The nature of spiritual disciplines
Luke 4:1,13-14 NASB
[1] Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness [13] When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. [14] And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.
In verse 14 after the time of fasting and temptation in the wilderness it says that Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and news about him spread. If you read further in the gospel of Luke you’ll see that it is at this time Jesus began to move in signs and wonders. The question I asked then is this, “did Jesus fast so that he could get something, or attain something that He did not have yet.” Was the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus began to manifest something that he received because he achieved fasting, and endured the battle during the temptations. I believe the right answer is absolutely not, because it says in verse one that Jesus was being full of the Holy Spirit continuously. That’s the grammar in that phrase; not that he had been filled with the Spirit, but that he was continually being filled with the Spirit, and therefore being already continually filled, His fasting, and battle experience did not result in Him getting anything He did not already have. What actually happened was that having already been, and being continually in the present, filled with the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit simply began to be manifested through Him.
The point I’m wanting to make is this; if you are a believer then you are already made complete and full in Christ, according to Colossians 2:10. If you are already full, then you don’t need to get more, you simply need to release more, or maybe a better term is “manifest” more. The season of Lent that we are in is a season that promotes fresh experiences of the spiritual disciplines like fasting, but it is important to remember that we do not fast so that we get something more from the Lord, thinking somehow our fasting strong arms him to be impressed enough with us to give us something new. Instead, we fast out of the desire to discover all that Jesus has obtained for us. Fasting, as well as all the spiritual disciplines is about discovering more, and seeing more, so that we can believe more, experience more, and therefore manifest more. We too often think of the spiritual disciplines as our way of twisting the arm of a stingy God who knows we don’t really deserve anything, therefore we have to impress him, and force Him to finally say “uncle,” so that he’ll give up the blessing to us. You need to get this deep inside of you, you don’t attain anything from God by what you go through; Jesus attained everything for you but what He went through at the Cross. Think of all the blessings of God as a huge treasure house that exist in the Heavens. Now think of that treasure house as actually being a person, Jesus Himself. Because you are in union with Christ, and seated with Him in the heavenly places, the treasure house is already yours. I don’t want to spend anymore of my time trying to attain anything more. Instead, I want to spend my time seeking and discovering all that’s mine in the heavenly places in Christ. Colossians 3:1-4 says, “Since then you have been raised up with Christ keep seeking those things which are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above not on the things of the earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God, and when Christ who is your life is manifested, you will be manifested with Him in glory.” The spiritual disciplines should not be some dull, stodgy, guilt ridden drudgery that we go through to get more, and to prove how much we love Him. Instead, the spiritual disciplines should be the response of a childlike heart that is already convinced of the love of God, and in love filled delight joyfully goes on a treasure hunt to discover more of all the loving Father has given in Christ.