| Written by Andrew Wommack |
The night before Jesus’ crucifixion, He told His disciples that they knew where He was going and how to get there. Thomas disagreed with Him by saying they didn’t know where He was going, and therefore, they couldn’t know the way. Jesus responded by saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me” (John 14:6).
He went on to say that if they had really known Him, they would have known the Father also, because seeing Him was seeing the Father. Philip responded, “Show us the Father and it will satisfy us” (John 14:8).
Philip’s statement deserves closer examination.
Philip wasn’t completely satisfied with Jesus. Although he had witnessed Jesus perform miracles that no one had ever done before, speak as no one had ever spoken before, and love Philip as no one had ever loved him before, that wasn’t enough. He wanted something more than Jesus before he would be satisfied.
The word satisfy means, “meet the expectations, needs or desires of (someone); fulfill (a desire or need); provide (someone) with adequate information or proof so they are convinced about something.” Think about that. In Philip’s estimation, Jesus hadn’t fulfilled all of Philip’s expectations. He hadn’t met his desires. He hadn’t provided Philip with adequate proof. Philip was wanting more than Jesus.
Wow! If Jesus doesn’t satisfy you, who or what will?
Are you satisfied with Jesus? Do you have expectations, needs, or desires beyond what Jesus has provided? Do you need more information or proof beyond what Jesus has provided you?
It was because Philip only knew Jesus according to His flesh (2 Cor. 5:16). That is to say, Philip didn’t know the real Jesus. he didn’t fully recognize who Jesus was because of His physical body. Jesus’ humanity hid His Divinity from them.
Jesus was God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). Jesus was the Lord God Almighty as His birth (Luke 2:11), but that glory was wrapped in the physical flesh of a tiny baby. His flesh was sinless, but it was still flesh.
Isaiah said that there was no beauty in Jesus’ flesh that He should be desired (Is. 53:2). Jesus had to grow in his physical body and in His physical mind (Luke 2:52). His flesh looked as natural as any ordinary man.
And because the true person of Jesus was veiled by His flesh, Philip and the other disciples didn’t fully recognize who Jesus really was. They had the disadvantage of seeing Jesus’ physical body.
I’m sure someone is thinking, “What do you mean ‘disadvantage’?” It would have been wonderful to be one of Jesus’ twelve disciples and see Him in the flesh! Yes, it would, but it would also have made it harder to perceive who Jesus really was.
They saw Jesus in all of His humanity. He got tired, hungry, and dirty. He had to eat, sleep, and do all the things we have to do. It would have been hard to look at the humanity of Jesus and think, “This is God! This is the One who created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1). This is the One who can fit the whole universe in the palm of His right hand (Is. 48:13), yet He’s just like me.”
We have the advantage of seeing Jesus through the scriptures with the witness of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ twelve disciples had to overcome Jesus’ humanity every day. We don’t.
They only knew Jesus after the flesh (2 Cor. 5:16). We can see Jesus with the eyes of our hearts through the revelation God has given us in Scripture.
I hope this teaching has blessed you, but there’s a lot more I have to share about this topic. To get my complete teaching on “Are You Satisfied with Jesus?,” I encourage you to visit awmi.net/satisfied/ or call my Helpline at 719-635-1111.
I also encourage you to visit my website, awmi.net. You’ll find an abundance of resources—teachings that you can read, listen to, or watch, video testimony stories, and much more! Also, if you’re in need of prayer, I encourage you to call the Andrew Wommack Ministries Helpline at 719-635-1111 and speak to one of our trained prayer ministers. We’re here for you!