Partaking of Eternal Life and God's riches — Zac Poonen

Eternal Life Is Knowing God

So, I'm very happy to meet all of you again. I want to begin with a verse in John chapter 17 and verse 3. There are a lot of things, a lot of words from the Bible which people misunderstand. And one of those words is eternal life.

Now, if you ask the average Christian, what is eternal life? He will say, I'm going to live for eternity with Jesus in heaven. Now, that definition of eternal life is never found in the Bible. We must remember that the only book in the whole world that can tell us about God is the Bible.

So, if you don't study the Bible carefully, you're not going to know about God. And you will have your own ideas which you have got from other people or from your own cleverness. And they will all be wrong.

And that's very dangerous. For example, supposing from childhood you learn that 2 plus 2 is 6. When you know 2 plus 2 is actually 4. And when you actually know that when we add 2 to 2, we get 4. But you have been taught since childhood that 2 plus 2 is 6.

And you will have a lot of problems when you are dealing with money. So, we are very careful when it comes to money and keeping our calculations correct. If somebody gives us a bill, we are very careful to total it up and see if it is correct.

And to total it up, we must know something about arithmetic. Now, if we would take as much interest to know the Bible, we would all have become much more spiritual by today. I have always been amazed by the fact that Jesus knew the whole Bible when he was 12 years old.

We read in Luke chapter 2 that when he went to Jerusalem at 12 years old, he was discussing the Bible with the chief priests there. They were surprised that a 12-year-old boy knows the Bible so much.

And remember, in those days, there was no printed Bible. Jesus didn't have a Bible in his house. And remember, in those days, there was no printed Bible. Jesus didn't have a Bible in his house. Usually, there was only one Bible in the town, which was in the Jewish synagogue, the place of worship.

And the priest there, who was called a rabbi, could explain it. And the priest there, who was called a rabbi, could explain it. And I imagine that Jesus would go there at the age of 5 and ask the rabbi and the priest to explain the Bible to him.

He came just like any other baby. Otherwise, he cannot be an example for us. So, that knowledge of the Bible came by his learning and studying. And the priest would have been very happy that this young boy is coming to know the Scriptures.

I can imagine he went every day for 7 years and he knew the whole Bible. So, I was challenged by that when I was converted at the age of 19 and a half. I was challenged by that when I was converted at the age of 19 and a half.

And in those days, I used to work in a ship in the Navy. And I decided to study the Bible. In my spare time. And in 7 years, I knew such a lot about the Bible. I know if you are serious about studying the Bible in your spare time, you can know such a lot about God.

Follow the example of Jesus as a child. Follow the example of Jesus as a child. And in John 17 verse 3, where it is written eternal life. And it is written that eternal life is to know God. Because people who go to hell also live forever.

But they don't have eternal life. Eternal life is something that we can acquire more and more as we grow in the Christian life. Eternal life is something that we can acquire more and more as we grow in the Christian life.

And it begins when we receive Jesus Christ as Lord of our life into our hearts. And it is exactly like a woman getting married to a man. And Jesus is like our husband or a bridegroom. John 7 verse 4 says we are married to Christ.

Romans 7 verse 4. So when a woman gets married to a man. She knows very little about him. But if they live happily together for 10 years. She knows him much more. And after 20 -30 years, she knows him quite thoroughly.

And after 20 -30 years, she knows him quite thoroughly. If they live in fellowship with each other every day. And in this knowledge, it is written here that eternal life is to know only one true God. 1 Timothy chapter 6.

Timothy was one of Paul's closest co-workers. He was the best of Paul's co-workers. Paul selected him when he was a young 20-year-old man. And now Paul is writing to him after 25 years when Timothy is about 45 years old.

Timothy has already known Jesus for 25 years. And look what Paul writes to him through the Holy Spirit. 1 Timothy 6 verse 12. Fight the good fight of faith. And listen to this. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called.

What does it mean? Take hold of eternal life. Timothy could have said, Oh, I accepted Christ 20 years ago. Then what is eternal life now? Because eternal life is knowing God and Jesus more and more and more and more.

