HEAR, SEE, TOUCH AND TASTE HIM!!

1 John 1:1 – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

What is experienced and felt become very powerful and life-changing for many of us. It is something that we would have heard before, but it now comes for us to see, touch or feel. Apostle John had these experiences along with several other young men and their testimony stands out together very powerfully. They were privileged to get these experiences because they were seekers. Some of them were with John the Baptizer and had heard that Jesus was coming soon. They would have been present when He identified with those who felt the need for public expression of their newly found faith so that none would think that He was superhuman and unapproachable. For about 42 months they experienced Him in various ways. They saw Him in His glorious body after resurrection. John had the privilege of seeing Him as the Lion of Judah at whose sight he would fall flat on the ground as though dead. But He lifts up those who fall at His feet and makes them His witnesses to announce that they had heard, seen and touched Him and had glorious experiences with Him. He led them when He was physically with them, meeting their inner needs. Even though they changed their loyalties to Him on various occasions, He never changed His loyalty to them. Apostle Peter once looked at the waves instead of Him and almost sunk deep in the sea. But later when He saw the Lord, the reality of a chain was not visible to his eyes. He walked out of a prison as if there were no doors or gates because he saw the Lord. Paul saw Him and fell blind at His feet and ever since He only saw the Lord with his eyes sight which changed His life in a revolutionary manner. He was a lion for the enemy of his own soul, but after he saw the Slain Lamb, Paul became like a lamb before its shearers.

Dear reader, have you seen the Lord Jesus with your inner eyes and beheld His true glory? Have you got an experience with Him or are you only part of the experience of someone else? Daniel was in the den, but he saw the Lord instead of the hungry lions and spent his hours in prayer. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego saw the Lord and not the flames and had a fellowship meeting inside the furnace. Noah saw only the Lord and His ark instead of the bewildering flood and kept going until the Lord asked him go out into the dry ground. Nehemiah looked at the Lord who enabled him to refurbish the walls of Jerusalem instead of getting fearful and discouraged by looking at Sanballat, Tobias and Geshem. In the dungeon, Joseph saw opportunities to touch the lives of people for God rather than punishment for crimes he never committed. Even in the midst of great opposition and adversity, our Lord appears to us in His glory for us to see and get encouraged. He comes to us in all our circumstances to show us that He is above all of the difficulties we go through. He reassures us that He will give us victory in all situations if we look unto Him alone. Apostle John had this assurance which he felt was adequately sufficient to meet all the challenges he was faced with. His experience with the Lord kept him going through persecution, isolation, rejection and loneliness. If you are going through such experiences today, the Lord will give you a visitation to reassure you that He is with you and that His presence, power and provisions are adequate to meet all challenges you are faced with. But you must shift your focus from your adverse circumstance and look unto Him for help. Today you have the privilege to touch Him and see His glory through which you will continue to enjoy fellowship with Him.

Job 42:5 – I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You.