Jesus our Model Part 7

Intro:

Last week we looked at the time of testing in the wilderness for Jesus. I shared with you an important truth, that affirmation of identity and testing are prerequisites for being used by God. It is imperative that the Lord reveals the condition of our hearts to us before we have impact or influence on others. We must be refined and purified, and our faith must be tested.

Today, I want to begin to look at the effect of the anointing on the ministry of Jesus. Remember, that I told you Jesus is our model. He had to live as man in right relationship with the Father, anointed by the Holy Spirit. This message is intended to be a practical teaching that reveals the gifts of the Spirit at work in Jesus.

Jesus reveals a few foundational truths about co-laboring in the book of John.

1. Jesus said in John 5:30 “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

2. He also said in John 14:10–11 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.”

The Spirit filled life positions us to co-labor with God. In ourselves we are insufficient, when we are connected and empowered we will have more than enough. John 15:5 ““I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Jesus motivation to co-labor is a good baseline for us as well. John 4:34 “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

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Submit & Apply:

As we look at the gifts of the Spirit in operation in the life of Jesus, I will also take time to describe the function of each of the gifts.

There are nine gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12. They are the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healings, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues.

Let’s begin with:

The Word of Wisdom. This Gift is a revelation of divine counsel. The word of wisdom is a supernatural revelation by the Holy Spirit from God concerning the Divine Purpose and Plan in the mind and will of God. It is a future tense wisdom.

It gives Supernatural insight into some particular need or problem, and brings practical application of God’s Word.

It is also a Supernatural declaration of mind and will of God. Concerns things, places, people, individuals, communities, and nations. The word of wisdom pertains to future events. It is the ability to understand what is true or right, especially when making decisions.

This Type of Wisdom is not a result of Meditation or Preparation, but comes directly from the Holy Spirit. It is a revealing of His ways that our higher than our ways. Isaiah 55:8–9 ““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Essentially, all of Jesus teaching was the word of wisdom because He is the spirit of wisdom and revelation seen in Proverbs 8:12-21.

An example of Jesus operating in the word of wisdom is seen in Luke 4:31–37 “Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.”

The Gift of Prophesy.

The definition of Prophecy: Strong’s #G4394 A discourse emanating from divine inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden; esp. by for telling future events.

There is a distinction of this gift between the Old and New Testament in general function. In the OT prophets were the mouth piece of God. They spoke of things to come, the plans of God, judgement, and provided wisdom.

Paul helps define the function of the gift of prophecy in the NT. 1 Corinthians 14:3 “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.”

We understand from this passage that the main purpose of the gift of prophecy In the New Testament is for edification, exhortation, and consolation. - Edification means “to build up,” exhortation means “to call near,” and consolation means “to cheer up.”

One thing I would like to point out is that Jesus is actually functioning in the Old Testament, with the anointing of the Spirit that will be soon poured out on those who believe. His death, burial, and resurrection are what pave the way for the New Testament.

Jesus functions in the gift of prophecy in Mark 9:31 “For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.””

The Word of Knowledge.

Let’s briefly look at what it is and isn’t. It is not a natural knowledge. This type of knowledge does not stem from prior knowledge of a situation. It is not a knowledge of God acquired by long experience or maturity. It is not the result of expertise and experience in a given area.

It is an operation of the Spirit. It is a miraculous revelation that comes without natural effort. It is a gift dependent on our fellowship with God, not our gained knowledge.

In Luke 9:46–48 we see Jesus operating in the word of knowledge.

“Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.””

An example of the gift of prophesy and the word of knowledge working together is seen in John 4:7-24 - the woman at the well.

Jesus prophetically declares His purpose to give living water, and simultaneously demonstrates through the word of knowledge the real nature of the kingdom of God. I love this example because it shows how these gifts often work in tandem. One gift reveals the intent of God and the other affirms the reality of God’s power to help the person believe.

Another example of the word of knowledge is in Matthew 9:1-8 The paralytic is healed, and Jesus knowing the thoughts of the scribes uses the opportunity to reinforce the reality of His message and God’s power.

The Gift of Faith.

As we look at this gift, I want to distinguish between saving faith, and the gift of faith. Ephesians 2:8–9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

The faith that you are saved by is a gift of God, but it is not one of the nine gifts of the Spirit. Saving faith is given to you through hearing the Word Romans 10:17 says, “That Faith Comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

The gift of faith is not saving faith. It is a miraculous faith that meets unusual opportunities. We see this in the story of Lazarus. John 11:38–44. (Read it)

Emphasis on John 11:41–42 “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.””

The Gift of Healing.

The gift of healing is the supernatural impartation of God’s healing virtue by the Holy Spirit to the sick or afflicted. It is the manifestation of God’s harmony and wholeness to man’s condition.

The gospels are filled with stories of Jesus healing people. John 4:46-52. John 5:5-9. Matthew 12:22. Matthew 4:23.

John 4:46-52 (Nobleman’s son at the point of death healed).

