Living Like Jesus: Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Living Like Jesus: Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Pastor Eric
In 2 Corinthians 3:16–18, Paul paints a powerful picture of transformation:
“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
And in Ephesians 4:13, he calls us to maturity:
“Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
At first glance, that kind of spiritual maturity—becoming like Christ—might seem impossible. How can any of us truly live that way?
Imagine the competition American Ninja Warrior. Contestants face obstacle after obstacle, each one harder than the last. Sometimes they reach an obstacle that seems unbeatable. No one can get past it—until someone finally does.
In one season, a rookie named Kevin Bull faced the impossible “Cannonball Alley.” Competitor after competitor had failed. But Kevin made it through—and once he did, others began to believe they could too.
That’s what Jesus did for us. He’s our “Kevin Bull”—the one who conquered the impossible course of sin and death. Over 90 verses in Scripture describe Jesus as our example. He didn’t just show that a holy life was possible; He lived it as a man empowered by the Holy Spirit, showing us the way forward.
Jesus: Fully God, Fully Man
Philippians 2:5–8 tells us that Jesus “emptied Himself,” setting aside His divine privileges. Though He was fully God, He chose to live as a man—born of the Spirit, without sin, and fully dependent on the Holy Spirit’s power.
From birth, Jesus was filled and led by the Spirit. He grew in wisdom and favor (Luke 2:40–47), faced temptation (Hebrews 4:15), and overcame it through the Spirit’s strength (Hebrews 9:14).
Every miracle, every act of compassion, every word of truth—He did it as a man walking in perfect partnership with the Holy Spirit.
Becoming Like Him
The fruit of the Spirit perfectly describes the character of Jesus—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The gifts of the Spirit flowed through Him continually.
And this same Spirit now lives in us.
Jesus is not only our Savior—He’s our model. Through the Holy Spirit, we can be transformed into His likeness “with ever-increasing glory.”
There will be a generation—a people—who truly walk in the fullness of Christ, the radiant bride He’s returning for, without spot or wrinkle.
That process begins when we turn to the Lord, let the veil fall away, and allow the Holy Spirit to do what only He can do: make us more like Jesus, one step, one choice, one act of surrender at a time.
