The Way You Know

The Way You Know

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” John 14:2-4.

Blessed are all those who have learned to know the way to the Father’s house where all God’s glory is gathered. Jesus has left us steps that lead from the deepest humiliation all the way to His Father’s throne. Now it is possible for us to get to know this way.

Each step is a walk in humility and in the obedience of faith. In all the steps we hear these words, “Not what I will, but what You will.”

When Jesus returns He will take those to Himself who have followed Him on the way of the cross, the way of sufferings, and the way of glory. He wants them safe with Him before the great tribulation passes over the earth.

Jesus humbled Himself under everyone in order to save them from all kinds of proud spirits. In Luke 16:5 Jesus says, “For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” Only righteousness and godliness are great in God’s eyes.

Jesus was born in poverty—in a manger in a stable. After the birth of a child, those who were rich were to bring a lamb to be offered, but the poor were to offer two turtle doves or two young pigeons: one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. Mary was poor and she could only offer two pigeons. Lev. 12:8; Luke 2:24.

In her lowliness Mary praised the Lord. “And Mary said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.” Luke 1:46-53.

Mary hated the things that were exalted and great in man’s eyes. She was a worthy mother of Jesus.

Once when Jesus spoke in parables, He spoke about the rich man and Lazarus. Luke 16:19-31.

As a grown man Jesus came riding into Jerusalem. In Zechariah 9:9 we read, “rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; he is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” It was a colt on which no one had ever sat. Mark 11:2. “Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’” Vs. 9-10.

Saul was in this spirit when he was anointed king, for he was lowly in his own eyes.

David went against the giant Goliath in the name of the Lord. He could not be conquered by any spirit power. The kingdom of David that will soon come will fill the whole earth with righteousness, peace, and blessing.

King Herod stood up in the spirit of pride and he was struck down. “So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, ‘the voice of a god and not of a man!’ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.” Acts 12:21-23.

Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount with, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Matt. 5:3.

Paul, who was filled with God’s power and wisdom, writes to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:26-28: “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.”

“And whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Matt. 23:12.

“Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” Jas. 4:6.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Phil. 2:8-9.

In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says, “Follow me, just as I also follow Christ.” May we be among these followers. They know the way and walk on it. Their goal is to obtain the great glory that Jesus offers His followers.