Our Lord Jesus Christ did His entire life time ministry by Holy Ghost power. The apostle Peter concisely gives us Christ's ministry in a nutshell: "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him"(Ac.10:38). A Spirit-filled man does not visit God every now and then. God with him all the time. A Spirit-filled life is nothing but a God-filled and God-imbibed life.
God Almighty was with His bible saints. By His presence, they became mighty heroes and adventurers. God was with Joseph, and he became prosperous and successful (Gen.39:23). God was with David, and he increases more and more. God was with solomon, and he became the wisest man ever. In the same way God was with Jesus of Nazareth. Since God was with him, he did only good to the people and healed all those who were oppresses by the devil. The same God is with you today(Ac.10:38).
God displays His power through His Spirit-baptized people. If you ask Jesus, "What was the secret of your power? I want to do mighty deeds as you did, " His immediate answer would be: :As My Father was with Me, in My earthly walk, He is with you today. As He anointed Me with His power and His Holy Spirit. He has anointed you. The only difference between you and Me is that I used His power to do mighty works, but you don't use it. You don't even attempt to do anything". This would be His tear-filled answer.
Yes, beloved, Jesus is your elder brother indeed. You are His younger brother or sister. You are the joint heir of His power and anointing. In this world we see brothers fighting with each other to claim their family inheritance. Your elder brother, however, is completely different. His only pain is that you refuse to claim your equal right to His power, which is your legal right.
Power over demons
By the anointing of the Holy Spirit, your Savior not only did good; He also 'healed all those were oppressed by the devil'. Demons have oppressing power, and powers are caught up in their cruel power. Demons are celebrating their 'Power Camp' just like we have our power camps; but don't worry! You have the highest power of the most high God! Your enemy has only the limited power of an angel. His power is the power of Lucifer. Though he was thrown out of the third heaven, he did not completely lose his power. God didn't snatch his angelic power from him straight away. God's strategy was to nullify satan's power through the power of His only begotten son whom He would send to this earth. So, God anointed His son with His Spirit and power. Jesus broke the power of satan only through His anointing and power alone. Hallelujah!
Who can deny that Jesus cast out the demons only after being baptized by the Holy Ghost? Even before this experience, He used to teach and preach in Jewish synagogues, but there is no record of demons manifesting or being cast out. After being baptized by the Holy Ghost, however, He went into the temple and began to preach. Now suddenly, demons screamed and cried, "What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us?" (Mk.1:24;Lk 4:34). Can you guess the reason? When Jesus went there as a mere man, demons were not affected. But when He went as an anointed man, demons recognized the presence of the Holy Spirit in Him and trembled.
Whenever you deal with demons, keep this 'Holy-Ghost-in-you-consciousness' in mind. Demons tremble as they see the Holy Ghost in you. This faith must be developed consciously in your life.
When Jesus went to Nazareth after being baptized in the Holy Ghost, He took the scroll of Isaiah and read and interpreted saying, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor, He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted....to proclaim liberty....to set at liberty...."(Lk.4:18).
There is a vast difference between a Spirit-filled man and a common man. It's the difference between heaven and earth, the difference between God and man.
You may wonder why you didn't see such a major difference between these two groups. people who claim to speak in tongues live defeated lives with so many conflicts and divisions. The answer is very clear. Anointed people don't realize who is dwelling in them. They don't treasure Him and honor Him, nor do they allow Him to rule over them. Whenever you see mighty works of Bible heroes in your Bible reading, you tend to think that they are special people with special abilities. You think you can never reach their heights. This attitude will frustrate you and cripple your faith.
As we have seen, miracles happen only by the power of the Holy Spirit. Bible heroes performed heroic deeds for God. The same Holy Spirit with all His mighty power is residing in you. The day you get this revelation you step into the miraculous.
I repeat: Christ did all His miracles only by the Holy Ghost. He raised Lazarus from the grave not as God as a perfect with the power of the Holy Ghost. Please open your eyes and see this powerful truth. Christ's miracles are done not to admire but to imitate and even surpass (Jn.14:12). God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power. The Holy Ghost and His power cannot be seperated. When the Spirit came, power came. You can do good to your people. You can heal who are oppressed by the devil. Rise up and act TODAY!
Christ emptied Himself of all His equally with God and became a perfect man. Though He is the Source of all wisdom, He set aside His wisdom and grew up like men, grew in wisdom and favor with God and man. God never needs to grow or to increase. Only man needs to grow and to increase. Why should the bible say, "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Lk.2:52)?!
You too can grow as He grew. You can imitate Him and emulate Him. You can overcome all satanic temptations as He overcame in the wilderness by the power of the Holy Ghost. The dunamis power of God is burning like a volcano within you. The word dynamite comes from this Greek word Dunamis. This dynamite explosive is within you. you carry the Holy Ghost atom bomb in your spirit. your power has no match in this entire world. you have the Holy Ghost dynamite power. Begin to see it and use it from today onwards. If you are not baptized in the Holy Ghost, seek Him with all your heart and receive Him today.
Salvation and Baptism in the Holy Ghost
In the early days of my Christian life, I was confused about the difference between the experience of salvation and the baptism in the Holy Ghost. How can I be saved without the Holy Spirit? Is it not the Holy Ghost who comes to dwell in us to make us a new creation? Then how can He again come with His power to dwell in us on the day of our baptism in the Holy Spirit? How can you measure the Holy Ghost? Can you have Him a little bit or more?
Such questions troubled me. I used to ask the Lord to give me an explanation. One day God gave me this simple but sublime answer. "Son, I was conceived in Mary's womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, and I was baptized in the Holy Spirit on the bank of the river Jordan. Both are very distinct and different experiences". This answer clarified all my questions.
By the power of this Holy Spirit baptism Jesus healed the broken hearts and comforted those who mourn in Zion. That doesn't mean that He didn't comfort anyone before. It just means that after being filled with the Holy Spirit, His healing and comforting ministry took on a higher dimension. The Bible clearly says,
" Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (LK 4:21). Note that this was the day when Isaiah's prophecy began to be fulfilled in His life (LK 4:18-21;Isa 61:1-3).
