“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6 NLT)
How many times have you heard or read this verse?
If you are like me, it has been hundreds. I can’t even count the number of sermons I’ve heard that have referenced this very famous verse, or how many times I’ve referenced it in my own writing…
Have you ever noticed the human tendency that the more we hear something, the less likely we are to pay attention to it? Maybe you aren’t that way, but I sure am, and this is what has happened to this powerful quote from Jesus: I have simply stopped paying attention to what it really means.
Until last Saturday, that is…
I will admit that it has been a stressful fall season (written fall of 2021). Without boring you with details, I have been being called into almost constant spiritual warfare, and not just for one issue either, but for several! After a while, you do tend to get battle-fatigue, especially when you don’t see that your side is advancing. And even more so when it looks like your side is losing ground, despite all the exhausting hours of spiritual warfare!
That’s where I was. I had a horrible case of battle-exhaustion; yet my side — God’s side — appeared to be losing ground. Was it all for naught?
Friends, allowing even one such negative thought into your mind is dangerous. It opens the door for more. It starts you down a slippery slope and there doesn’t appear to be any way to stop your decent. I only say that because that’s what happened to me. In an instant I found myself crying out, accusing God of not answering prayers, questioning His goodness, questioning His promises, questioning everything I’ve come to believe…
Eventually I had to stop for breath, and my torrent of words momentarily slowed. God must have been just listening patiently, because just as I was gearing up to start again, the Holy Spirit whispered this verse in my mind: “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6 NLT)
It was enough to make me pause for a moment, and as I did, the Spirit of the Living God continued to speak, over and over again: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. I am the way, the truth, and the life. I am the way, the truth, and the life…”
What a minute. Jesus was Truth. That means that whatever is written in the Bible is Truth, for: “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 NLT). That meant that Truth isn’t based on something I can see, it is based on Someone, the One, Jesus Christ. My circumstances weren’t dictating truth. Jesus IS Truth! And all those thoughts going around in my head were contrary to the Word of God, they were contrary to … Truth!
All this went through my mind in an instant. The most interesting part was that with my mind busy contemplating Truth, all those other thoughts just kind of … disappeared! I was still exhausted, however, but the words just kind of bubbled up from my mouth: “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” The more I said those words, the more I could feel strength returning to my limbs. I began to cry out: “Jesus is the Truth! What I see is NOT the Truth, Jesus is! Jesus is Truth, Jesus is Truth!”
It wasn’t long before I picked up my spiritual sword and re-entered the battle. I suddenly knew:
a) the Way. It wasn’t what my experiences dictated, and it wasn’t how the world defined it, it was Jesus.
b) the Truth. It wasn’t what circumstances screamed. It wasn’t what logic screamed. It wasn’t what past experience screamed. It was Jesus.
And as these Truths of Scripture began to take hold of my spirit, I suddenly realized that I had been revitalized with strength, perseverance, motivation… I had found the way of … life! For Jesus is the Way!
Whatever it is that you face, Jesus is the way, the Truth and the life.
Relationships gone sour? Jesus is the way, the Truth and the life.
Lost your job? Jesus is the way, the Truth and the life.
Body ridden with illness? Jesus is the way the Truth and the life.
But what if that relationship doesn’t improve? What if I can’t find any other employment? What if the cancer doesn’t go away? What then?
The answer is the same: Jesus is the way! He is the Truth, He is the life. Jesus being our way and our truth and our life doesn’t mean we won’t have battles, and it doesn’t mean they will all turn out the way we want them too. What it means is that when we believe in Jesus as our way, our Truth and our life, He will equip us for whatever battle lies ahead, and we can rest assure that the outcome will be according to the divine will and purpose of the everlasting, all powerful, all loving God!
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart
Associate Director, Moderator, Answers2Prayer Ministries
