Jesus walked in the fullness of the measure of the Holy Spirit. He was fully led and directed by the revelation of the Father’s will through the working of the Spirit. It is no understatement to say that Jesus’ life and ministry were greatly impacted by the breath of the Holy Spirit, freely blowing through the heart and mind of the promised Christ. The Holy Spirit desires to do the same in us. Not a lesser, downgraded form of his breath; the exact measure that changed the atmosphere everywhere Jesus set his foot.
We humans live finite lives in earthly bodies. Our efforts and ambitions are limited. Our vision and wisdom as well. Jesus stepped into the world willing to limit himself to the same degree we are limited, in order to demonstrate the power of God through the working of the Spirit. At the wedding in Cana, we see the following occurrence: When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. - John 2:3-8
Wine is an earthly drink, a fluid developed by the hands of men. At the same time, wine is a strong spiritual symbol. It is the new thing. In Jesus, God was doing a new thing. Jesus wasn’t simply providing a wedding with more of their favourite party beverage, he was announcing the in-breaking of a new day; a day on which the Spirit of God breathes on the natural, the finite, and makes it supernatural, eternal. That which the Spirit breathes on in the name of Jesus, can and will not stay the way it was. Water is turned into wine.
Jesus promises his disciples, and by extension us, that he himself will send the Holy Spirit to inhabit our lives just as he inhabited the life of Jesus. Do we seriously think that the God who would send the Spirit to lead and move in Jesus’ life would intend for our lives, filled by the same Spirit, to look as dissimilar to the life of Jesus as they do? Of course not! There is no logical reasoning for us to accept a lifestyle that looks nothing like his! The Holy Spirit is calling us to say yes to the invitation of Jesus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. (…) I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” - John 14:12, 16-17
That which is inside wants out. The Holy Spirit longs to fill and lead our lives just as he did Jesus. He, the Spirit, is our inheritance in Christ, so that we would do the deeds Jesus did, demonstrate his love and power, in order that our Father in heaven would be glorified in the Son. Don’t settle for less. Do not under any circumstances allow yourself to be lulled back to a place of complacency, which is bondage. Stretch out for the Spirit. Ask him to breathe on your life and fill you to the point of overflow. We cannot forget that we need him.
Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding. The festivities were kicked into high gear right after that miracle. So put on your party hats and get ready. Jesus once again wants to transform the lives of his people by breathing his Holy Spirit upon us anew. I say: please and thank you!
Daniel Reinhold
Creative Director, Relayer Music