Jesus is described as “full of the Holy Spirit.” When Peter and Stephen and others are described as full or as having been filled with the Holy Spirit, that doesn’t mean they didn’t have the Spirit or had run out of the Holy Spirit and needed a refill. It’s a description. They spoke and acted the way they did because they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a river of Living Waters. We don’t fill, empty, and refill. Just as a river flows, we’re always pouring out and always filling simultaneously. There’s never a lack and a need for a refill. We lack no good thing if we’re in Christ!

Jesus is full of the Spirit and it’s the Spirit that leads Him into the wilderness where He is to be tested. He will go through a trial of a forty-day fast and be tempted by the devil.

The devil waits until Jesus gets hungry. Satan waits until Jesus’ flesh is in a weak state. Then Satan comes in to tempt right at the point of weakness and offers bread, sort of.

Satan wants Jesus to prove Himself. God confirms His servants. We have nothing to prove. We can do nothing of ourselves.

Satan quotes Scripture at Jesus. Don’t be impressed with someone who can quote Scripture, who throws out Bible verses like one-liners. Listen for someone speaking the whole council of God, not individual verses.

Jesus answers with Scripture. But let me say this. Satan wants Jesus to wield the Scripture like a sword. He wants Jesus to claim the Scriptures. Name it and claim it! That’s Word of Faith doctrine, and it’s a false doctrine. It teaches us to rely on self instead of humbly turning to God. We are told to pray. Word of Faith tricks people into not praying. Instead, they declare, trying to accomplish it for themselves. It teaches pride instead of humility. We’re to be Christlike, not Godlike. Jesus said He could do nothing of Himself. How much less can we do!

Jesus does answer with Scripture, but as a reminder of truth, not in trying to make something happen.

If you find yourself declaring and trying to accomplish for yourself instead of praying and leaving it to God to accomplish, I have a book called The Word of Faith. (You can find it through the Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool site. Look for Lee’s Books on allinonehomeschool.com.)