A Spirit of Power, Love, and Self-control
A spirit of power, love, and self-control is instilled in us as God creates us in Messiah Jesus.
“For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10.
Messiah Jesus told Nicodemus and us about our spirit of power we receive when we are born again, created in Messiah Jesus.
By our spirit, we can see the kingdom of God and enter the kingdom of God.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:3-6 NASB.
God creating us in Messiah Jesus as new beings is called regeneration.
Regeneration is our rebirth and renewing by the Holy Spirit. In the washing of regeneration, we see God our Savior, The Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ our Savior. God our Savior saved us by His Grace (Ephesians 2:8).
We are born of the Holy Spirit (John 3:4-6). Jesus Christ baptized us with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11).
“But when the kindness of God our Savior and- his love toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the mikveh of rebirth and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Yeshua the Messiah our Savior; that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This saying is faithful, and concerning these things I desire that you insist confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works.” Titus 3:4-8.
By His grace, God gave us a spirit at our rebirth through the washing of regeneration.
The moment we believed in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, our Savior and Lord, God created us in Christ Jesus (2 Co 5:17) and gave us a spirit.
Through regeneration, God brought us to born again life in Messiah, indwelt by the Holy Spirit and given a spirit in addition to our body and soul.
God’s old covenant people were not born again and were heart, soul, mind and strength. (Luke 10:27) No spirit.
New covenant
“May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
“For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba!† Father!”
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Messiah, if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:15-17 (Romans 8:9-14; Galatians 6:18; 2 Timothy 4:22; Philemon 1:25)
One of the final commands Messiah Jesus gave his disciples before he went to the cross, was to wait for The Holy Spirit for power.
“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.” Acts 1:6-8.
Peter tells us to partake of the divine nature, by which we walk in a spirit of power, love, and self-control. (2 Peter 1:1-11)
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quoted if from the World Messianic Bible.
~ Bill Bremer
Bill Bremer is Founder and Managing Director at Kingdom Relationships Colorado.