New Covenant response

I often speak of covenant response as that which frees God's hand to move in our behalf. In the Old Testament (covenant) the response was obedience to the Law and following it. Jesus is very explicit in John 14-16 as to the response we must have. These chapters are so full that to spend time in them is to enrich yourself.

John 14:10-14(NASB)10"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14"If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

Jesus emphasizes the unity of the threefold ministry of God to this realm to bring forth "man in His image." These ministries all have individual personality and all are the essence of Eternal God. It is God working in us. (Philippians 2:13) Jesus is the exact representation of the Father, and the Holy Spirit, filling Jesus without measure, did the Father's works in Jesus. Jesus emphasized His purpose in coming to this earth was to provide the way for us to be in God. He did not do it for His sake but for ours. It was to draw us into God's complete unity that He came. The works He did, we can do. It depends on our faith in Jesus. Not just that He died and provided for us in a finished work, but that even in the likeness of man, He did the Father's works, or rather, the Father was doing His work in Jesus. When you come to believe in the power of this unity and that this unity is provided for us in Jesus when we abide in Him, the Father is able, by the Spirit living in us, to do His works in us as He did in Jesus on this earth. "The world has yet to see what a man can do when he fears nothing but the Lord." I grew up hearing this quotation repeated often. What hinders our faith in Jesus, God incarnate? Is it fear of man, fear of being different, or fear of failing? II Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. We are hindered by the human nature that has yet to be surrendered to the Holy Spirit. The Word is very clear, the works that Jesus did, we are to do also because of our faith in Him. The Father has not changed, He is still doing His work in the earth. He can do it through you if you believe in Jesus Who has made this unity possible for you.

We often forget how vulnerable Jesus made Himself for our sake. He said He was going to the Father. Because we know He was resurrected and ascended to the Father, we take for granted this was what He meant. But He had to go by the way of the cross, the grave and resurrection to get back to the Father. If He had failed, He would not have purchased our salvation but neither would He have gone back to the Father. Jesus put everything on the line for you to join Him in the Father. Don't let fear and doubt rob you of this privilege that is yours.