Fullness and Power

Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit when he went into the desert. The Holy Spirit led him there to be tempted forty days and forty nights. (Luke 4:1-2).

So many times, I think of this time in Jesus' life and I think He fasted for forty days and then the devil came to him with the three temptations that are told. But the Bible actually says that he was tempted by the devil for forty days and he didn't eat during that time.

There are so many things that I find fascinating about this story. One being that Jesus was FULL of the Holy Spirit. Even being full, he still fasted during this time to overcome the flesh of being tempted.

Second, he went there to be tempted. He was led by the Holy Spirit to the desert where he would be tempted.

We know that Jesus lived a perfect life, and that he overcame the temptations without sin.

But that is not the end of the story. Luke 4:14 states that Jesus returned with the POWER of the Holy Spirit. That tells me that I can be full of the Holy Spirit and not walk in the power that comes from the Holy Spirit. It was only after Jesus came out on the other side of the temptation that he walked in that power of the Holy Spirit.

The fullness of the Spirit will sustain us through the trials and temptations. The power of the Holy Spirit will be received when we show that we can withstand the trials and temptations we face.