Today we continue our series, “As Jesus Is”, under the banner of the overall series for the year, “Supernatural Manifestation.” In our last message I told you that we would spend the next few weeks looking at 1 John 4:16,17 (which we have been looking at for a while now), John 14, John 17 and Philippians 2. We started with 1 John 4:16,17 and John 14. Let’s go back to these two passages again this morning.
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? A few things.
1. Jesus lived His life in the earth with this mindset: “I am ONE with the Father.” This is the same mindset we are supposed to live with.
2. Jesus knew He was a human conduit of the divine. He was fully human. But that did not change the fact that He was possessed by a Spirit who is fully God. This made Him both human and divine. Guess what? If you are Born-Again, the same can be said of you. You are a human conduit of the divine.
3. Every Born-Again believer qualifies to emulate the life Jesus lived.
a) While Jesus was the only perfect human to ever walk the planet, Jesus did not minister to people from His humanity; and we should all be glad that He did not. If Jesus had ministered to people from His perfect humanity, then He would NOT be a model of someone we could emulate, because none of us are perfect.
b) Jesus was a perfect human, and His perfection was required to become a spotless sacrifice for our sin. But He did not minister out of His humanity. Jesus ministered to people from His divinity. He ministered to people through the same Holy Spirit we all (as Born-Again believers) have.
c) Jesus only said what He heard the Father, through the Holy Spirit living in Him, say. Jesus only did what He saw the Father, through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, do. This is great news for us. Because we can live the same way. We have the same Holy Spirit.
d) Jesus made it clear that it was the Father, living in Him, who gave Him the words to say and who performed the work He did that exceeded human ability. I run into believers all the time who say, “I know that is how Jesus lived. But I am not Jesus. I am not perfect. I am not sinless.” However, Jesus destroyed that argument when He said, “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.”
e) It is true that you are not perfect. It is true that you, in your humanity, are flawed. However, God does not want you to minister from your humanity anyway. While you humanity is flawed and limited, God’s Spirit living IN you is perfect and limitless. So God actually uses you despite your faults, flaws and failures. He uses you because He is so good, not because you are!
f) You will never be used of God in the fulness of His divinity until you see yourself, “As Jesus is, in this world!”
I have more to say about this. I will stop here for today.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. My victory is not based in me or my flawed humanity. My victory is based in You. You are perfect. Jesus was a perfect human. Because of it, He was able to pay for my sin. Thankfully, Jesus did not minister out of His humanity. He ministered out of His divinity. I have the same Holy Spirit Jesus had. Therefore, I live just like Jesus lived in this world. I say what You tell me to say. I do what You tell me to do. Through me burdens will be removed, yokes destroyed, lives changed, and souls saved, all for Your glory! Because 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.
