Power By and In, for Don’t and Do

“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness  for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’ And Jesus answered him,.. ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time,  and said, ‘To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ And Jesus answered him,..

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
    and him only shall you serve.’

“And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for…

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    to guard you,’

“and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

And Jesus answered him,.. ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’¹³ And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee… And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all…

“He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

“’The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.'” Luke 4:1-15,17-19

Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, was led into the wilderness where he was peppered with temptation by the devil who sought to undo Him. But by the Spirit He resisted to the end, claiming the Word of God His defense. When the enemy left, He began His public ministry, teaching and healing in the Spirit’s power. (Hebrews 4:15)

When we are in Christ, we are indwelt securely by the Holy Spirit who is at once our sword and shield against the enemy. And He who gives power to resist also infuses the power, wisdom, and grace to serve. By Him we say no and yes, acting on each decision with resolve, zeal, and strength. (1 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 1:13-14; 6:16-17; Hebrews 4:16)

How has the Spirit of God warned us of spiritual dangers? What temptations regularly poke and pester, and how can we stand firm by His strength? Are we well-armed with promises, with fellow believers who support us with prayer and encouragement? In what situations are we especially needy, and what will we do about it?

Where has the Spirit given powerful ministry? Do we resist serving out of fear, weakness, inadequacy? How can we begin to employ His power to obey each call and seize every opportunity to make Him known? How will we tap into His flow in our homes, work places, for specific ministry?

Lord, make potent my every don’t and do, that I speak and serve to please and honor You.