Part 17 We would see Jesus Part 2

Part 17 We would see Jesus Part 2

John 12:21

The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

Knowing Jesus must be the principal quest in our lives

There are many things that take our time in our Christian pursuits but non are as important as Knowing Jesus. You can know the scriptures without knowing the Lord.

John 5:39	Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40	And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

The Pharisees were doctors of the Law, the O/T scriptures; but they did not know the Lord or the author of the scriptures the Holy Spirit. One of the major problems with Bible Schools is that the students primarily learn or are given knowledge of the scriptures and the purposes of God, but again you can have all that without knowing Jesus.  

John 17:3

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

To know Jesus as a personal friend is the greatest privilege we have, not just knowing about Him but really knowing Him. Jesus said to the disciples that He would be their friend. This was not a casual relationship, daily they had access to Him talked with Him about everything and hearing Him talking with them daily. This earthly walk that the disciples had with Jesus was a picture of the relationship He wants with us today.

John 14:25	These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26	But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27	Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
28	Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again untoyou. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
29	And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
John 14:18	I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

The disciples were troubled by Jesus saying HE would go away, they could not understand what He was trying to tell them. We know in hindsight that Jesus was talking about His death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. However Jesus clearly said that after He went away He would come again to them, He was not talking about the second coming of Jesus, He was talking about coming to them in Spirit

When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, not only were those in the upper room empowered, but a new era opened up that of the role of the Holy Spirit in enabling Jesus to manifest Himself to us.

John 14:21

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

The manifest in this verse in the Greek language is the word emphanizo

718. emphanizo, em-fan-id'-zo; from G1717; to exhibit (in person) or appear, declare (plainly),  manifest, shew,

After His death and prior to His ascension into heaven,Jesus appeared to the disciples and others at least 12 times

Once on the road to Emmaus Luke 24:15

To Mary Magdalene Mark 16:9.

To the 11 apostles John 20:20.

He appeared to 500 people at one time.

I Corinthians 15:4	And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:
5	And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6	After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7	After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

We see this manifestation of Jesus appearing to people making it very clear that He had not gone to a place where He could not be reached, He wanted them to know that He was still available to them.

The Problem

The problem is that Christians have been taught that this kind of relationship with Jesus is not available this side of heaven except for very special rare occasions. This view is contrary to the scriptures; Jesus said I will MANIFEST myself to you.

I have heard it often quoted “we walk by faith and not by sight”  2 Corinthians 5:7

What the Apostle Paul was clearly saying is that we do not walk in the spirit by what we see in the natural in this world, the reality is we walk by faith by what we see in the realm of spirit. Trying to have a relationship with an invisible spirit is difficult; we have to enter the Lords realm which is spirit. With the eyes of the heart we walk in the spirit realm and have fellowship with Him.

God created two realms; the invisible world and the visible world, both of these worlds are real, in fact the invisible world is more real than the visible.

Colossians 1:16

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

When we were born again we were given the capacity to see into the invisible realm of God.

2 Corinthians 4:18

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Often we hear that God is invisible, and that is true He is invisible to those in this natural earthly realm.

1 Timothy 1:17

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

However both Jesus and the Apostle Paul spoke of the reality of seeing into the realm of God while still on this earth.

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. The Greek word for see in this verse is: G3700 and G3708; prop. to see (lit. or fig.);

The Kingdom of God is in the realm of spirit, when you were born again you were given the capacity to see into the invisible with the eyes of your heart.

Sovereign experiences or walking in that realm

Much confusion has arisen because these of these two seeming contradictory positions. God does at times in His sovereignty intervene in the affairs of man by appearing to man, this is also so of angels. However our walk with God is not made up of occasional sovereign interventions. I have had a number of sovereign interventions in my life where the Lord appeared to me, but learned by the holy spirit that many times these sovereign interventions are like grapes from the promised land. Remember when Moses sent the spies into the Promised Land and they came back with luscious grapes; all that was available to them if they would just go after it and posses the land. God often does this with His people, giving them an experience and in doing so He is saying; I want you to walk in this.

God rarely enters our realm, this natural realm, we have to inter His realm

When the Apostle John was on the isle of Patmos he had an incredible encounter with the Lord and entered the realm of the Kingdom of God the eternal realm, the book of Revelation came out of this experience. Let’s look ay how this happened.

Revelation 1:10

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

First notice: John was IN THE SPIRIT on the Lords day, What does that mean,” in the spirit” Well John’s focus, his mind and heart was on the Lord and he was aware of the realm of spirit. That was a state that he was responsible for, he placed himself in a condition of being able to enter Gods realm. He John had already entered the realm of spirit, Gods realm and while there he heard the voice of God and saw the Lord.

When Peter walked on the water it was not a sovereign act of the Lord, Peter had to get out of the boat and walk on the water, but as soon as his focus shifted to this realm the waves and wind he began to sink, as soon as he took his eyes off the Lord who was in spirit he began to loose it.

To be continued

God Bless youN Johnson © September 2006