For it was fitting for Him [Jesus], for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies [Jesus] and those who are sanctified [you] are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Hebrews 2:10-11 NASB)

The life Jesus lived on earth was the life of a human being, a man. Jesus came to be one of us and lead us back to our Father, restoring everything that was lost in the fall. He often referred to Himself as the “son of man.” This means that Jesus had a Spirit, a heart-soul, and He lived in a physical body. Jesus experienced all the normal temptations of being a human being.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin, (Hebrews 4:15 NASB). If Jesus were functioning as God while He was on earth, He certainly would not have been tempted. Jesus is a perfect example of a born from above (born-again) man who was led by the Spirit. Your Spirit comes from your Father in Heaven. This is how the Father communicated with Jesus. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God, (Rom 8:14).

If you believe that you were redeemed by the blood Jesus shed on the cross for you, you are also born from above. Your Spirit is born from above, but your soul and body need to be brought into agreement with your Spirit. In part three we touched on how you cooperate with Jesus to make that happen in your heart-soul realm.

Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan river. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him, (Mark 1:10-13 NKJV).

Jesus experienced receiving the Holy Spirit when He was baptized. When you first believed and accepted Jesus into your heart you also experienced this. You had a sense of your sins being forgiven and you felt renewed inside. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him, (Romans 8:16-17 NASB).

Jesus was ministered to by angels, and you are too. It does not matter if you can see them or not, they are there. Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:14 NKJV)

It is interesting that Jesus was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by Satan. We also go through a process of learning to be conquerors—overcomers. We first become conquers in our heart-soul realm. Jesus overcame every temptation by quoting the Word—scriptures from the Holy Bible. Jesus knew that as a born from above human being, He must live by the Word. But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD’, (Matthew 4:4 NASB).

Jesus saw Himself in the scriptures. “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD”, (Hebrews 10:7 NASB). This is so important because the Bible was written for you also. When you are reading or listening to the scriptures there will be messages directly to you. They are not hard to recognize because your Spirit will immediately confirm it to you. You also empower your Spirit by feeding on the Word of God.

The scriptures are food to feed your Spirit. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life (Gal 6:8 NASB). From your Spirit flows the energy and blessings of God into your life, including your soul and body.

As mentioned in Part 3, your Spirit is the born-from-above you, in perfect form, the way the Father created you to be. However, there is a process of bringing the heart-soul and body under the control of your Spirit. But we are not of those who draw back to destruction, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul (Hebrews 10:39).

This battle takes place in your mind, which is in your heart-soul. Your Spirit desires to do the will of your Father in Heaven. However, your body or sinful nature, referred to as the flesh, desires the things of the physical realm. The heart-soul decides to obey the Spirit or the temptations of the physical world.

So then, brethren, we are not under obligation to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God, (Romans 8:12-14).

Even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered. In this way, God qualified Him as a perfect High Priest, and He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him, (Hebrews 5:8-9 NLT).

Jesus is our perfect example of walking in the revelation of being a Son of God. Just like us, Jesus had to give up the will of His soul and choose the Father’s will—the will of His Spirit.

Then Jesus said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Mat 26:38-39)

Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, who…… being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, (Philippians 2:5-8 NASB).

Just like Jesus, we find ourselves here on earth with all the deceptions, distractions, and temptations of this world. However, for believers in Christ, just like Jesus, we have been born from above, created in Christ for a destiny that our Father is speaking through our Spirit. Our heart-soul must be brought into agreement with our Spirit to fulfill the glorious plan of our Father.

“Those who are victorious will sit with Me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on His throne. “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” (Revelation 3:21-22 NLT)

⇐ Return to Repent Part 3 – Permit Jesus to be King of Your Heart