The Faith that Overcomes the World

“Those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him.” [1]

“They did not know Him nor even the voices of the Prophets.”

The phrase “know the Lord” appears approximately 13 times in the book of Jeremiah. Specifically, it's found in Jeremiah 31:34, “And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

The phrase “know that I am the Lord” is used 58 times in the book of Ezekiel. This phrase, which is a common motif throughout the book, is used 72 times in the entire Bible, with Ezekiel accounting for the majority of those occurrences.

Do you know the Lord? Listen to His voice? Speak to Him in return? Do you hear the voice of the Lord speaking through His prophets? If not, the Lord is extending to you an invitation to know Him.

Jesus wants people to know Him. He prayed to His Father, saying, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” [2]

Jesus declared His mission successful to our Heavenly Father when He said, “I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.” [3]

“They,” the disciples, “have surely known that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.” Surely known!

Peter, as spokesperson for the disciples declared this “knowing” verbally and publicly, “We have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [4]

Jesus wants us to know Him as intimately as the prophets and apostles did in the Bible.

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” [5]

If knowing the Lord is a priority in your life, I commend you. May the Lord Jesus continue to grant you and me this grace. If you do not know the Lord, I urge you to ask the Lord Jesus to reveal Himself to you. To make Himself known to you! Ask Him to forgive your sins and ask Him to grant you the grace to “believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

The Apostle Paul said of Jesus, “Let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” [6]

Let is be known to you that in Christ every sin that you have ever committed is forgiven. Let it be known to you that only He can make you just before God. Your own merits will never be enough to impress God, but your faith in His Son Jesus as your Messiah will 100% be accepted and approved of by God. Faith in Christ is the victory that overcomes the world.

“Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” [7]

[1] Acts 13:27
[2] John 17:3
[3] John 17:8
[4] John 6:69
[5] John 17:20-21
[6] Acts 13:38-39
[7] 1 John 5:4-5