WHO DO PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE?

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Our Lord Jesus Christ asked His Apostles who people said He (Jesus) was and the following discussion ensued in Matthew 16:14-17 "Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.

Jesus said to them, 'But who do you say I am?' Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.'

As we can see from above, Jesus' Apostles were able to correctly proclaim His identity from their interaction with Him.

As ambassadors of Christ being His disciples, Christians are equally expected to show Christ to the whole world in their character as Jesus Christ has commanded in John 8:31 "If you abide in My Word, you are my disciples indeed."

Many Christians say it is difficult to live the same exemplary life our Lord Jesus Christ lived while on earth as a human being, but Jesus says in Matthew 5:48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

Jesus knows perfection is attainable by His disciples if they obey His commands to live a righteous life. Jesus also knows that this is possible by the power of God's Holy Spirit and that was why He told His Apostles to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit had come on them to give them the grace and power to proclaim the Gospel to the whole world without faltering (Luke 24:49).

And when the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost day some 10 days after Jesus' ascension into heaven, the Disciples were empowered to go out to proclaim and defend the Gospel (Acts 2), which today has almost gotten to all corners of the earth just as Jesus Christ said it would (Luke 24:47).

What this therefore means is that a true disciple of Jesus Christ can only function effectively by the Power of God's Holy Spirit in his or her life. Fortunately, God's Holy Spirit can ONLY enter one whose life is in consonance with what Jesus Christ has commanded.

This is clear in the Words of our Lord Jesus in John 14:16-17 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be with you."

The Holy Spirit clearly shows Himself in Jesus' disciples through their character, and not just their words, for anyone can say anything but character is what makes a person. This is why the Holy Bible says in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

Dear friend, if these qualities are not present in a believer's life, such person cannot lay claim to being Jesus' disciple, since God's Word is clear on this.

If people can assess one's character objectively and not see any of the fruits of the Holy Spirit present, then such individual needs to re-examine his or her life, repent genuinely, ask Christ Jesus for forgiveness and the Holy Spirit to lead his or her life.

The truth is, one cannot pretend to be what he or she is not for long, for after a while the person's true character would manifest. Therefore, every disciple of Christ Jesus MUST manifest these fruits of the Spirit because it is God's Holy and Perfect Spirit alone that can produce it.

Today, dear friend, as you read this, is another opportunity Christ Jesus is giving you and I to re-examine our lives and repent of sin, evil, vices, unrighteousness and turn sincerely to Him with a promise to obey Him.

Jesus would also respond as He has promised with the Holy Spirit to lead us aright ALWAYS, AS THAT IS ALL THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN DO - THE RIGHT THING ALWAYS.

So I ask, as the heading of today's post states - who do people say you are?

May God bless you as you heed His Word today, act on it and share with others in Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen.

Gabriel Ama.

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