Behold His Glory

2. His baptism. When John baptized Jesus, the Spirit of God descended like a dove and lighted upon Him, and a voice from heaven confirmed that Jesus was His beloved Son in whom the Father was well pleased (see Matt. 3:13-17). In that baptism the Holy Spirit was equipping Jesus for the earthly ministry that was to follow. We too are equipped for ministry through the baptism of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised in Acts 1:8.

3. His temptation. Not only did the Holy Spirit lead Christ into the wilderness after His baptism, but all the time Christ was there, the Holy Spirit was with Him, enabling Him to overcome the severe temptations of the evil one (see Matt. 4:1). By the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ human nature was given the strength to withstand the enemy and to overcome the temptations placed before Him.

When we find ourselves in a place of testing or temptation, it is important to remember that Jesus was not cornered by the devil. He was led by the Holy Spirit to meet the enemy.

There are times in life when we must face the tempter, as Jesus did, with a clear response: “It is written.” As we allow ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we have the same capacity for victory He possessed.

4. His ministry. As we’ve said, the Holy Spirit anointed Jesus with power for His earthly ministry. Jesus Himself attributed His works to the Holy Spirit working through Him when He stood in the temple and read from the prophet Isaiah: “‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor'” (Luke 4:18).

Peter also preached this truth to the house of Cornelius, saying that “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” (Acts 10:38).

Clearly, it was through the divine power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was able to do the miracles He did on this earth. His entire ministry was performed by the power of the Holy Spirit—the same Holy Spirit who is resident within us today, giving us power to minister in Jesus’ name.

5. His transfiguration. When Jesus took Peter, James and John up on a high mountain and was transfigured before them, the unveiling of the glory of God that was in Him was seen in His human vessel (see Matt. 17:1-2). That unveiling was done by the Holy Spirit. How awesome that the manifested presence of the glory of the infinite God was seen for a few moments by the disciples! Is it any wonder that Peter wanted to build three tabernacles on the spot?

I believe God is going to take the church to the Mount of Transfiguration and reveal the glory of God in her to the world. Jesus prayed for His disciples: “‘And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one'” (John 17:22).

As we’ve said, it is the nature and divine attributes of the Father and of Christ that reveal His glory. That glory is going to shine through the lives of His people. As we learn to yield completely to the Holy Spirit, He will perfect the life and character of God within us and reveal it to the world.

6. His death. It was not enough that Jesus suffered and died for our sins; He had to do so in the proper manner. In his book The Work of the Holy Spirit, Abraham Kuyper expresses this fact so clearly: “Christ did not redeem us by His suffering alone, being spit upon, scourged, crowned with thorns, crucified, slain. This passion was made effectual to our redemption by His love and voluntary obedience.

“Hence there was in Christ’s suffering much more than mere passive penal satisfaction. Nobody compelled Christ. He who partook of the divine nature could not be compelled but offered Himself voluntarily. ‘Lo I come to do Thy will, Oh God, in the volume of the Book it is written of Me.'”

The perfection of Christ’s sacrifice in His obedient, loving attitude was made possible by the eternal Spirit of God (see Heb. 9:14). Without the enabling of the Holy Spirit, the Man, Jesus, could not have offered Himself a perfect sacrifice to God. Neither can we “take up our cross daily” except by the Holy Spirit’s power at work in us.

7. His resurrection. Sometimes the resurrection of Jesus is attributed to the Father (see Acts 2:24). Other times it is said to be the work of the Son Himself (see John 10:17-18). But the resurrection is also, in a special way, the work of the Holy Spirit.

Paul writes: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Rom. 8:11). The Spirit of God working with the Father gave resurrection life to Jesus. He still offers that same resurrection life to every believer who will receive from His hand the things of Jesus.

In fact, the same Holy Spirit who was at work in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus has come to reveal the life of Christ to us, in us and through us. As we allow Him to do this precious threefold work, Christ will be able to live His life in us and reveal the glory of God through us.

Our union with Christ will determine how perfectly we reflect the glory of God in our lives. Let us yield ourselves completely to the Holy Spirit, who will enable us to be changed into the image of the incarnate Christ and become bearers of the glory of God in the earth.

Fuchsia Pickett, who passed away in January 2004, was a noted Bible teacher, conference speaker and author of numerous books.