Prayer that manifests God’s power
When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased." Luke 3:21-22
From the text, Jesus identified with the crowds lining up to be baptized by John. In Matthew’s account of this same event, the Lord Jesus Christ expressed the reason why He has to be baptized. “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires” (Matthew 3:15). His baptism signified the transition that will take place as He usher in the Kingdom of God. But it is more than just setting a great example as significant as it is, but the occasion became an hour of prayer. God the Father responded to the prayer as He opened heaven to speak to earth and say that Jesus is “My beloved Son to whom I am well pleased." What was revealed the day Jesus was baptized was His greatness. In the response to the prayer the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove testifying to the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God, loved by God and pleasing to God. When Jesus commanded the disciples to wait in Jerusalem, they offered their prayer and the promise of the Holy Spirit descended upon them in the upper room during Pentecost (see Acts 1:14; 2:1). God used them to proclaim the gospel message and it resulted to thousands of people coming to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. God continued to use them proclaiming the message of salvation until Peter and John were arrested because the religious leaders realized that their message could threaten the religious establishment. While they were imprisoned, the disciples went to God in prayer and asked Him to help them to remain faithful preaching the gospel even in the midst of persecution. Instead of asking God to free Peter and John from imprisonment, they prayed that God will give them boldness to share God’s message. “And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word” (Acts 4:29). Prayer for the disciples has become a conduit of manifesting God’s power. When a Christian prays with the intention of taking part in God’s great work of bringing people to His Kingdom, they become attune to His will. They also start to ask God that their lives will be empowered by His Spirit. Time of prayer should help you focused on Him seeking that He fills you with the powerful presence of His Spirit. This is Christ’s example when He was baptized that you need to learn and follow. This will help you sense the Holy Spirit’s power in your life and be in the business of expanding His Kingdom. This relationship expressed through prayer pleases God and provides His children proof that they belong to Him. “That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:16).
Blessings,
Noel De Guzman
www.my-wbc.com
Sermon on YouTube channel: WestsideBCLA