Receiving the life of God into us more and more. So the real definition of eternal life is not a life that never ends. But a life that had no beginning. And has no end. That is only one life. Only one life that had no beginning.

That was God. We can say eternal life is the life of God. And this is the greatest gift God can give us. More than asking God for health or money or comfort, ask for eternal life. Lord Jesus, I want to know you more and more just like a wife knows her husband more and more.

And Paul wrote a letter about 30 years after he was converted. Philippians chapter 3. Paul is nearly 60 years old now. He came to the Lord when he was around 30. He has already known the Lord for 30 years.

And he writes in Philippians 3, verse 10. My great passion is that I may know him more. I want to know my Lord. And you say, Paul, don't you already know the Lord for 30 years? Yes, but knowing the Lord is something that will continue through all eternity.

Because God is so infinite. So I want to encourage all of you to have one passion. To know Jesus more and more. There is a lot of difference between knowing about a person and knowing a person. You may know about the President of India, but you don't know him personally.

You can read about his life and know all about his life, but you don't know him personally. In the same way, you can read and know all about Jesus Christ and not know him personally. In the same way, you can read and know all about Jesus Christ and not know him personally.

And a lot of people who study the Bible, they know about Jesus Christ, but they don't know him personally. So don't be proud that you know the Bible. There are people who cannot read and write who know Jesus personally.

So many people know the Bible, but they still live in sin. And you can read the Bible and know the Bible and be spiritually blind. Do you know that the whole Bible speaks about Jesus Christ? Let me give you an example.

Christ Revealed Throughout Scripture

In Luke 24, we read about Jesus after his resurrection. In Luke 24, we read about Jesus after his resurrection. Please turn to Luke 24. In Luke 24, we read that there were two disciples who were walking to Emmaus in verse 13.

In Luke 24, we read that there were two disciples who were walking to Emmaus in verse 13. And that was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And that would have taken about three hours to walk there. And it says Jesus came and joined them, verse 15.

And it says Jesus came and joined them, verse 15. They didn't know it was Jesus. They thought Jesus is crucified on the cross. They did not know he was risen from the dead. It says in verse 16, their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

It says in verse 16, their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. And Jesus walked with them for three hours and what did he talk about? We read in verse 27. We read in verse 27. And he began with Moses and the prophets.

That is referring to the Old Testament, 39 books of the Old Testament. And it says here in all those 39 books, he showed them the things concerning himself. That means you can see Jesus in all the 39 books of the Old Testament.

That means you can see Jesus in all the 39 books of the Old Testament. You can see in Genesis chapter 3, he's called the seed of the woman that will crush the head of the devil. And in every book there is a picture of Jesus.

You know when Moses hit the rock and the water flowed for the Israelites to drink. That's a picture of Jesus being crucified and the Holy Spirit coming into us. Much more the New Testament is full about Jesus.

If you read the Bible, not to increase your knowledge, but to know Jesus more and more. And ask the Holy Spirit to show you. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will come and show you the things concerning himself.

The main ministry of the Holy Spirit is to show Jesus to us. See John chapter 16. Verse 13. John 16, 13. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. What does that mean? Verse 14, he will glorify me, Jesus said.

And listen to this, he will take of mine and show it to you. He will take the life of Jesus and show it to me in my heart. He will show me the principles by which Jesus lived on this earth. See, I have known the Lord now for 61 years.

And the Holy Spirit has shown me more and more and more of the life of Jesus. How he obeyed the Father. How he always humbled himself and lived as a servant on the earth. How he had no interest in making money.

How he never preached even once for money. And how he was so forgiving. And how he cared for poor people, helpless people. And how he overcame sin. The Holy Spirit will show us Jesus. That is how we must read the Bible.

Humility Opens the Meaning of Scripture

And I want to show you another verse which tells us why we cannot understand the Bible. Let me first of all mention about the Pharisees. In Israel when Jesus came, the Pharisees had studied the Bible more than anybody else.

But they did not know God. Today there are thousands of Christians who study the Bible who do not know God. Who do not know Jesus. They are exactly like the Pharisees. They are proud that they know the Bible.

