Spirit and Mission

Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to his people, empowering them to proclaim the Good News of his Kingdom to the Nations of the Earth.

The Messiah is identified in the Second Psalm as the Messianic King destined to reign over the Nations of the Earth. In the New Testament, he is anointed by the Holy Spirit at his baptism, equipping him to proclaim the “Kingdom of God” to Israel. He gave his disciples the Gift of the Spirit enabling them to announce his message and sovereignty to all nations.

Unlike the kings and high priests of the Hebrew Bible, Jesus was anointed with God’s Spirit rather than olive oil. This set him apart for ministry as the Herald of God’s Kingdom and the ‘Suffering Servant of Yahweh’ - (Psalm 2:6-9, Isaiah 61:1-2, Psalm 45:7, Isaiah 11:1-5, 42:1, 59:21).

[Photo by Nick Iliasov on Unsplash]

In the Old Testament, the Spirit endowed men temporarily for specific tasks. In contrast, the Spirit descended and remained on Jesus. He had the fullness of the Spirit and “not by measure,” unlike the prophets, kings, and priests of old - (“John gave witness, saying, I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him” - John 1:32).

• “For he whom God sent speaks the words of God: for He does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son has everlasting life, but he who disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” – (John 3:34-36).

Following his baptism, the Spirit drove Christ into the wilderness to be tested by the Devil. However, where Israel failed during its wilderness sojourn, Jesus overcame the Adversary by submitting to the will of his Father. Afterward, he “returned in the power of the Spirit” and began preaching the Gospel in “Galilee of the Nations” - (Matthew 4:1, Luke 4:13-14).

Jesus attributed his miracles to the Spirit of God, not to any inherent superhuman power that he possessed. When accused of exorcising demons by the power of Satan, he retorted, “But if I, by the Spirit of God, cast out demons…” If the Spirit of God was manifesting in his words and deeds, “then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.”

This last point was also the understanding of the early Church, and this is reflected in the Epistles and the Book of Acts:

• (Acts 10:38) - “How God anointed him with Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the adversary, because God, was with him.”

• (Romans 1:4) – “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God, which he promised beforehand, through his prophets, in holy scriptures, concerning his Son who came to be of the seed of David, according to flesh, who was distinguished as the Son of God by power, according to a Holy Spirit, through means of a resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

NECESSARY FOR MISSION

The presence of the Holy Spirit was pivotal to the identity and mission of the Messiah. Jesus was also the one who dispensed the Spirit to his Assembly and followers, just as he promised to send the same Spirit to “bear witness of me”:

• “Whenever the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which from the Father comes forth. He will bear witness concerning me” - (John 15:26).

After his Ascension, Jesus “sent the Promise of his Father upon” his disciples to empower them to preach the Good News of salvation and his reign. This mission to the Nations was part and parcel of how the Spirit “bore witness” to the Son of God.

Since Jesus was the Messiah appointed by God to reign over the Nations, he “received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit.” - (Luke 24:45-49, Acts 2:33-38, Ephesians 4:8-12).

Just as the Spirit separated and empowered the Son to declare the “Kingdom of God” to Israel, the Gift of the Spirit equipped his disciples to preach the Gospel to “all the Nations.”

Global mission is the paramount task of the “Body of Christ,” but its members must have the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit to implement it, therefore, Christ’s disciples were commanded to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Spirit.

Only then could they become “his witnesses… to the uttermost parts of the Earth” since the Spirit of God was essential to the mission of the Church. It can only be carried out by a people who possess the Gift of the Holy Spirit - (Luke 24:45-49).

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SEE ALSO:

• The Mission - (The mission of the church between now and Christ’s return is to announce the Good News of his Kingdom to all nations – Matthew 24:14)

• My Witnesses - (The Gift of the Spirit equips the Assembly to bear witness to Jesus, especially concerning his Resurrection from the dead)

• To the Nations Also - (Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the promise to bless all nations in Abraham. Christ is the Patriarch’s Heir and “Seed”)

• Minhas Testemunhas - (O dom do Espírito equipa a Igreja para dar testemunho de Jesus, especialmente no que diz respeito à sua ressurreição dentre os mortos)

{Published originally on the Quickening Spirit website}