When Jesus personally makes himself known directly to his disciple, as he promised those who obey his commandments, this immediately reveals several things. The heart of this person, myself included (I say this as my personal testimony), receives the truth that Jesus is indeed alive, and actually alive from the dead. The resurrection is revealed. This makes it known that faithful obedience to God, in the case of Jesus at least, can lead to resurrection. Jesus is first-fruits of this truth. He stands at the door and knocks, because he is alive to do so, having been given victory over death itself by God who sent him. This victory is made known when the door is opened and he enters the innermost experiential knowledge of the one who hears his voice. This same victory is thereby given to the one who hears him and opens to him. It is Jesus himself who does this, personally one-to-one. The same is promised of the Father, God. The Father too makes Himself known as promised to the one who loves His Son, Jesus, and keeps Lord Jesus Christ’s commands. My own testimony is to confirm that this too is so. The further revelation given individually and personally is when Jesus makes it known that he is flesh and bone, not only alive from the dead, but human in body, though now made immortal by the power of God who sent him. This is food to the soul. Knowing that he is human makes his teachings truly relevant, because what he could do, we also can do, since he is human exactly as we are human. This revelation almost completes the victory given to the disciple. Almost, because another step in the revelation makes it truly complete. This is the giving by God of the Holy Spirit to the disciple. As the Holy Spirit is manifestly given, I know it well from experience, the experience of this seals it all, from heaven itself, marking the disciple as a disciple in God’s eyes. Then victory is truly set in motion. It is victory that promises to swallow up death. Now it is important to testify of this, not for vain glory, but because to receive this testimony, believing it, is to receive some of this revelation and victory. Yet, the revelation is more complete when it leads to receiving it from Son, and Father, and Holy Spirit directly, to know it for yourself. This persuades more fully and such persuasion is true victory over death and over sin which can cause death.
