by Bill Johnson Used by Permission
The amazing displays of power and glory in the Old Testament already gave a brief glimpse of the wonders that God is capable of performing. Creation of the world by the spoken word certainly sets a high-water mark for signs that make one wonder. Jesus came to reveal something else, something quite unexpected. He came to reveal what one man could do who was rightly related to God. This revelation is meant to create hope for a purpose-filled life.
Jesus Christ is God, eternally God. Never in His earthly existence did He take a vacation from His divinity. In other words, He is and was always God. But His earthly life was equally natural in that He was also fully man. The very fact that angels came to strengthen Him testifies to this fact, as God would not need such strengthening. This is one of the great mysteries of all eternity. Jesus was fully God and fully man. But Jesus spoke of Himself as the Son of Man. He lived as the Son of Man.
This point is absolutely essential for us to understand, because it affects the way we live. If Jesus did miracles of healing, deliverance, multiplying food and raising the dead as God, I am still impressed— but it is not something I can duplicate. I am a spectator, which I am very happy about if that is my divine assignment. But when I realize that He did what He did as a man yielded to God, then I am compelled to follow, discovering that is my real assignment! And I might never do well the things He did. But I am unable to stay where I am because Jesus set a standard for life that can be followed and imitated.
There were two things that made His humanity supernaturally effective: He was without sin, and He lived completely under the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Those two qualifications— our righteousness in Christ and our living empowered by the Holy Spirit— become the necessary ingredients for every man, woman and child alive who longs to accept the compelling invitation that Jesus’ life gives. “Follow Me” now takes on new meaning.
Jesus did not go through all His sufferings so we could go to church; He did what He did to atone for sin. And by doing so He made it possible to raise up a new breed of world changers, those who could maintain the standard He set in love, purity and power. This reality is one of the great prophecies that Jesus spoke:
“Follow Me” now takes on new meaning.“Greater works than these shall you do because I go to the Father” (see John 14: 12). Not only does Jesus’ life compel us to follow the miracle worker, so do His promises.
The blood of Jesus, then, qualifies us for the first part of this equation. As a forgiven son, I am justified, cleansed, washed clean. This is a greater reality than my sinful past. I now stand before the Father, in Christ. He sees me as He sees His Son, Jesus. So only one qualification remains. How much under the influence of the Holy Spirit am I willing to live?
Prayer
Father God, I give myself to You in a fresh way today. I want to represent Jesus accurately. Thank You for the blood of Your Son that makes me free from sin and qualifies me for the impossible. I am so hungry to see the authentic Gospel lived more fully in and through my life. I invite the Holy Spirit to come upon me more and more until Jesus is what people see when they look at me. Make this dream a reality for Your glory!
Confession
I declare that I was born for this purpose, and that it has already been decided that I should carry Jesus’ presence and purpose to the world around me. I will demonstrate His love daily, and give Him thanks in advance for what is about to take place! I do all of this for the glory of God.
Copyright © 2014 by Johnson, Bill. Experience the Impossible: Simple Ways to Unleash Heaven’s Power on Earth. Chosen Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Used by Permission Amazon Purchase
Comments
Jesus’ miracles first and foremost were to authenticate Who He was / is. Do you know Who that is?
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