Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. (John 14:22-24)
One disciple asked Jesus why He was manifesting Himself to them, but not to the world. Jesus responded with a powerful principle: love and obedience. He explained that people who truly love Him will keep His commandments. In other words, “Those who hear Me but are unwilling to follow Me won’t see me manifested in their lives.” Jesus was making the point that His words weren’t just good teachings; they were the Father’s Word. Everyone who came to see Jesus out of curiosity or for the free loaves and fishes did not obey His Word, so He would not manifest Himself to them.
Jesus expected His authentic disciples—then and today—to obey His teachings. We receive God's revelation knowledge when we hear God’s Word and act on it immediately.
This is not about head knowledge; it’s about living as a supernatural church. Jesus told us in Matthew 16 that Satan cannot defeat a supernatural church. The only way to live as a supernatural church is to have revelation knowledge from God’s Word, and revelation comes from hearing and obeying what His Word says. When we prioritize God’s way of doing things over what we want or understand, our decisions will align with His Word, and His kingdom will advance.
Loving God means designing our lives around the fact that His will is above everything else. It’s not about fulfilling a religious duty; it’s about intimacy. When God becomes the love of our lives, our daily decisions align with His Word. Then, we will reach the lost, heal the sick, and minister freedom to the captives. We can change the world by obeying God’s Word.
Practical Application
Love isn’t a feeling; it’s an action and a choice. When making decisions, you should ask: “Does this align with God’s Word?” and “Does this display the love of God?” Do what God says, and you can change the world.