Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”
John 5:19 (NKJV)
One of the greatest revelations of God's Word concerns how we’re called to apply Jesus' life to our own. Understanding this is no small task, but it's of vital importance because it helps cast the vision of what it looks like to become established in the teachings of Christ and His apostles.
If Jesus was only God walking upon the earth performing signs, wonders, healing, and miracles, as well as other miraculous exploits we would certainly sit in awe at the demonstration of God's power and love. The truth is however, that though Jesus Christ was fully God, He walked in the likeness of men! (see Philippians 2:7) The ramifications of this are awesome and too extensive to properly cover in this writing, but we can grab hold of the life-changing reality that Jesus Christ demonstrated what it looks like for someone to walk free from sin and in perfect relationship with Father God.
The entire world was so accustomed to living under the consequences of the curse brought by humanity's fall into sin (see Genesis 3) that they developed a cursed-bound mentality. The nation of Israel lived in bondage to Egypt for 430 years. They knew what it meant to live as slaves under Pharaoh’s reign, but didn’t know what it meant to live as children under the Father’s love.
Generation after generation, though Israel had the Old Testament prophecies, they didn't have a complete understanding of what life would be like when cleansed of sin and perfectly united with God. Thus, when Jesus Christ was born, baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit, the grace of God revealed what it looked like for a Son to be walking in perfect unity with the Father.
Jesus Christ was the pure ambassador of His Father. All that was in the Father was upon the Son, and the Son revealed the Father because the Father’s love so consumed Jesus that it perfectly emanated from Him. The Gospel of John 1:14 tells us, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NKJV) When people saw Jesus they saw the Father. The Father was known by looking at that which overflowed out of the Son.
People who live in bondage operate out of bondage. People who live in fear operate out of fear. People who live as orphans operate out of an orphan spirit. People who live out of the Father’s love operate as sons and daughters, and become true ambassadors of God.
Too many think being God’s witness, or ambassador, is only about doing good works. While doing good works out of a genuine love for our neighbor is a key part of God’s will, it's not the first thing. The first thing is to understand that the Father desires for us to live as His sons and daughters. This is how Jesus lived and moved. Good works flow out of knowing our identity as sons and daughters.
Jesus didn’t only show the world who the Father was. He showed what a child of God looks like perfectly united with their Father! When the Father sent Jesus to the earth, He was in essence saying, “Orphans, I want you to see My Son. I want you to see His peace and wisdom. I want you to see My power living, moving, and being released through Him. See Him walk in My authority over the wind, the waves, and the devil. See my Son because that’s who you're called to become!
Jesus Christ showed us the way to live as true ambassadors of God. The Gospel of John 5:19 says, “...Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." The world would come to know the Father because the Son submitted and did all that the Father desired. Many have either forgotten God, written Him off, gotten entrenched in man-made religion, or grown so dull of faith they don't understand the reality that we can live and move in the Father’s love just as Jesus did. Our call is to make the Father known through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus did. Jesus said, “...As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21, NKJV)
Make your decision to submit to the power, authority, and love of so deeply that like Jesus, you will live as God’s son/daughter, and only do what you see your heavenly Father doing. In this way, all who know you will see more than just you. They will see Jesus in you and come to know the Father’s love.
Steve Hannett is the Pastor of Abundant Grace Christian Church & President of Jesus Reigns International (JRI). He carries a powerful apostolic and teaching anointing with signs, wonders, and miracles. He serves as an Associate of *BILD International, and works domestically and internationally with Churches & Church Networks to develop Leaders by establishing Church-Based Theology Education (C-BTE) in the way of Christ and His Apostles. He is also an Apostolic Leader with Christ Covenant Coalition.
*BILD International is the umbrella ministry of the Antioch School of Church Planning and Leadership Development, the accredited school of both Abundant Grace Christian Church and Jesus Reigns International, Inc.