They know about Jesus but they do not know Jesus personally. If they knew Jesus personally, they would be living an overcoming life. I told you how Jesus took the 39 books of the Old Testament and showed his Jesus in every book of the Old Testament.

And I told you how Jesus took the 39 books of the Old Testament and showed his Jesus in every book of the Old Testament. And when the Pharisees were studying the Bible, they studied the same Bible which Jesus studied.

And they did not see Jesus there. And when Jesus came in their midst, I will give you an example from Matthew 12. And his 22nd verse. Matthew 12 verse 22. Then they brought a blind man who was blind and mute and Jesus healed him immediately.

And verse 23, all the crowds who did not study the Bible, they saw this and said, hey, this is the son of David, definitely. But verse 23, the Pharisees who studied the Bible said, no, this is Beelzebub, the devil.

And you imagine that they studied the 39 books of the Old Testament. And when Jesus came into the midst, they thought he was the devil. The Beelzebub mentioned here is a ruler of demons, it says. I mean, there are non-Christians who read about Jesus and say he was a good man or he was a prophet.

He was not a good man or a prophet, he was almighty God. But the Pharisees were so blind, they thought he was the devil. But they knew the Bible better than anybody in Israel. What does that teach us today?

You can know the Bible thoroughly and know nothing about Jesus Christ. All the people who have, godly people who have blessed me in my life are people who have never been to a Bible school. I never went to a Bible school in my whole life.

When I got converted, I said, Lord Jesus, you taught your early disciples through the Holy Spirit. 2000 years later, you can teach me also through the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit is the same.

And I tell you, the Holy Spirit has taught me amazing things from the Bible in these last 60 years. Why is it some people don't understand the Bible? I will tell you the reason. Pride. Anyone who is proud will not understand the Bible.

However clever he may be, there are thousands of preachers who are very proud. They will not understand the Bible. See Matthew 11 verse 25, listen to the words of Jesus. He said, I praise you, Father, that you have hidden these truths from the clever and intelligent people and revealed them to little babies.

So who can understand the Bible? God hides the truth. In the Bible from clever, intelligent people. Why? Because most clever, intelligent people are very proud of their cleverness and their intelligence.

Why does God reveal it to babies? What did Jesus mean by that? He was saying that we must have the one quality of a baby if we want to understand the Bible. What does a baby have that clever, intelligent people don't have?

A newborn baby has got zero pride. All clever, intelligent people have got some amount of pride in them, some more, some less. A baby does not know intellectually more than clever people. Its mind is blank.

It has got no knowledge in that mind yet. A baby has got a heart that is humble. And this verse teaches us that God reveals his truths to the humble, who are those who are like babies. Jesus once picked up a baby in Matthew chapter 18 and said, you must be humble like this baby.

That's the one quality of a child that Jesus said we can imitate. And God reveals his truths only to such people. You know why? Because God himself is like that. See Jesus said in Matthew 11, 29, four verses later.

Learn from me for I am humble in my heart. Learn from me for I am humble in my heart. And what is Jesus telling us to learn from him? Not how to preach or how to heal the sick. Many people want to learn how to preach and how to heal the sick.

There are people in churches who spend hours training their voice to sing better. Forget all that. One thing Jesus said, learn from me how to be humble and gentle. That's the most important thing we have to learn.

And if you come to Jesus and say, Lord, I want eternal life which is to know you. The first thing the Lord will show you is how to be humble. And if you come to Jesus and say, How to think less about yourself and more about other people.

How to consider other people as more important than yourself. And Philippians 2 verse 3. Philippians 2 verse 3 The middle. With humility of mind, consider everybody as more important than yourself. My dear brothers and sisters who are listening to me today.

Look at that verse like looking into a mirror. And be honest. Can you honestly say that you consider other people as more important than yourself? Not more spiritual than yourself. That is impossible.

Jesus did not consider others as more spiritual than himself because that would be a lie. I don't have to consider other people as more spiritual than me because it may not be true. And you don't have to do that either.

