Read This: Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 3:23a; Luke 4:1-13

Jesus is thirty years old. He’s just been baptized by John and anointed by God as priest and king. This event linked Jesus to another Old Testament prophecy and equipped Him for ministry.

Being anointed with the Holy Spirit is not a symbolic metaphor. It’s not like getting toasted at a wedding or dubbed a knight. The Holy Spirit is a person. An all-knowing, all-powerful person. He is the Spirit of God. When He anoints someone it’s not symbolic. It’s like a pilot stepping into the cockpit. He gets involved, directing and empowering for God’s glory and interests.

So, what does the Holy Spirit do with Jesus? What’s His first move?

He drives Him into the wilderness to be temped by the Devil for forty days.

Not what you’d expect, right?

Which highlights one of the core principles of discipleship. Trust. Jesus was entirely submitted to God. He surrendered His will to God and followed God’s leading in word and deed. We’ll learn more about this in the days to come, but it’s important to note at the outset of Jesus’ ministry. The Spirit knows what God wants, and the Son of God trusts Him.