"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" John 17:3
When we know the only true God and His Son that is eternal life, but what is the first step to such knowledge?
Consider this:
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Prov 1:7
Consider then little Samuel who was no despising fool. Weaned from his mother she was the one trusting God and the one faithful to God when according to her vow she gave her tiny son, at the time her only son. to the service of God.
Samuel was given for instruction to of all people the priest, Eli, who had already failed God with regard to his own sons and therefore in his own ministry. But trusting little Samuel did not know about all of those things when he heard God's voice for the first time. Samuel went to Eli three times after hearing from God and finally old Eli understood and advised the boy properly.
Samuel was to become certainly one of the greatest of OT prophets.
He did not despise the wisdom of his mother who gave him away by faith nor the instruction of Eli who told him to answer God.
Samuel learned to fear God and was obedient. But how important is knowledge? Does it connect us to God?
Consider what Paul wrote here:
"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." I Cor 13:2
Without Love, knowledge will make us what? Nothing!
God, being Love, loved us and sent to us His Son so that we could really approach Him closely as had Adam and Eve in the garden before the disobedience. And even more closely than that because they lost access to the other tree, the Tree of Life without partaking of it. It is available now to whom? Overcomers!
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." Rev 2:7
And how important is that to this discussion?
"And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:" Gen 3:22
Are we not speaking of living forever?
Who among men is already an overcomer given access to the Tree of Life? Jesus certainly, but who else?
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33
What world did Jesus overcome? Certainly not planet Earth for we can look around and see the pain and cruelty and corruption of men still... even among many who claim the label of Christian!
Jesus overcame and we must overcome. Overcome what? The world, our own little world, of sin and temptation. Jesus paid the price none of us can pay on the cross for our sins, but we still are tempted and when we succumb to the temptation we sin again.
Jesus overcame, I believe, his last temptation here in his third request to his Father while he was still in the world [his world of temptation]:
"And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Matt 26:39
We see then here what Jesus says in his prayer to his Father:
"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world,..." John 17:11
He was no longer in his own world of temptations as a man of flesh even though he still was living as a man on planet Earth. He still had to suffer and die on the cross, but he was no longer tempted to avoid that pain and suffering which he knew was before him. He did it willingly.
"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." John 10:17-18
Can we, each of us, overcome our own little world of temptation as Jesus did? Alone, absolutely not, but the power to overcome was provided and should be working in each of us: The Holy Spirit.
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:..." Acts 1:8
For this reason the Holy Spirit is of the utmost importance to us and Apostle Paul warns us:
"Quench not the Spirit." I Thess 5:19
Every man who has really come to God in repentance has overcome in part. Jesus over came completely. Can we do that? By the power of God yes, if we stop quenching the Holy Spirit, hindering the work of God within us!
