This morning we continue our series entitled, “The Power of Fellowship.” For the last few days we have been looking at the prayer Jesus prayed for us in John 17. Let’s go back to it today as we continue to talk about fellowship. In yesterday’s message I talked about how difficult some people are to not only love, but to even have a relationship with. Today I will tell you that you are able to do it, by God’s grace and His power. Let’s get into it.
(From John 17:6-26)
Jesus said: “I pray for them now. I am not praying for the people in the world. But I am praying for these people you gave me, because they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And my glory is seen in them…
I will not stay in the world, but these followers of mine are still in the world. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name—the name you gave me. Then they will be one, just as you and I are one…
I am coming to you now. But I pray these things while I am still in the world. I say all this so that these followers can have the true happiness that I have. I want them to be completely happy. I have given them your teaching. And the world has hated them, because they don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world…
I pray not only for these followers but also for those who will believe in me because of their teaching. Father, I pray that all who believe in me can be one. You are in me and I am in you. I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me. I gave them this glory so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. I will be in them, and you will be in me. So they will be completely one. Then the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me…”
So what does this mean for you today? I will share a few things as I focus in on this statement: “All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And my glory is seen in them…”
1. Jesus saw Himself as ONE with the Father. Because of it, although He was a human, He lived like God in the earth. He saw no separation between Him and the Father. As a result, Jesus embodied His divine nature. Guess what? He prayed for us to live the same way. When you see yourself as ONE with God, you are able to open your heart to the divine nature God placed in you, and you are able to live beyond the limits of mere humanity. Once you do, you realize that the supernatural is actually natural to you.
2. When you get a revelation of who God is, you will also get a revelation of who you are. And who you are is a human walking around with God on the inside of him/her. Since there is nothing God cannot do, there is nothing you cannot do, because God lives in you. This means you are able to love the seemingly unlovable and get along with the difficult.
3. When you get to the point where you see yourself as ONE with God, you are able to imitate and emulate Him in the earth. Since God loves humans with unconditional love, you are able to love others with unconditional love. Jesus basically said that everything the Father was, is who He was. Fast forward to today, and everything Jesus is, is who you are. Everything that belongs to the Father belongs to the Son (Jesus). And now everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to you. You really have to get this down in your heart if you are ever going to love others the way God loves you. The day you see NO separation between you and God, the way Jesus saw No separation between Him and the Father, will be the day you start loving others the way God loves you. This is the only way we can have the type of fellowship God has called us to have.
4. I shared yesterday how flawed humans are. Some people are so flawed that you are not going to have a meaningful relationship with them unless the Holy Spirit is involved. Jesus was able to love the way the Father loves, because He saw Himself as ONE with the Father. If we want to love others the way God loves us (and them), we must see ourselves as ONE with Him. Say this, “I AM ONE WITH GOD! There is NO separation between the Father and me.” If you can say that with your mouth and believe it in your heart, then you are ready to love others the way God loves them. Because at this point it will NOT be you doing it. It will be the Father, living in you, giving you the words and performing the work!
5. When we love others the way God loves them, we prove to the world that there is a God and that He lives IN us! That’s the goal.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for teaching me to see myself as ONE with You. Everything You have belonged to Jesus. Everything Jesus has belongs to me. Jesus was ONE with You. I am ONE with Him. This means I am ONE with You as well. And now You want me to be ONE with other believers on this planet. I declare that I am. As we are all ONE, we get to show the world what You are like and unbelievers will come to know You through our love. This is important to You, so it is important to me. I make every effort to love others the way You love them and to connect with them in true fellowship. I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
