How did Jesus in His humanity overcome Satan? By the power of the Holy Spirit. Scripture says the Father sent Him to earth to speak the words of God since He "giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." Jn 3:34. The Father had given all things into His hands. See verse 35. “He was fitted for the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.” DA, p 123. “What the Holy Spirit did for Jesus in giving Him complete victory in overcoming Satan He can do for you.” Pr Nelson Sermon p 1.
“This knowledge is vitally essential in our daily battle with sin. We are told in DA p 671, “Sin could be resisted and overcome, only through the mighty agency of the third person of the Godhead.” Pr Nelson sermon, p 1.
Jesus made it possible to live a life of sinless obedience by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can overcome by that same power He had. The salvation that was wrought out by the world's Redeemer would have been of no avail without the regenerating influence of the Holy Spirit. Just as the Lord came to reveal the Father, so the Holy Spirit interprets Christ's life and words of the Bible for us. This way we learn of the Father. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Jn 17:3. The Holy Spirit wants us to know Christ better and reveal Him to us and His power to live without sin.
“The value of a man is estimated in Heaven according to the capacity of the heart to know God.” COL, p 254. From this knowledge is the spring which flows with all power.
The Spirit's work is to be to "guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." Jn 16:13,14.
Christ came to earth to become human. He was, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, to be formed "that holy thing" by a process that was painful, as well as mysterious to angels and man. See 7BC, p 915.
Christ, we are told, exercised no power that man cannot have, He was wholly dependant upon the power of the Holy Spirit. By His power, He overcame every known temptation. Just so, every child of God must depend upon a power outside and above himself, if we are to overcome as He did. Christ “overcame in human nature relying upon God, the Holy Spirit, for power. And this is the privilege of all…The Omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit is the defence of every contrite soul.” DA, p 490. “It is through the mighty agency of the Holy Spirit that the government of Satan is subdued and subjected.” RH 4/4/1893.
The secret of our Lord's success over sin was found in his union of the Divine with the human. For us to experience this union fully we need the Holy Spirit to teach us this mystery by experience. It is vital that we come under the control of the Holy Spirit. If Divinity and humanity are blended in Him who has the Spirit of Christ, He can impart this life to us and through us to others. For “The impartation of the life of the Spirit is the impartation of the life of Christ. It imbues the receiver with the attributes of Christ.” DA, p 895.
The faithful are to "contend with supernatural forces, but, they are assured of supernatural help. More than angels are in the ranks. The Holy Spirit, the representative of the Captain of the Lord"s host, comes down to direct the battle.” DA, p 352.
Those who turn from the plain teachings of god's word and His convicting power of the Holy Spirit, invite the control of demons. We are in the great conflict between good an evil angels. “Satanic agencies in human form, will take part in the last great struggle, and heavenly angels, in human guise, will be on the field of action.” 4BC, p 1142.
We need the protection and leadership of God's angels and we need to be constantly under the control of God's Spirit. However, how can we be assured of the Holy Spirit's aid? By being imbued with the fullness of the abiding in Christ relationship. “By contemplating Christ's teachings and sufferings, we may become more deeply imbued with the Spirit, which sustained our Saviour. Everything noble and generous in man, will respond, to the contemplation of Christ upon the cross.” 4T, p 374.
Christ depended continually upon a supernatural power to meet the foe. His secret was to receive a supernatural recharge every time he faced fresh trials. See COL, p 139. “Daily, He received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit,…” COL, p 139.
No one can glorify God unless he has God's Spirit. “Zeal for God's glory, is the motive implanted by the Holy Spirit; and only the effectual working of the Spirit, can implant this motive.” "Father, glorify thy name" is the keynote of His life and must be the keynote of our lives if we would follow Him. To glorify God is to live a life of obedience that is complete. Ellen White testifies, “Humanity, combined with Divinity, does not commit sin.' MH, p 180.
No one can deny that they can expect latter rain power of the Holy Spirit to take possession of them for any other purpose than to exalt Christ, the Hero of Calvary, and glorify God by obedience.
