How Can We Know Jesus and Make Him Known to Others?
Quiet mornings in your favorite armchair with an open Bible on your lap. Steam dancing above a perfectly crafted mug of coffee. The house is still, and the sunshine peeks through the lightly woven flax linen draperies as they gracefully dance to and fro from the breeze flowing through the open window.
Sounds peaceful and perfect, right?
These are the times I long for, the ones I dream about in times of chaos and discord.
I believe the Lord offers us moments of respite, such as the setting I just described, so that we may refuel our souls, slowly taking in the beauty around us with slow intentional breathes as God intended from the time of creation.
“Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7, WEB
In God’s Word, we reinforce our faith, and it is His Word that equips us for our journey. In our quiet time with God, we seek Him, and we prayerfully study the language of heaven as we learn to discern His voice above the babble of the world.
John 12:26, WEB, tells us, “If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” You see, every believer has one collective assignment: to know and follow Jesus and make Him known.
How can we know Jesus and make Him known to others? Let’s take a look at how we can more intimately know Him and make Him known.
Following Jesus
Following Jesus is more than a life-changing prayer of salvation. It involves surrender, learning, application, and continual connection with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus, God in the flesh, is an example of how we are called to live on this earth. We are to live as Jesus lived, reflecting a life of humility, love, mercy, community, truth, and forgiveness.
As Jesus walked among us, He showed us how to live among the world while leaning into the Father through daily obedience and surrender. We can also experience this level of obedience by intentionally prioritizing our time with God each day.
In James 4:8, WEB, we are reminded, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.” When we draw near to God, He will restore us as only He can do.
As we quiet ourselves before God, the greater our opportunity is to hear and experience His voice. And when we turn to Him and confess our struggles and purify our hearts, He will forgive us, and it is here where our faith is strengthened by His Word.
In studying His Word, we also learn to die to ourselves. To surrender means that we let go of anything hindering us from His best for us, including pride, selfishness, and unforgiveness, to name a few of the matters that prevent us from wholeheartedly following him.
To take up our cross means that we live an upside-down life reflecting the one that Jesus did, bringing heaven to earth. And once we know Him intimately, we can testify to others what He has done for us and through us, making Him known to the world.
Making Jesus Known
When we experience the true transformation of a life filled with Christ, we enthusiastically want to share this experience with others so they too can experience life in the fullness of Christ.
God’s Word encourages and instructs us on the importance of making Him known to the world in Romans 10:13-15,WEB,
“For, ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Joel 2:32 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? 15 And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’” Isaiah 52:7
Those who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved, and they are also called to share the Good News with those around them – witnessing to others. Because if not us, then who? How will they call on Him? How will they believe in Him? How will they hear about Him? They will hear of the good news because we, believers in Christ, will share the Good News as we are called to do!
Where Jesus Is, We Are There, Too
John 12:26, WEB, also promises us that as we follow Christ, we will also be with Him in heavenly places, “If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
How comforting is it to know that when we follow Jesus Christ, where He is, we will be there as well? He is our comforter, counselor, protector, and provider.
Surrendering our lives to the kingdom of heaven also means that we have dual citizenship – here on earth and in the heavenly realm.
Because of this, we have the mind of Christ, allowing us to bring the light of heaven to every dark corner of this world. And, at the same time, we are seated with Jesus, at the right hand of the Father.
As Jesus is honored by God, we are honored as well.
My friend, God longs to commune with those created in His image. As we grow in spiritual maturity through knowing Him and following Him, we will be equipped for every good thing, according to God’s will in Christ Jesus.
For where His spirit is, there we will also be, stepping into our new lives as disciples of Christ, following and serving our Heavenly Father.
I pray you will know Him and make Him known to others. Amen.