But it says consider them as more important. Do you know that Jesus considered even Judas Iscariot as more important than him? Because he washed his feet at the last supper. Only slaves washed the feet of other people.

And on the last day of his life on earth Jesus said I am like a slave. And you read in John 13 he said as I have done to you you must do to one another. Be a servant of everybody. Treat them all as more important than you.

See that is how a child is. A child does not think I am the most important person. Think of a little baby which is just 5 days old lying in a cradle. Just born. What is the thoughts going on in that child's mind?

That child is not thinking how smart I am how good looking I am. Those are the thoughts that go through the minds of older people. Even when people stand around that cradle and admire that child and say oh what a beautiful child.

They say what a beautiful child this is. Still the child does not have any pride thinking oh how beautiful I am everybody is admiring me. That is true humility where you are not affected by what people think about you that you are such a wonderful man.

If you are like Jesus the whole world can praise you and it will not puff you up in pride. Is that possible? That everybody is praising you and you are still a humble person? If you don't know Jesus impossible.

But if you know Jesus very easy because God gives us his life that is eternal life. I don't have to manufacture the life of Jesus. I feel that many people when they hear the life of Jesus and the message of taking up the cross and following Jesus they think now I have to make myself holy.

I have to make myself love people. I have to make myself humble. You can try for hundred years whatever holiness you make will be a false fake holiness even the humility that you produce will only be to show other people not really humble inside.

It's like these counterfeit items that are sold in the markets which look like the real thing but which is a fake. There are many products which are well known products which other people make a counterfeit which looks like the real thing.

Like that there is fake humility fake holiness. The real humility comes from the Holy Spirit. And when you have that you will not be proud that I am such a humble person. So it's because the Pharisees were not humble that they were blind when they read the Bible.

Spiritual Maturity and the Control of Speech

You know once the disciples asked Jesus in Matthew 13 verse 10 Why do you speak to all these people in parables. Now we think Jesus spoke in parables so that people could understand more easily. But in verse 11 and 12 Jesus says I speak like that so that they don't understand what I am saying.

That's an amazing verse. Jesus speaks in a way to hide from the truth from the Pharisees. Preachers are always taught preach in such a way that people can understand what you are saying. But Jesus taught in such a way that people don't understand what he is saying.

Proud people will not understand. But those who are humble like little babies they will understand. Is there any subject in the world which clever people will not understand but little babies will understand.

Which proud people will not understand but humble people will understand. There is no subject in the world like that. Whether it is mathematics or science or history or any subject. It doesn't matter whether you are proud or humble.

If you are clever you understand it. Except one book in the world Bible. You cannot understand it if you are proud. You will know the facts of it in your head. But you will not understand its real message.

You can know about Jesus as a proud person but you cannot know Jesus as a proud person. That is why so many people do not grow spiritually even though they have been believers for 20 -25 years. There are people who say I have accepted the Lord 20 years ago.

And I was filled with the Holy Spirit 15 years ago and I began to speak in tongues. And they praise God in what they think is tongues. But even after 20 years of being a believer. They still get angry and shout at their husband and wife at home.

Not in tongues but in their mother tongue. Can you imagine the stupidity of this? To praise God in an unknown tongue and shout at your wife or husband in your mother tongue. They haven't learned the language of speaking in humility and purity.

So that is why I am sure the so called unknown tongues they speak is a fake it is not real. There is a gift of unknown tongues. I believe it. God doesn't give it to everybody. I know God gave it to me many years ago.

I don't use it in public like other people. Like it says in 1 Corinthians 14 I use it only privately in my talking with God. I did not seek for it. You know what I sought God for when I wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

I said Lord. I don't want unknown tongues. I want you to control my mother tongue. I get angry. I am proud I speak words that hurt people. Please give me control over my mother tongue. I prayed I fasted I wept and I sought God.

I said Lord I will never be happy until you give me power over my mother tongue. I never get angry. I never speak rudely to people. I never speak in pride. I will always speak more and more like Jesus Christ spoke.

How gently and forgiving way he spoke to the poor people. And to sinners. And how strongly he spoke against people who were selling money in the temple who were making money in the temple. Lord I want to be like that.

