In another article, I wrote about the privilege of prayer; in this article I want to touch on the prerogative of power. The dictionary defines the word prerogative as ‘a privilege or right enjoyed by a person occupying a particular position.’ As sons and daughters of God we, who are born again in Jesus name, have the privilege of asking for, and receiving, power from on high. God imparts this power to us so that we can grow to be like Jesus in both character and ministry.

Jesus ministered in the power of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus at his baptism. Luke records this event, and then continues with the words: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert.’”(Luke 4:1). Then in verse 14 he states that “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit”. Further on in verse 18 Luke records how Jesus took his mission statement from the prophet Isaiah when he quoted, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me.”

The Gospel of Luke contains some significant references to Jesus’ wonderful anointing. Luke 5:17 records how, ‘One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.’ The Holman’s Christian Standard translation has: ‘And the Lord’s power to heal was in Him.’ Luke 6:19 is even more specific where it records that ‘the whole crowd was trying to touch Him, because power was coming out from Him and healing them all.’

Luke Chapter 8 records the incident when the woman touched Jesus’ garment and received healing. Jesus sensed that someone had touched him and responded to his disciples’ protestations with the words “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” (vs. 46).

Jesus was truly anointed, but we know from Luke 24:49 that this same anointing is also the prerogative of all his disciples. The Lord instructed his first disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they had received power from on high. This they did, and the book of Acts records how they went out in the power of the Spirit and ministered supernaturally in Jesus’ name. Peter is an example of this.

Powerful Peter

At the Gate Beautiful, a beggar asked Peter and John for money, and Peter responded to this request with the words, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (Acts 3:6). He did not have money, but he did have something of greater worth that he could give freely to the man crippled from birth. This is a significant text, because it reveals something of how Peter understood the anointing. He didn’t say, “I don’t have money but I will pray for you’” Instead, he said “but what I have I give to you.” What did he have? He had anointing from on high, the power that the Holy Spirit had imparted to him! Peter understood that he possessed this power – “what I have”. He also understood that he had the ability to impart this power to others – “I give to you.”

Then Peter addressed the lame man and said, “In the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” He evoked the name of Jesus to indicate that he was acting under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then he said, “walk!” He did not pray, he proclaimed. He was acting on what he had observed in the life of his master. Jesus prayed often, but he did not pray for the sick. Let me state that again; Jesus did not pray for the sick. He ministered healing. He laid hands on the sick and healed them. He pronounced them well and they became well.