I've been dwelling on this topic for quite some time now, and thanks to Jonathan David and Melissa Helser and Antioch Community Church, I can finally put it into words. Do you have those moments where what you're learning in quiet time ends up being the sermon that very day? To say that yesterday was a God encounter is an understatement. I think that He really wanted me to get this. So, it all boils down to one question: what is the purpose of my life? I know, that's a heavy one, huh? Well, not really. The entire purpose of our lives is to know Jesus. When you think about it like that, it's quite simple. Why do we want to know Jesus?
John 17:3 says that "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
Now, this poses the question, how do we know Jesus?
This is where the Lord has been hitting me hard. We know Jesus by spending time with him in the 98% of our spiritual walk. What's in the 98%? That's where it's just you and Jesus. The 98% is complied of every quiet time where you seek Him and talk to him, every alone car ride spent worshiping at the top of your lungs, and every time you've broken down in tears because of what He's doing in your life (or failing to do at the time). The 98% holds the most intimate moments between you and Jesus, and nobody is around to see them. We don't worship and know Jesus for the ability to brag about how much we know him. We pursue intimacy with Him so that he can search our hearts. In this place of worship and knowing Jesus, there is so much freedom and joy. "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11).
(Also, in case you were wondering what the other 2% is, that's when you go to church, teachings, or life groups/ small groups. Those are feeding places that can help you lean into the 98%. I've found that when I'm consistent with my quiet times, my experience at worship is heightened completely. It's really hard to worship a God that you don't have a relationship with.)
The most joy that I have ever experienced is when I'm in the full presence of Jesus and people who love Him. "Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) Again, there is freedom where the Spirit of the Lord is. Romans 8:1-2 says that "Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death." This freedom stuff sounds pretty cool, and we only get that through knowing Jesus and knowing the characteristics of Jesus.
This can come from leaning into the Holy Spirit and depending on him. You do this by learning what God's voice sounds like, which is a characteristic of God. The tone of God is essential. When we mess up, he's not condemning us. Instead, He says gently "Sweet child, come home and find joy in my presence" When we run away from Jesus, we run away from freedom and joy. In John 14:15-31, Jesus modeled this dependency on the Holy Spirit. "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-the Spirit of truth." Jesus modeled dependency. He said "I will ask the Father", not "I can do it by myself". Once we realize that even Jesus depended on our Father, it's quite humbling to realize that we can't do everything by ourselves either. It is our honor to walk in dependency in Jesus, not our shame. If Jesus needed this dependency, so do we.
So, all of that goes to say that we can't know Jesus without spending time in the 98%. Jesus is the fullness of JOY and FREEDOM. And leaning into the Holy Spirit helps us to know Him even more since we're dependent on the Giver of Life.