Who do you say I am?

One of the most important questions we all must answer is, “Who do you say I am?” John explained:

“By this we know we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit…”

1 John 4: 13

John is about to explain how we can stand and with confidence know that we are in Him, which is another way of saying that we are in the Secret Place. Paul made a statement:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

2 Corinthians 5: 17

If we are in Him, we are a new creation, and all the old is passed away. As we enter into His Presence, there is and must not be any looking back to us or our past. The more we look back, the more we miss what the Lord has for us and fail to enter into the fullness of the Secret Place truly.

Paul added:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

Romans 8: 1

In Him, we stand clean without any condemnation. The word “condemnation” means to be blamed or to be judged as guilty. Let that sink in for a minute. When we think about coming into His Presence, we suddenly become aware of all the reasons we are unworthy or stand condemned. We are either in condemnation or we are in Him. The place where we are in Him depends on our understanding who He is and fixing our eyes on Him and not ourselves.

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”

Hebrews 12: 2

The word “looking” here comes from the Greek “aphorao,” meaning to turn the eyes away from one thing and fix them on something else. We must deliberately get our eyes off ourselves, knowing our righteousness is not of us but Him. Our faith rests in and on Him and not ourselves. SO, I no longer consider myself, but Him, and who I am in Him. Now sin breaks our fellowship with Him, and we should hear and receive the conviction from the Holy Spirit, who longs to restore our fellowship with the Lord. When we do, we put our faith in Him and His blood to cleanse us.

So, what is the key so we can be found in Him or in the Secret Place of His Presence?

Well, turn to Matthew 16, where Jesus comes to Caesarea Philippi. There was a well here where the Greeks and Romans worshipped Pan. The Jews considered this demonic site the gates of hell. Here is the enemy stronghold. Jesus makes a bold declaration. It all starts when Jesus asked:

“Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

Matthew 16: 13

Well, they all began sharing various comments on who the people thought Jesus was. It is easy to get lost in the crowd and voice an echo. When people all around you worship Jesus, it is easy to worship Him or appear to worship Him.

But if we are to be found in Him and to know the Secret Place, we must separate from the crowd and become a voice.

“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?”

Matthew 16: 15

I can imagine how everything suddenly became quiet while all rushed to answer His last question; now, everyone was looking down and avoiding eye contact with Jesus.

“Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in Heaven.”

Matthew 16: 16- 17

Peter just said something that no Jew would say, and they sure are not taught this, that Jesus was the Messiah and Son of God. This was so profound that Jesus explains that Peter didn’t come by this by himself, but by revelation. The Holy Spirit had opened Peter’s eyes to this amazing and absolute truth.

All of us as individuals must answer the same question, “Who do you say that I am?” The answer must come from the Holy Spirit, opening our eyes so that we know.

“…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe with your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if we confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Romans 10: 8- 10

Now hold these verses in your heart for a minute as we return to Matthew 16. Listen carefully to what Jesus went on to say.

“From that time Jesus BEGAN to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘Far be it from You, Lord” this shall not happen to You!’ But He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Matthew 16: 21- 23 Emphasis Added

If we get the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son, we must understand that as such, He was persecuted, crucified, died, buried, and rose again. Peter missed this critical part. We stand because of Who He is, what He did, and now who we are in Him.

Listen to John:

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.”

1 John 5: 1

And

“These things I have written to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, that you may have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the Name of the Son of God.”

1 John 5: 13

And

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”

1 John 5: 20

We need to recognize Who He is, what He did in the flesh for us, and through faith in Him, who we are now because of Him.  

Peter could not understand that if Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God, then how could He suffer and die. No, He was supposed to become King and end the Roman occupation, restoring Israel to her full glory. He had read all those verses and heard all the opinions on the Messiah. Most people have greater faith in the opinions of people rather than in the truth of the Word.

We have to receive Him as who He is according to who He says He is, and He did all that He said He did, and we have through faith all that He won for us. It is strictly by faith and not feeling, opinion, or groupthink.

The invitation to the Secret Place to be found in Him is a personal decision. We can’t get carried by the crowd, but we allow the Holy Spirit to move in our lives and reveal Jesus. We need to allow Him to enthroned Jesus in our lives.