# Is the pattern of Jesus' overcoming temptation and rising to power a regular pattern



## sevenzedek (Oct 23, 2013)

Luke 4:13-14 (KJV)
And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee:and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

I was reading this passage this morning and began to wonder about the connection of Jesus' temptations to his return in the power of the Spirit and the practical application of it to the believer as a pattern for growing in one's authority over their own sin as we do this in the power of the Spirit. Is there a direct correlation between Jesus' overcoming temptation and growing in his authority to walk in the power of the Spirit? More to the point, is this a pattern that should be expected in a believer?


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## sevenzedek (Oct 24, 2013)

Yes.


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## sevenzedek (Oct 24, 2013)

Anyone?


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## Peairtach (Oct 24, 2013)

Never thought about it or noticed it.

Our Lord of course is very different to us, being sinless.

But He would have experienced spiritual encouragement as He "learned obedience" and overcame the temptations of the Evil One, and to the extent that we overcome them by God's grace, we can too, as long as we don't fall into being complacent or puffed up.


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## sevenzedek (Oct 24, 2013)

Peairtach said:


> Never thought about it or noticed it.
> 
> Our Lord of course is very different to us, being sinless.
> 
> But He would have experienced spiritual encouragement as He "learned obedience" and overcame the temptations of the Evil One, and to the extent that we overcome them by God's grace, we can too, as long as we don't fall into being complacent or puffed up.



I have thought much about this. I even had inclinations to tying it to Revelation 4:10 where the elders cast their crowns before the Lord; the idea being that the crowns symbolize the authority and power of the Spirit they used to overcome the flesh. Christ deserves the glory for this because it is the Spirit of Christ who lives through us.

At any rate, I will go ahead and think about this pattern some more. It seems plausible to me that as we overcome the flesh in increments, we gain more power and authority to deny ourselves. While Jesus is God, he is also a pattern for our sanctification; not that he needed sanctified, but that he would demonstrate the way it should be done as a man who represents us and is our forerunner in the faith.


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## moral necessity (Oct 24, 2013)

sevenzedek said:


> Luke 4:13-14 (KJV)
> And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
> And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee:and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
> 
> I was reading this passage this morning and began to wonder about the connection of Jesus' temptations to his return in the power of the Spirit and the practical application of it to the believer as a pattern for growing in one's authority over their own sin as we do this in the power of the Spirit. Is there a direct correlation between Jesus' overcoming temptation and growing in his authority to walk in the power of the Spirit? More to the point, is this a pattern that should be expected in a believer?



I don't necessarily think so. David's life did not entirely exhibit this, nor did Samson's. Our progress or lack thereof is dependent upon the secret will of the Father and the operation of his Spirit upon us. His influences often wax and wane in seasons that are unpredictable. I'll have to check some commentaries and see what other writers thought, however.

Thanks for prompting my inquiry...

Blessings and fellowship!


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## sevenzedek (Oct 24, 2013)

moral necessity said:


> sevenzedek said:
> 
> 
> > Luke 4:13-14 (KJV)
> ...



The kind of pattern that I am seeing is not one of guarantee—if you overcome temptation, you will _always_ see a direct growth in authority and power. The kind that I am seeing is one that falls in line with sanctification and the means thereof. We must always defer to the Lord of our sanctification and it is commonly known that he uses our ups and downs in our walk to accomplish growth in us, but the means we have been given is obedience to what he commands. Obedience is to successfully overcoming the flesh. Now, I know the context of the passage has to do with how Jesus had power and authority to go forth in his ministry, but I am curious to see something more since there is a link between the Spirit's power for evangelism and the Spirit's power for denying the flesh; that is, the Spirit who works both in us. I am seeing Jesus in a crucible here and, if he went through it for us, we also go through it by him with similar results; again, not in a fashion where the works guarantee growth, but Jesus, who is the Lord of our sanctification, he is the one who ordains our growth as it pleases him.


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