3:10, 6:34, 11:29, 13:25, 14:6,19, 15:14). The Spirit of the Lord came upon the kings of Israel beginning with Saul (1 Samuel 10:6, 16:13). Being filled with the Spirit is the way of life for the New Testament believer (Luke 1:67; Ephesians 5:18; Acts 2:4, 4:8, 31, 9:17, 13:9). Although John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother’s womb, Jesus was the first One to be “full of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:1). The uniqueness of the way in which Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit” is expressed not only by the fact that He received the Spirit without measure, but in how John saw the Spirit come upon Him and remain (John 1:33, 3:34). Jesus came in the Messianic anointing described in (Isaiah 61:1): “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” The anointing Jesus received as a result of being full of the Holy Spirit and power resulted in the greatest miracles ever displayed (Acts 10:38). Jesus then gave the same anointing of the baptism of the Holy Spirit to His Church (John 1:16, 14:12, 17:21-23, 20:21; Luke 24:49; Acts 5:32). Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 11/14/2024
