GROW UP INTO HIM

One thing that marked out the life of the Lord Jesus when He was on earth was that whatever He asked God in prayer, God did. There was no way He would have fulfilled the purpose for which God sent Him into the world if this was removed from Jesus’ life.

How would He have ministered healing to the sick and deliverance to the oppressed? How would He have protected the twelve and adequately prepare them for the task God had for them? How would he have provided for the physical needs of the needy (and He did this for many)? How would He have believed God to help Him stay faithful to die for our salvation?

Though we assume that the reason why God always did what Jesus asked for in prayer was because of Jesus’ deity, scriptures teach otherwise.

Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:2-3), meaning He was as much a human being as you and me are human beings. We learn this more from what Philippians 2:7 says about Jesus that: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.

Though Jesus was God (deity), He dropped all the glory of deity when He came to the earth. The purpose for which He came could not be fulfilled if He came with all the glory of His deity. How would Deity in His glory die by the hands of His creature?

In Hebrews 5:13, we learn that though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. If He walked on earth in His deity, He would not have needed to learn obedience; obedience to who?

We also learn from Hebrews 4:15 that we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He was tempted at every point as we human beings are because He was a human being just like us. The only difference is that He never yielded to the temptations, He never sinned.

Additionally, if Jesus lived as deity here on earth, it would not have been possible for Him to be tempted because the bible says in James 1:13B that God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. Only man can be tempted with evil, deity cannot be tempted with evil.

There seem to be only two things Jesus Christ did that belonged to deity while He was on earth, first, He received the worship of men and secondly, He had the power to forgive sins and these two He did because He was permitted by God. In John 5:30 Jesus said, I can of mine own self do nothing. Jesus was as much man as you and me are today.

So sacrosanct is this fact that God said in 1 John 4:2-3 that Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

We must embrace this truth and hold on to it, otherwise Satan would succeed in limiting us in our quest to fulfill the purpose of God for our lives on earth. 

It is the spirit of the antichrist that claims that Jesus did not walk on earth as man because it still hurts Satan till date that man (the second man or the last Adam - 1 Cor 15:45-47) defeated him and gave authority to all those who would believe in Him to continue enforcing that defeat.

THE PURPOSE OF GOD FOR YOU

God has a purpose in His kingdom for every human being born into this world. Note my words, not just those who are born again but everyone born into the world.

However, we cannot fulfill kingdom purpose except we are first born into the kingdom. The kingdom of God as expressed in the New Testament is the same as the Church and the body of Christ.

Jesus said in John 3:3 that Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Further in the 7^th verse Jesus emphasized that Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again. Watch His choice of words, ye must be, not you may be or you should be. 

And what does being born again do? It brings you into the kingdom of God, the Church, the body of Christ. Why so? Because fulfilling God’s purpose is predicated on you being in His kingdom.

Every human being is eligible to be born again but it is up to them to take the opportunity up.

Romans 8:26 says for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 

Who did God foreknow? Those who will be born into the world and believe on Jesus for salvation to enter into God’s kingdom. What purpose does God have for these people? That they be conformed into the image of Jesus. 

Ephesians 4:15 teaches us that But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. God’s purpose is for the believer to grow up into Christ in all things. This is what is called spiritual growth in bible parlance, becoming more like Jesus in all things.

BECOMING MORE LIKE CHRIST

There are so many remarkable things about Jesus, but one that marks Him out and without which He would not have fulfilled His purpose was that whatever He asked God, God gave Him. In simple, everyday term, Jesus always got answers to His prayers.

Now, how does this cut into us believers? To fulfill God’s purpose for our lives we must become more like Jesus in this area. Jesus Himself taught extensively about this when He was on earth.

In John 15:16 Jesus says to us that Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 

What fruit is Jesus talking about here? The fruit of answered prayers. Reading the verse in context of the whole chapter makes this more obvious. And He was not just talking to the twelve, but to everyone of us.

Earlier in the 7^th verse, Jesus mentioned how we will bear this fruit, just as He did. He said, if ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Abide in me and let my words abide in you, He said. When you do that, whatever you ask in prayer shall be granted by the Father.

Martha gave a testimony of this regarding Jesus in John 11:22, that whatever Jesus asked the Father was done for Him. God wants to do the same for you and me also.

How do we abide in Christ? How does His word abide in us? Click on the next post (‘Grow Up Into Him – Pt 2’) for the conclusion.

Meditate on these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all (1 Timothy 4:15).  

Pastor Gboye Omolayo is the Resident Pastor of Church@Allen, Allen TX, USA. He is a prolific writer and preacher who believes the efficacy of the word of God and the potency of the works of the Holy Spirit are still available to the Church today, as were at the Church’s infancy. He is the publisher of this blog.