“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:1-4 NKJ
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. I John 5:11-13 NKJ
The word “life” used in these scriptures is the Greek word “zoe”. Zoe is used in the NT to mean life as a principle and life in the absolute sense. Zoe is life as God has it, that which the Father has in Himself, and which He gave to the Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son, to have in Himself, Zoe is “life intensive”. Zoe continually expresses all of the highest and best, which the saints possess in God. Jesus was zoe manifested in the world. Man was cut off from that life in the fall and became a stranger to it. Adam was acquainted with this God-kind of life before the knowledge of sin entered his heart resulting in him becoming more acquainted with death than life. In the fall, man was cut off from God, who is the source of all zoe life.
However, man became a partaker once again of this wonderful life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Author of life to everyone who trusts in Him. Jesus is the life of every believer and the life that He gives He also maintains and sustains. The word “life” refers to more than physical existence. It refers to the spiritual life that results from man’s relationship with God. Eternal life means more than eternal existence. Eternal life refers to eternal fellowship with God. Eternal life is the highest quality of life you can have. According to the apostle Paul, eternal life is freedom from sin, holiness, and a positive relationship with God. Before we knew God’s Zoë life we were in a state of spiritual death – cut off from the life of God – which results from a life of sin.
Eternal life belongs to every believer right now, because of his or her relationship with Christ. You are not waiting to become a partaker of life as God knows it – you have it as your possession now. We have this hope and look forward to this life filling up and changing our bodies when we receive our glorified body as Jesus did when He was resurrected from the dead.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11 NIV
The “life” that Jesus laid down is the Greek word “psuche” Besides its meanings, “heart, mind, soul,” this word denotes “life” in two chief respects. It means “breath of life” or the “natural life” and “the seat of personality”. Generally speaking, psuche means “the individual life” or the “living being”, while zoe is the life of that being. Jesus, Good Shepherd, laid down His life (psuche) for the sheep so that they can have life (zoe) and have it in abundance.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 NKJ
We can life the “high” life – God’s higher life – if we our life in God and for God. God does not only remove the curse and the fear of death and separation from God from us, but He actually gives us His life. Life as He lives it! We can live our lives – not just barely making it – but we can live in the abundance of peace and joy and blessing that He lives and walks in.