John 5:5-9 (the pool of Bethesda). The lame man 38 years.

Matthew 12:22 “Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.”

Matthew 4:23 “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.”

Acts 10:38 “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.”

A key principle of healing is seen in John 5:19–20

“Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.”

This is once again the essence of co-laboring with God. We need to be near enough to hear his heart for a situation. Jesus had the anointing on His life, but his actions were dictated by His father. The Son could do nothing of himself, but what He sees the Father do, that he also did.

A lifestyle of presence and intimacy with God will aid the use of this gift.

The Gift of Discernment. This is my starting point.

This gift does one thing. It reveals the presence and identity of supernatural spirits. John warns us not to be believe every spirit, but to test them. 1 John 4:1.

1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

The gift of discernment is a spiritual ability to distinguish between what is true and what is false, good and evil, and wisdom and foolishness. You can gain a measure of discernment through experience, but the gift of discernment specifically helps you to understand what spirits are at work in a given situation.

Discernment is rooted and strengthened through study of the word of God. Hebrews 5:14.

Hebrews 5:14 “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

There are four types of spirits.

Divine. John 4:24

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.””

Angelic. Hebrews 1:7

“And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.””

Demonic. Matthew 12:43–45

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.””

Human. Genesis 1:26–27

“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.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Distinguishing Spirits:

Divine and Angelic Spirits will be in line with the word of God.

Demonic spirits will look to twist the truth of God’s word to manipulate and control you. We saw this in the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness when Satan told Jesus to throw himself off the pinnacle of the temple because the angels had been given charge to protect him.

The human spirit is the deepest part of a person being, created by God to receive and contact God. The human spirit includes our intellect, emotions, fears, passions, creativity, and it govern’s man’s mental and emotional existence.

An example of Jesus operating in the gift of discernment is found in John 2:23–25.

“Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”

The Gift of Miracles.

Webster dictionary defines a miracle as an event, or effect, in the physical world deviating from the known laws of nature or transcending our knowledge of these laws.

The working of miracles is a supernatural intervention in the ordinary course of the system of nature as we have known it. It is miraculous supernatural power released that glorify God and defeat Satan.

Miracles are distinguished from healings in that miracles include a demonstration of God’s power in unusual measure beyond the physical body. They occur outside the bounds of what is considered natural. By definition, they are rare and out of the ordinary.

A few of the many miracles of Jesus.

1. The feeding of the 5000. John 6:1-14

2. Jesus walk on the sea. John 6:15-21.

3. Jesus raises a widows son from the dead. Luke 7:11-17.

The Gift of Tongues and Interpretation.

The only two gifts we do not see recorded with Jesus in the gospels is the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation. As the gifts are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 I will also explain them.

In Acts 1:4 the disciples were told to not to leave Jerusalem until they received power from the Holy Spirit. “And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;”

With the gift of tongues I always want to point to the reality that the disciples did not know specifically what would happen when they were filled.

When the Holy Spirit is poured out in Acts 2:1-4 we see them given to the church.

The Gift of Tongues.

Acts 2:1–4 “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Strong's G2523 in the following manner: sit (26x), sit down (14x), set (2x), be set (2x), be set down (2x), continue (1x), tarry (1x). to make to sit down, to set, appoint, to confer a kingdom on one, to have fixed one's abode,

This moment in Acts is more than a conversation about tongues. This is the moment that man became the house of God, and the kingdom was conferred upon God’s people.

Jesus promised us the Spirit of truth would come and abide in us. In John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—”

Jesus said in John 14:21–23 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

This is so significant! Now with tongues I want to make a distinction with tongues. The initial evidence of tongues in Acts 2 is the ability to speak in an unknown/unlearned language of other people groups.

The result was that all heard in their native language the goodness of God. Acts 2:5–11 “And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.””

With tongues we also see another distinction mentioned by Paul. 1 Corinthians 14.

In 1 Corinthians 14:1–5 “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.”

1 Corinthians 14:6–10 “But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance.”

1 Corinthians 14:11–15 “Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.”

When we pray in the Spirit the Spirit aids us. Romans 8:26–27

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

The Gift of Interpretation.

Is intended to bring understanding of the word spoken in tongues to edify (build up) the body of Christ.

When a message in tongues is given in a gathering of believers it is needed that interpretation must be given also. If there is not one to interpret the one who speaks in tongues should remain silent. 1 Corinthians 14:26-28.

1 Corinthians 14:26–28 “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.”

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Closing:

Jesus is our model. He has shown us the way and we are to walk in it.

John 14:12 ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”

He has commissioned us to go in the power of the Holy Spirit so that through accompanying signs mankind can be reconciled back to God.

My desire in this series was to show that the anointing of the Spirit is not new to the New Testament as seen in the book of Acts, and that it is available to all through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

We need Spirit baptism to accomplish our kingdom assignment.

Let’s Pray!

Lord help us to understand what is available to us.

Salvation.