Gentle when it comes to sinful people who are repenting. And strong and hard to people who love money and who are trying to make money in the name of Christianity. We must long to speak like Jesus spoke.

We can understand that if we say Lord teach me humility. Otherwise you can be blind when you read the Bible. You know it says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 That some people when they read there is a like a veil over the word of God.

2nd Corinthians 3 14. Their minds are hardened because till this very day in the reading of the Old Testament there is a veil over them. See if I take a handkerchief like this and put it on top of the Bible.

Now I have kept it on top of the Bible. I can't read what's there. There's a cloth over it. And it says here in 2nd Corinthians 3 14 That some people when they read the Bible it's like a cloth on top of the Bible.

They can't understand what's written there. But when they turn to the Lord verse 16 and 17 which is the Holy Spirit then that cloth is taken away. You cannot understand the Bible without the Holy Spirit.

Otherwise like the Pharisees thought Jesus was the devil you can also get some wrong understanding from the Bible. Look at the number of preachers in the world who love money. Most of the preachers in the world I have met are lovers of money.

But they say they are following Jesus. But they are always either asking for money or expecting money from the people they preach to. Do you know that you cannot understand the Bible if you love money.

I told you you cannot understand the Bible if you are proud. The Pharisees were proud they thought Jesus was the devil. Learn humility from Jesus. Say Lord make me a servant of people. Give me a servant attitude towards others.

Towards everybody. Even to evil people like Judas Iscariot I am ready to wash their feet. I will not change my convictions. I will not think they are more spiritual than me. But I will consider them as more important.

I will take the place of being the last of all, the servant of all. Jesus said when you go to a feast take the last seat. Don't seek the important places. It's a certain attitude in your mind Lord I am the least important person in the world.

I want to be a servant of everyone. You will know the Bible better than anybody else. The same way in relation to money. See it says here in Luke 16. And verse 13 No servant can serve two masters. All of you who are working you work in one factory or one office.

You can't work in two places at the same time. You can work in the morning in one place in the evening in another place but at the same time you cannot work in two places. No you can only serve one master at a time.

And Jesus said in your whole life you can serve only one master. Luke 16 13. Who are the two masters Jesus said in the world. Most Christians will say God and Satan. No. Here Jesus said God and money.

Now nobody in his senses will think he can serve God and Satan at the same time. But there are many Christians who think I can serve God and money. I can live for making money and I can also live for serving God.

Not possible. Jesus said you cannot serve God and money. Luke 16 13. And when people are trying to serve both They become blind. Jesus said that in Matthew chapter 6. See he said the same thing in Matthew 6 24.

Nobody can serve God. Two masters God and money. And in this connection he spoke about verse 22 and 23 about the eye having a single eye. So if your eye is on God it means you. If your eyes are on God it will be clear.

Verse 22 Your full body will be full of light. If your eye is on God and money Verse 23 Then your eye is bad and your body will be full of darkness. Read verse 22 23 and 24 together and you will understand it.

It's not a question of earning money. It's a question of where your vision is. We all have to earn money to live on this earth. And up to the age of 30 Jesus worked as a carpenter and he also earned money.

There's nothing wrong in that. Jesus maybe from the age of 16 or 17 till the age of 30 he was earning money as a carpenter. As far as we know Joseph died so Jesus had to take the responsibility for the family.

He had his mother four younger brothers and two sisters to look after. There were eight members in that family Including Jesus. And Jesus had to earn his living. It was a large family with eight members.

And the father had died. And Jesus worked hard as a carpenter earned money and supported that family. Maybe eight or ten hours he was in the carpenter shop. Working hard to make money. Never cheating anybody.

Never borrowing. And honestly faithfully earning money. And in those 10 -12 years if the cost of living went up he had to earn more. If you and I do the same thing that's perfectly okay. You do some work or you do business and you earn money.

That's what I have done for 45 years. I don't take money from the church to support myself. Paul said I don't take any money from people he supported himself. You have to be very very careful in this area if you want revelation from God.

