QUESTION FROM AFRICA > Jesus and The Holy Spirit?

QUESTION RECEIVED:

Luke 1:15 “for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.”  Was Jesus also “filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb” or did Jesus receive the Holy Spirit after his baptism?

Profile: Male Over 60 Africa

MY ANSWER:

Here is a simple answer to a complex mind blowing biblical truth –The Father is God,
Jesus the Son Is God, The Holy Spirit is God - the Godhead or what we refer to as the Trinity.

Colossians 2 (NKJV)

“8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

Jesus is also God and part of the Godhead.  He is eternal and pre-existent.  He always had the Holy Spirit but yes as It will be shown in Scripture He was baptized and anointed with the Spirit for earthly ministry. 

The angel appeared to Zacharias one day when he received a turn to serve as a priest in the temple.

The angel told Zacharias that he would have a son named John who we know as John the Baptist.

John was specially blessed as he was chosen to preach and make preparation for Jesus Christ.  

Luke 1:15 (NKJV) “15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.”

The understanding of the Godhead or Trinity goes back to the first book in the Old Testament –Genesis.

Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)

“26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

The angel Gabriel told Mary the Lord was with her.  How?  The Lord would be in her womb.

Luke 1

“28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

How would the Lord be in Mary’s womb?  By a work of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1

“35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

When Christ was born or incarnated angels worshiped Him as Lord.

Luke 2:12-14

“12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Jesus was incarnated.  He always existed.  He was just born 2,000 years ago.

When Jesus was baptized and anointed by the Spirit it His baptism was for ministry.

He did not need to have His sins forgiven and repent like we do and testify to our death to sin like we do in our baptism when we come to Christ.

Luke 3

“21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Jesus tried to tell the Jewish people of His day His identity.  Jesus said He was alive before the prophet Abraham who lived 1,500 years before their time.

John 8:58

New King James Version (NKJV)

“58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

Jesus said He was baptized to follow all righteousness.

He was baptized and immediately began His recorded miracles, teaching, preaching, and preparing for His death burial and resurrection.  

Luke 3

“21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Jesus was fully God and fully man.  He lived a perfect life and never sinned.  He died on the cross to pay for the sins of humanity. God placed His wrath on Jesus on the cross intended for us sinners.  We who repent receive pardon for sins because of the payment of Jesus death.  We have peace with God and eternal life in Heaven. 

We receive the Holy Spirit when we are saved.  We need an anointing of the Spirit when we go out in ministry like Jesus.