Welcome to Defenders, the teaching class of Dr. William Lane Craig. Today, the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, part two.

For more resources from Dr. Craig, go to reasonable faith.org. Well, we've been talking about the ministry and the person of the Holy Spirit, and today we want to talk about

the relation between the Holy Spirit and Christ, the second person of the Trinity.

And what you find is that the ministry of Jesus was empowered and permeated by the presence of the Holy Spirit. For example, the Holy Spirit

is responsible for the virginal conception of Jesus. Look at Luke chapter 1 and verse 35. Luke chapter 1 and verse 35.

Here Gabriel the angel says to Mary,

the Holy Spirit will come upon you

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore, the child to be born will be called Holy, the son of God. So the Holy Spirit

is responsible for the virginal conception of Christ right at the very beginning. Also, in the beginning

of Jesus' earthly ministry, we find the Holy Spirit present and active.

Turn over to Luke, chapter 3, verses 21 and 22.

Luke, chapter 3, verses 21 and 22.

This is the public baptism of Jesus during which or at which he begins his public

ministry. In verse 21 of Luke 3 we read, Now when all the people were baptized and when Jesus also

had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon

him in bodily form as a dove. And a voice came from heaven, thou art my beloved son, with thee,

I am well pleased. Here all three of the persons are present at the

baptism of Jesus, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who descends upon the son at his

baptism to empower him for the public ministry to which God had called him. And so the miracles and the exorcisms

that Jesus performed during his earthly ministry were done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Look at Acts chapter 10 and verse 38. Acts chapter 10 and verse 38. This is Peter's sermon to Cornelius and his household.

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