Know How to Recognize Jesus in New Things, Part 4
KNOW HOW TO RECOGNIZE JESUS IN NEW THINGS, Part 4
We have been talking about God raising up a prophetic ministry in our generation, which operates in the spirit and power of Elijah. We must understand therefore that we are talking about God again doing a “new thing.” Despite it being a re-occurrence of Elijah’s ministry, it is not a complete repeat of anything God has done before. When God does his new thing, history soundly informs us that this has rarely been instantly recognizable to even his closest devotees. How will we recognize Jesus and the Holy Spirit when they do a new thing in our lives and times?
6. Develop intimate relationship with Him
(John 20:15-16 CSB) "Woman," Jesus said to her, "why are you crying? Who is it that you're seeking? " Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, "Sir, if you've carried him away, tell me where you've put him, and I will take him away." (16) Jesus said to her, "Mary." Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni! " –which means "Teacher."
This Mary was an absolutely devoted follower of Jesus; she loved him, worshipped him, and was thoroughly thankful for what he had done in her life. Yet despite her absolute devotion, when encountering his resurrected form she thought he was someone else, the gardener. You could say, she bumped into him as he was introducing a new season of his ministry and she completely failed to recognize him. Again, this could potentially happen to any of us.
So what was it that enabled Mary to know that it was Jesus in a new form? Thankfully, she knew his voice. Did you get that? She knew him intimately by his voice when he spoke. Despite the unrecognizable outward appearance of Jesus in this new thing, because of her previous closeness to him, his voice was unmistakable to her. We all need to imitate her devotional closeness to Jesus. This is one of the ways we can safeguard ourselves from failing to recognize his new things.
7. Be familiar with His footprints and fingerprints
(Luke 24:36-40 CSB) As they were saying these things, he himself stood in their midst. He said to them, "Peace to you! " (37) But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost (spirit). (38) "Why are you troubled? " he asked them. "And why do doubts arise in your hearts? (39) "Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost (spirit) does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have." (40) Having said this, he showed them his hands and feet. (parenthesis mine)
This is another occasion on which Jesus’s disciples didn’t recognize his resurrected form—God’s new thing. However, because they had walked with him, following in his footprints; and because they had seen his coming and going—his destinations and his call to “go”—they could recognize his feet. Furthermore, because they had witnessed him laying hands on the sick, giving to the poor, blessing bread, touching the lepers, etc., they were also able to recognize his hands.
Truly, although they may not have known who he was because of his appearance, Jesus was known to them through their being intimately acquainted with his footprints and fingerprints. They knew the comings and goings of their master and they knew his acts. They knew this by following him and being on the road with him. They knew it was Jesus—despite him not being immediately identifiable—because they recognized his unique walk and works.
Jesus’s genuine disciples today will also recognize the injuries in his hands, feet and side; they are familiar with his cross. True disciples have taken up their cross and followed him. Hence, they can recognize his wounds when they see them in the lives of others; they bear them themselves.
8. Receive the new birth
(John 3:1–7 NKJV) There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (2) This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” (3) Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (4) Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (5) Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
I know that it sounds almost too foundational and obvious to say, “You must be born again.” However, this passage reveals that unless we have received God’s new birth, we will not be able to recognize Jesus’s new things. When we look closely at Jesus’s teaching here about the new birth, we see that he elucidated two very significant benefits from it:
? Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
? Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Without the new birth, one cannot “see” or “enter” God’s kingdom. His kingdom is his rule, or the rule of his word; God’s kingdom is where his will is done. Jesus said that it is impossible to see this, or to get in on it, unless you are born again. (Have you been born again? If not, we have a section for you at the end of this book. Can I encourage you to turn there now before continuing, read the explanation and say the suggested prayer set out for you there. God bless you.)
When we are born physically is when we “come alive” to the earth’s natural realm. Therefore, when we are “born of the Spirit”—born again—is when we come alive to God’s spirit realm. God is spirit; his kingdom originates in the spirit realm. If you cannot see what he is up to in that realm, you cannot enter it and be involved with him in it. After all, Jesus said he only did what he “saw” with his father (John 5:19). And that was obviously by seeing him in the spirit realm. Then, after he heard and saw what his Father was saying and showing him, he imitated his Father by speaking or enacting them; the Holy Spirit then manifested God’s works and words through him into the natural realm.
If you are born again, alive to God in the spirit, and in tune with him by walking in the spirit, then you will be able to do what Jesus did. You too will “know” things by revelation; you will see and know what is going on in God’s kingdom. This is the way you will fulfill what Jesus said:
(John 14:12 NIV) “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these …”
In the light of this, we can better understand the following verse:
(1 John 2:20 NKJV) But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
Receiving Jesus’s new birth is foundational to recognizing and participating in God’s kingdom; and it is one of the ways you will be able to discern when God is genuinely at work in a “new” thing. He will reveal it to you by his Spirit.
9. Desire to do God’s will
(John 7:15–17 NKJV) And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” (16) Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. (17) If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.”
People do not always recognize the working and ministry of Jesus when he is at work through his chosen and gifted representatives. In this passage, they heard him teaching but didn’t think it was coming from God. Jesus clarified for them how to test if it is. He said, “if anyone …” Note, anyone can detect a genuine teaching from God if they meet the condition he is about to reveal: “if anyone wills to do God’s will, he will know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God.”
A couplet of simple sayings based on this passage have helped me keep a right focus throughout my Christian walk:
“Pride leads to rebellion, which leads to deception, which leads to depravity.”
“Humility leads to submission, which leads to revelation, which leads to maturity.”
Do you desire his will? If so, he will reveal to you whether the teaching is from him.
Summary
In this teaching we have leaned nine ways to test whether something new, unfamiliar, and not immediately recognizable is Jesus and his “new thing”:
1. Look for supernatural support
2. Look and listen for supernatural, godly fruit
3. Look for the element of resurrection in suffering
4. Watch for zeal for God’s house
5. Watch for heart-burning revelation from God’s word
6. Develop intimate relationship with him—know his voice
7. Be familiar with his footprints and fingerprints
8. Receive the new birth
9. Desire to do God’s will
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