“And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district” (Luke 4:14).
Following Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, Luke describes His return to Galilee as being “in the power of the Spirit.” Jesus’ ministry began and continued throughout His time on earth “in the power of the Spirit.” Now why would Jesus, God in the flesh, need the power of the Spirit?
Jesus operated in the power of the Spirit. As the triune God, the Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus. The Spirit is the Spirit of the Father. The Spirit that empowered Jesus in His time on earth is the power of His divinity. Jesus ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit. Where else do we see the specific reference to the power of the Spirit in the New Testament?
Mary conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. “The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
Christ went around doing good by the power of the Spirit. “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).
Paul preached in the power of the Spirit. “In the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19).
We abound in hope by the power of the Spirit. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
And finally, we carry within us and are strengthened by the same same same same same power of the Holy Spirit. “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16).