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 months. Yesterday I added Colossians 1 to it. Let’s get back to both passages today.
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)
The Apostle Paul said:
“Now Christ is the visible expression of the invisible God. He existed before creation began, for it was through him that everything was made, whether spiritual or material, seen or unseen. Through him, and for him, also, were created power and dominion, ownership and authority. In fact, every single thing was created through, and for him. He is both the first principle and the upholding principle of the whole scheme of creation.”
(Colossians 1:15-17 J. B. Phillips)
Paul continued:
“I am happy in my sufferings for you. There is much that Christ must still suffer. And I gladly accept my part of those sufferings in my body for the good of his body, the church. I became a servant of the church because God gave me a special work to do. This work helps you. My work is to tell the complete message of God. This message is the secret truth that was hidden since the beginning of time. It was hidden from everyone for ages, but now it has been made known to God’s holy people. God decided to let his people know just how rich and glorious that truth is. That secret truth, which is for all people, is that Christ lives in you, his people. He is our hope for glory.”
(Colossians 1:24-27 Easy To Read)
Today I will focus in on this statement: “Now Christ is the visible expression of the invisible God.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- The Bible tells us that Christ was the visible expression of an invisible God. People could not see God, while Jesus was in the earth. But they could see Jesus. Now that Jesus is gone, He left us to continue what He started. People cannot see God today, but they can see us. We are the visible expressions of an invisible God. But in order to fully operate in that function, you must see yourself “As Jesus is, in this world.” You cannot see any separation between you and God, between God and you. You must see yourself as ONE with the Father and see Him as ONE with you!
- When Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father, Jesus got upset. He said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” Jesus lived His life as ONE with the Father. Jesus wanted people to see Him as the physical representation of an invisible God. Guess what? Jesus expects us, today, to live with the same mindset.
- The Father wants us to live with the same mindset Jesus had. He wants us to be able to say, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. I am in the Father and the Father is in me. I am ONE with the Father and the Father is ONE with me.” Now, if you are religious, your mind just went haywire when I said that. A religious person will never see themselves as ONE with God. A religious person is way too focused on their humanity to fully embrace their divinity. A religious person would think that it is presumptuous to claim to be like God. But to God it is not presumptuous at all. The Father is not upset when we make such statements. He is happy. He is a proud Father. He is pleased with the fact that we believe His love enough to fully embrace it to the point where we can see ourselves LIKE JESUS, in this world!
- Many people think God wants us to see ourselves as FAR below Him. In our humanity, this is certainly the case. But we have been redeemed! There is a mystery that was hidden for ages and Paul said it was revealed. What is that mystery? It is the fact that “Christ lives in you!” That’s the mystery that was revealed. That’s the gospel. That’s the good news. We are human, yes! But we are humans with a God living on the inside of us. When we fully embrace this truth, we will become visible expressions of an invisible God!
- If you go all the way back to Genesis 1, you will see that God created man in His own image and likeness. God created me, and God created you, to look like Him in this world! If you fully embrace the love of God in your heart, if you accept that you are created in the image and likeness of God, then you will be able to say, like Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father!” If you can ever say that and believe it in your heart, you will be in position to walk in the true power of God in this world!
Closing Confession: Father, this is a year of Great Victory for me. I am in You and You are in me. I am ONE with You and You are ONE with me. There is no separation between You and me. I am not a mere man. I am a God-man. I am a man with a God living on the inside of him. I enter this day with this mindset: “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father!” I am a visible expression of You, an invisible God, in this world! 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.
