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Christ’s Example Gives Power to Resist Temptation, January 2
It came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the
heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a
dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My
beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Luke 3:21, 22
, NKJV.
Christ’s professed followers may be strong in the Lord if they avail themselves
of the provisions made for them through the merits of Jesus. God has not closed
the heavens against the humble prayers of repenting, humble, believing souls. The
humble, simple, earnest, persevering prayer of the faithful one will now penetrate
heaven, as surely as did the prayer of Christ [when He was baptized]. Heaven
opened to His prayer, and this shows us that we may be reconciled to God, and
that communication is established between God and us through the righteousness
of our Lord and Savior. Christ took upon Him humanity, and yet He was in close,
intimate relationship with God. He linked humanity with His divine nature, making
it possible for us also to become partakers of the divine nature, and thus escape the
corruption that is in the world through lust.
Christ is our example in all things. In response to His prayer to His Father,
heaven was opened, and the Spirit descended like a dove and abode upon Him.
The Holy Spirit of God is to communicate with men and women and to abide
in the hearts of the obedient and faithful. Light and strength will come to those
who earnestly seek it in order that they may have wisdom to resist Satan, and to
overcome in times of temptation. We are to overcome even as Christ overcame.
Jesus opened His public mission with fervent prayer, and His example makes
manifest the fact that prayer is necessary in order to lead a successful Christian
life. He was constantly in communion with His Father, and His life presents to us a
perfect pattern which we are to imitate....
We are dependent upon God for success in living the Christian life, and Christ’s
example opens before us the path by which we may come to a never-failing source
of strength, from which we may draw grace and power to resist the enemy and to
come off victorious.—
The Signs of the Times, July 24, 1893
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