OK, at the risk of sounding like I'm over simplifying this, let me take this one step at a time and spell it out completely. In the Gospel of Luke chapter 4 and verse 1-2, the Bible says this: "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where He was tempted by the devil." Then in that same chapter, in verse 14 we read: "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside." Follow the pattern: 1) Filled with the Holy Spirit. 2) Led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to defeat the devil. 3) Returns from the desert to begin ministry, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
That "THING" can be defeated by engaging it within the power of the Holy Spirit! Now while I'm assuming that many or most of the people who read my blog are at least open to the Pentecostal/Charismatic beliefs, the truth of the matter is that for many Believers, we have tried and tried to defeat the devil, and that THING in our life, within our own power and on the merits of our promises to God to NEVER commit that sin again. The problem with that, even though it is admirable, is that it shifts the focus of the power from the Holy Spirit to us and our promises!
Perhaps the truth behind that "THING" or those besetting sins, is that we endeavor to engage in spiritual warfare, which is necessary when engaging in ANY ministry, completely devoid of the power of the Holy Spirit? Perhaps we fail because the "foundation" of our promises to "do better" is based upon our efforts and not the "efforts" and empowering of the Holy Spirit? Now I sincerely believe that even when we are "filled" with the Holy Spirit to live this Christian life and do ministry, there will be times of "re-filling." We have to continue in a place of life and ministry within the power of the Holy Spirit, which requires us to be in a process of being "refilled" from time to time. And there is NOTHING that needs a fresh dose of the infilling power and presence of the Holy Spirit, then a Follower of Jesus who is about to do battle with the devil in the wilderness!
So, the question may be asked: "In the HEAT of the battle of the temptation of that "THING" in my life. When I am in the middle of the desert! How do I acquire the power of the Holy Spirit to defeat the devil like Jesus did?" Assuming that one has been baptised in the Holy Spirit (As I believe it is a second definite work after salvation), then the process for going into the "desert" and defeating the devil over that "THING" in your life becomes the "coupling" of your desire with the Holy Spirit's power! It is the working of volition with power! When you find yourself in the desert and engaged in battle over that "THING" in your life, then it works likes this: Your desire is that you choose to love the Lord and be obedient to Him more then you want your sin, and then you PRAY! What kind of prayer do you pray? Something like this: "Holy Spirit, you empower me and fill me, and Jesus promised that you would be my Comforter! I need You RIGHT NOW to comfort me in the heat and agitation of this temptation! This temptation is irritating to me, and to be honest, part of me wants it! Please comfort me, and by your comfort and ministry, empower me to say to this "THING"....... "Get behind me!"
There IS victory for the Follower of Jesus! And once you have beaten the devil over that "THING," then, and only then, will you be ready to "return from the desert in the power of the Holy Spirit!" Remember, immediately following His return from the desert, Jesus declared in the Temple that He was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 61, publicly declaring that first, Messiah had come and second, this was the beginning of His earthly ministry! And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, having defeated the devil in His life and returning in the Power of the Holy Spirit, NOW begins to validate the veracity of what He is preaching about the Father and His Kingdom, by verifying it with miraculous signs! And all of this was done through the power of the Holy Spirit! The SAME power the Church of Jesus Christ desperately NEEDS, if we are ever going to once again influence culture and society for Christ! Every Believer, and especially those who are on the forefront of the battle over the souls of people, NEEDS the power of the Holy Spirit! But, the Holy Spirit withholds the FULL manifestation of His power from those who are still harboring "secret sin; besetting sin;"....................... "THAT THING!" There IS freedom! There IS deliverance! Because there is AVAILABLE POWER through our Comforter, the Holy Spirit! Power to go into the desert, defeat the devil over THAT THING, and then return in the power of the Holy Spirit! Then and ONLY then, will the Church of Jesus Christ in America rise from the ashes of revivals past, and infuse our world with the life changing power of the message of the cross! Then and ONLY then, will we once again be a Church that brings glory and honor to Christ!
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