Jesus came to bear witness of the Father. When He did so, the Father bore witness of Him. If the Father is not bearing witness of us, it is because we are not bearing witness of Him. What does Jesus mean when He says, “He that confesses Me before men, him will I confess before the Father and the angels; He that denies Me before men, him will I deny before the Father and the angels”? Is He referring to a time in the “hereafter”? It is here, but it is not after. It is in the now, because if we walk in Him or contrary to Him, it is here and now. As our part is here and now, so is His part.
If Christian, we have all tried to testify of God. We have tried to do our duty to Him as witnesses. It can be a very hard and unrewarding burden. How can that be, if Jesus says to the Father, “I delight to do Your will,” and when He says, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me,” and, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light?” The answer is simple. We are doing our own will, and not His, howbeit we do it in His Name.
We may be going to do the work of the Father when He is not working. Jesus did say, “My Father works, and I work. The Son can do nothing without the Father. As I see the Father work, so I work.” When we try to be witnesses unto Him in the flesh, we not only fail, we may often bring shame and discredit to Him, as well as to ourselves. “No flesh shall glory in His sight,” and, “The flesh profits nothing.”
The true confession is a two-edged sword. When I, by the Spirit, bear witness of the Lord before men, He bears witness to me before men. This I do not understand, but when I bear witness of Him before men, I am bearing witness to men, before, and with, Him. Therefore, when He bears witness of me before God and the angels, He bears witness to me before men as well. I have seen times when God has confessed me before men. The confession on both sides happens before both man and God.
What does it mean to confess Him before men? Confessing Jesus Christ before men does not merely mean to “witness,” as many know it, or to merely mention His Name, or to try to convert anyone to Him. To confess Him means to stand with Him, by His side, before all the earth, no matter what. It means to identify with Him, to see things as He sees them, to believe, love, and obey Him. This happens in varying degrees.
To the extent that we stand with the Lord, to that extent does He stand with us. To the extent that we identify with Him before men, so He identifies with us. To the extent that we compromise, or shy away from the defense of the truth or speaking that which is needful, to that extent do we miss out on having the blessing and power of God in Heaven and earth.
There are times and places where we would say nothing, because the Father isn’t at work, because Jesus is not at work. At such times, confessing verbally of Him in direct terms is of the flesh, and of no avail. However, at all times is the devoted and faithful believer seeking to be salt and light, to be faithful to Him that called him or her. No matter where we are, or with whom, we will seek to be His Presence and representation. If it is otherwise, it is because we have other gods or preferences to Him, and are therefore afraid to promote the interests of the Kingdom of God.
If I am trying to make a sale, and I perceive that speaking of God would possibly jeopardize that sale, I may already be on the wrong track. Already my eye may not “be single.” If I think that saying something concerning the Lord and truth and righteousness is necessary, I must obey, so I speak, no matter what the reactions of any might be, no matter how public it may be, no matter if I am scorned by any, no matter if I lose my very life.
It’s not easy to identify with Jesus Christ before men, especially if one is in a social gathering or in a position where there are friendships, alliances, or things to gain in this world. But if our hearts are set on things above, and if we are laying up treasure in Heaven, we will forsake all those things on earth.
What power and glory are there unleashed when we stand up in the most “inconvenient” and unlikely circumstances to bear witness to Him, whether by speaking the truth, at cost, or walking in righteousness, at cost, or doing justice, at cost! What power of Heaven is released when we bring the “spiritual” into the “secular”!
The greatest opportunities to confess Jesus Christ before men do not happen in churches, or with other Christians, or in circumstances perceived as receptive or friendly.
The greatest opportunities and most effective occasions can be when and where nobody expects one to confess Jesus Christ before men, especially when such is tacitly or even explicitly disallowed, or illegal, because of man’s decorum and pride, because of man’s preference to his own institutions, customs, traditions, beliefs, and social benefits.
The greatest opportunities can occur when one speaks of the Lord to one, and there are supposedly uninvolved bystanders. At such time, one does not lower his voice to have a private conversation. No, one raises his or her voice that others may hear. Let others see and hear that you’re not ashamed of God, that you are bold, eager and full of joy to declare Him before all.
Let the one to whom you speak know that you speak sincerely, with abandon, without fear or reservation. That is where the power of God is because there is no denial of God in any way. The power is not in whispers but in shouts. “That which I speak in your ears, shout from the housetops.” But to do this, men must have the treasure, which when invested, multiplies and yields more.
The treasure in Heaven begins here and now. What believer would not want the Lord Jesus to manifest Himself to, and identify Himself with, them on earth? If I pray, I would like to be heard and answered. If I pray for someone’s healing, I would want to see that healing happen, and soon enough. If I prophesy, I would want to see that word come to pass. If I give counsel to any, I would want to see that counsel be confirmed as wise, godly, and fruitful. If I walk with God, I would like God to walk with me. If I “go out on a limb” for Him, I would expect Him to “go out on a limb” for me. What greater glory is there on earth than that God should identify with a creature?
My Aunt Delores once wrote me these words in a note: “God is ready to assume full responsibility for the one wholly committed to Him.” Do these words not paraphrase the saying Jesus spoke when He said, “He that confesses Me before men, him will I confess before the Father and the angels”? What does it look like for the Lord to confess us before God and the angels? I believe it means that He will answer prayer, that He will perform miracles on our behalf, that He will inspire us to do His will, to speak His Words, to manifest His Presence wherever we go, and to move some to have faith. I believe it means that people will know there has been a prophet or saint in their midst.
If I identify with Him in full, He will identify with me in full. Can any man do this as he pleases? Not on his own. If I’m pleased to do the will of the Father, to be identified with Him, it’s not I, but God, Who chooses to do so. A person cannot take that upon him or herself. It must be God’s doing. If I want to be identified with Him, it is because I love Him. Yet, it’s not my love, but His love in me.
I don’t want to sell Chi machines or Penergizers or organic food. I don’t want to have financial relationships with people. I don’t want to build businesses or create earthly relationships here on earth. I don’t want to go “vacationing” or “recreating” or amusing myself. I would like to identify with the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s my desire, my hope, and my life. I want to be His friend, His close companion, and I want to live a life wherein He is in me and I am in Him.
I want to boldly declare Jesus Christ before all. I believe that when I do, He shall fully and gladly declare me before all, that I am His, and that He is with me, and I with Him. I’m not satisfied with telling people that I’m with Him, and He with me; I want Him to tell them.
Is that not what the Father did with the Son while in His flesh? As the Father bore witness of the Son, so the Son will bear witness of those who identify with, or confess, Him before men.
I think that what I write is summed up in John’s words:
“No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has in us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. In this is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, that as He is, so also we are in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He who fears has not been perfected in love. We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:12-19 MKJV).
Paul the apostle laid his life down for the One he loved, not only in word but also in deed. Paul said these words to the Romans:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16 MKJV).
Who is ashamed? The one who doesn’t love Him, that’s who. Who isn’t ashamed? The one who has the knowledge of God, and loves Him. If a man can proclaim his love for a woman, if a woman can proclaim her love for a man, if people can proclaim their love publicly for so many things, would not those who love God proclaim their love for Him? Surely! And just as surely, He for them!
Victor Hafichuk