Regardless of rank, God can use you

John 1:15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” John the Baptist was born before Jesus was born, yet he said that Jesus existed before him. It can only be that John was testifying to the eternal nature of Christ. It’s a reference not to Jesus’ earthly existence but to His being with God in the beginning, as verse 1 of John testified. John the Baptist also said that Jesus was of a higher rank than he. The idea of rank is interesting since Jesus made comments about John’s rank. Recorded in Luke 7:28, Jesus remarked of John, “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” The author of Hebrews spoke about Jesus’ rank among the angels in heaven when he wrote, “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.” In the unseen realm of heaven, Jesus ranks first. Paul wrote to the Colossians about Jesus’ rank above everything in heaven and earth in 1:16-18. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him, all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For John to say Jesus outranks him was an understatement. In the kingdom of God, which includes both heaven and earth, John is ranked below the least in the kingdom. Here’s the encouragement. Regardless of where you are ranked, if you’re in the kingdom, God can use you, for you are ranked higher than John. We live to love in the power of the Holy Spirit, with full knowledge of the gospel, the death and resurrection of Christ, which John did not know of because he died before those events. We have a fuller hope than John could offer. We have more of the fullness of the Spirit than John had, and we have both Testaments from which to teach. The least in the kingdom of God is greater than John, even though at that time, he was the greatest ever born of woman. May God use us today to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus as we live to love with Him, in the power of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of “giving it forward,” so others may be encouraged to turn their hearts to God and live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.