Today we continue our series, “As Jesus Is”, under the banner of the overall series for the year, “Supernatural Manifestation.” We have been looking at 1 John 4:16,17 for a while now. I told you that we were also going to be looking at John 14, John 17 and Philippians 2. Let’s start with adding John 14 to 1 John 4:16,17.
The Apostle John said:
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
(1 John 4:16, 17 KJV)
Jesus said the following, in response to a question from Philip:
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.”
Jesus answered, “Philip, I have been with you for a long time. So you should know me. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father too. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The things I have told you don’t come from me. The Father lives in me, and he is doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or believe because of the miracles I have done.
I can assure you that whoever believes in me will do the same things I have done. And they will do even greater things than I have done, because I am going to the Father. And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you. Then the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son.
(John 14:8-13 ERV)
So what does this mean to you today? There is too much to cover in John 14 in one day, so we will take my time with this passage. Here are a few things for today.
- When Philip asked to “see” the Father, Jesus was disappointed. Jesus told Philip that he had seen Him and that should have been good enough. Jesus saw Himself as ONE with the Father. Although Jesus came as a human, He came to show us that a human can literally be IN God and have God IN him/her. Jesus said, “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” This is the mindset we are supposed to live our lives with.
- Jesus saw Himself as ONE with the Father. When we get to John 17 we will see that Jesus prayed for us to be ONE with both He and the Father. Jesus prayed that we would be ONE with God, just like He was ONE. He was a human conduit of the divine. This is how we are supposed to live.
- Jesus saw Himself as ONE with the Father. When we get to Philippians 2, we will see that we are supposed to live our lives with the same MINDSET Jesus had. What was Jesus’ mindset? He and the Father were ONE! This is why we must see ourselves as ONE! This is why we keep looking at 1 John 4:16,17, and why I keep driving home this message: As Jesus is, so are you, in this world!
- Jesus made it clear that He was not in the earth doing His own thing, living His own life, or pursuing His own agenda. He was a human in the earth, pursuing the agenda that was laid out for Him by the creator, before the world began. This is how we are supposed to live.
- The greatest level of humility in Christ is getting to the point where you die to your limits, you see yourself as ONE with God, and you live your life pursuing His agenda. You literally have to humble yourself to be able to grasp the enormity of the image God sees when He looks at you, and also the enormity of the task He has called you to!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. I say this without wavering, because I know I am IN You and You are IN me. If people have seen me, they have seen You. When people come in contact with me, they come in contact with You. You live in me. You give me the words to speak. You lead me in the actions to take. I see myself as You see me. When You look at me, You are looking to see yourself. So when I look at myself in the mirror, I am looking to see You! This is why I boldly declare, as Jesus is, so am I, in this world! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
