The Power of the Zoe Life of God
One of the greatest truths in Scripture is the life God gives us through Christ—a life that conquers everything it touches. Let me share a story that shows this life in action and why we need to thank God for it daily.
The Life That Conquers Death
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 NKJV)
Jesus came not to improve or patch up our lives or give us good teaching or productivity methods. He came that we might have life—Zoe—and Zoe more abundantly. The New Testament uses four Greek words for life, speaking of general life like animal life, manner of life, or lifestyle like a culture. But Zoe is only ever used for the life of God—eternal life that cannot die, the source of all life. In him was Zoe, that life is the light of men. Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life. He said because I live you will be alive, you will be filled with Zoe also. He said I am the vine and you are the branch. Right now the same life, the Zoe, the eternal life that is in Jesus, I have been yoked with in the spirit, and I have that same life in me right now.
A Story from India
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 NKJV)
Years ago I was preaching in India doing crusades in the evening but during the daytime I was staying with a pastor who had a small Bible school. One morning I am teaching this Bible school—about 30 students—and as I am teaching there is a knock on the door. The pastor’s wife went to the door and there was a beggar. She let out a yell of horror and shock and shooed this beggar away. She closed the door came back in disappeared into the kitchen then came out with some money opened the door and threw money into the yard. The beggar was on all fours collecting coins. The pastor explained that the guy was a leper. They do not allow lepers in the home. I am British—I have never met a leper. The guy was still in the garden so I reached into my bag pulled some money—not a massive amount but I knew it would bless the guy. I went out called the guy over tried to speak English French. He did not understand a word I said. I could not understand his language. I put this money in his pocket tapped him on the shoulder—God bless you. Suddenly I felt the love of God well up in me for the man. I took this guy in my arms and began hugging him. He was a bit shorter than me his head on my lower shoulders or chest area. The guy began sobbing and sobbing and sobbing. All of the rejection—if everywhere you go people shoo you away pull the kids to the other side of the road—years of rejection. I hugged this man for what felt like five minutes maybe less. Did not pray for him could not really feel I could do anything. I just loved on him and hugged him. In the end he composed himself went away. I went back in washed my hands. I forgot all about it till about three days later when he came back completely healed with a medical certificate stating that he was now healed. I was really happy for him but then went upstairs to the room I was staying in and said Lord what happened what went on there? I missed something here. The Lord said to me you were not afraid of catching what he had so he caught what you had. Greater is he that is in you than the leprosy that is in him. I suddenly realized the amazing power of the life of Jesus. Jesus went about preaching life resurrection life.
Experiencing the Life of God
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6 NKJV)
All of that sounds great but how do we experience it? If I spend all of my time trying to get things from God it feels like I spend more time trying to get something from God than I enjoy the thing I got from God. I had that experience with sickness where I would believe believe believe eventually get healed or come through it and go great then something else would happen. Or with financial need where I would believe believe believe—it is like I was always in a battle and never in a rest. The truth I am sharing really changed my perspective on this. Jesus never got sick. Maybe he was attacked by sickness and disease—I am pretty certain he was, the Bible obviously does not say that but he was tempted in all ways as we are. Jesus never caught what people had. People caught what he had. In the Old Testament if a leper touched you you would become unclean—when a leper touched Jesus the leper became clean. You already have it. You do not need to get it. In fact when you try to get what you already have you begin to lose the experience of what you have. Begin to thank God for it. You already have overflowing life.
Let that truth settle in your spirit.
Selah.
Scriptures for Further Study: John 10:10, Hosea 4:6, John 1:4, John 11:25, John 3:16, John 5:24, John 6:63, John 14:6, Romans 6:4, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:11, 1 John 5:11-12, 2 Timothy 1:10, Colossians 3:3-4, Ephesians 2:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20, Genesis 2:7, Romans 5:12, Ezekiel 18:20, Ephesians 2:1, Colossians 2:13, Hebrews 11:3, Psalm 139:14
10 Questions for Reflection:
- What does the Zoe life of God mean for my daily battles?
- How have I tried to get what God has already given?
- Where do I need to thank God for overflowing life?
- Have I experienced God’s life conquering sickness?
- How does the leper story change my view of God’s power?
- What rejection have I faced that God’s life can heal?
- Am I in battle or rest with God’s provision?
- How can I release God’s life to others?
- What does it mean Jesus never caught sickness?
- How does Zoe life conquer everything?