True Riches and Faithfulness With Money

Now see what Jesus said in Luke 16 and verse 11. This is a very important verse. If you are not faithful in the use of money how will you get the true riches. Luke 16 -11. If you don't handle money faithfully God will not give you the true riches.

Money is false riches. You think you are wealthy you are not really wealthy. Real wealth is when you get the nature of Jesus. When you get the fullness of the Holy Spirit. It says you can't get that if you are not faithful with money.

Here is a law in the Christian life. What are the true riches. Jesus spoke here about true riches. Just like in the world there is fake gold and real gold. So many people make fake gold to fool people.

In the same way in the spiritual world there are true riches and false riches. I will tell you what true riches are. Three things. One to become more and more like Jesus in our character. To be more humble.

To be more holy and pure. To be more loving to everyone. That is true riches. More and more like Jesus Christ. Secondly True riches are the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit. Not human cleverness.

You can preach with human cleverness or you can preach with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. You can live by your human cleverness or you can live by the power of the Holy Spirit. Human abilities are all false riches.

That will not last forever. It's like fake gold. Real gold is the anointing of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit empowers you to live and to serve God. If you are satisfied with your human cleverness you will never seek God for the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

First of all true riches are more and more like Jesus Christ the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Thirdly revelation on the inner meaning of the word of God. That means when I read the Bible I don't have a cloth covering it.

No the cloth is taken away and I see the real meaning in it which my cleverness cannot explain to me which the Holy Spirit reveals to me the meaning of the word of God. You can't learn that in a Bible school.

You can't learn that by reading hundreds of books. You can learn it by humility and the Holy Spirit shows you things which others cannot see. There are many things I have seen in the Bible which I have never heard anybody talk about.

Is it because I am cleverer than them? I believe there are millions of people crores of people who are cleverer than me in the world. But if we humble ourselves and seek for the anointing of the Holy Spirit anybody can see things in scripture.

Jesus said in Luke 16 .11. If you want these three true riches one condition you must be faithful in the use of money. Most Christians that I have met are not faithful in the use of money. I will give you many examples of that.

They buy things which they cannot afford. They borrow they get into debt and remain in debt for many years. My wife and I decided in all our 52 years of marriage that we will never buy what we cannot afford.

If we could not afford something we waited till we had enough money then only we bought it. In the early days of our marriage we were very very poor. I did not even have money to buy a shirt. I used to wear all the old shirts I had from my naval days.

I said that's ok if it's torn I will stitch it up and wear it again. But I will not get into debt. And by God's grace in all these 81 years I have never been in debt even for one rupee to any man. In all our 52 years of marriage we never borrowed money from anybody.

I said Lord I want to be faithful with money because I want the true riches. Dear brothers and sisters the world is full of covetous people always wanting something they don't have. You go to somebody's house and you see something there and you say I also want that.

Many wives are like that they tell their husbands see we saw that in that house we also get that for our house. But you don't have the money for it. How can you buy it. Use a credit card. I have never used a credit card in my life.

Because then I get into debt. I don't want to be in debt. And it's alright if you use a credit card if you can pay your debt within the next one month like the rule is. If you cannot pay your debt within that one month limit which they give you should never use a credit card.

You can use it if you keep on paying that every month like the rule is. Otherwise you are covetous wanting things that you not really earn enough to buy. You think there is no connection between that attitude and growing spiritually.

There is. And you know preachers for example all the preachers I meet almost all of them they are always asking people for money. There is an old writing from the first century. It's a small book called the teaching of the twelve apostles.

You can also find it on the internet. It is the teaching of the twelve apostles. Another word is D .I .D .A .C .H .E. And it's second name is D .I .D .A .C .H .E. And there are very interesting things written in that book.

And one of the teachings is. Any preacher who asks you for money is a false prophet. That is what the apostles taught 2000 years ago. Have you heard anybody say that today? I say it. Anyone who asks you for money as a preacher is a false prophet.

Anyone who sends letters asking people to give money is a false prophet. You listen to them you'll be deceived by them. You think they are wonderful preachers. God says they are false prophets. Why do I say that?