Have you met those people who can’t finish their sentences without putting Jesus in? People who can’t do anything without consulting Jesus? Those people who lean on Jesus that it seems like He is all they’ve got?
I have and they used to annoy me. They were too spiritual for my liking. This is until I have lived life and I’ve come to realize that I can’t do this life without Jesus. Today, I admire Jesusholics and Jesus freaks. The Bible says that in God we live, move, and have our being. On the surface, that might seem extreme, but when you think about it and live it, it’s the truth.
The dictionary defines holics as someone who is addicted to something or has an obsession with something. Jesusholics are addicted and obsessed with Jesus and they can’t do without Him. They’re all in for Christ with every fiber of their being. And for them, it’s not just a phase or façade, it’s a genuine obsession. They’re like Paul, who in Philippians 1:21 says that he lives for God’s glory even if it means death.
We abhor and sneer at Jesus freaks because we like to think we’re in control, that we’re in charge of our lives. The illusion of being in control gives us the false impression of power. And so, the thought that we’re not in charge drives us insane. And when the Jesusholics rub it to our faces, we want to slap them.
The sad part is that the majority of us have normalized treating God like some side-chick Savior. We don’t have a personal relationship with Him. We know enough about Him but don’t want the intimacy and the commitment that comes with it.
The truth is that we have never been in control and we will never be. It’s only an illusion. Our lives, our being, and how we live is controlled by a higher authority.
There are two kinds of believers, those who know about God and those who know God. Those who know about God will quote the right scriptures, and choose what to be loud about in the Bible, they’re Holy Spirit-filled and even speak in tongues. But, they have no personal relationship with God. Their Christian walk lacks the sparkle blazing believers have. They’re the walking dead believers. Their lack of sparkle is because they know about God but they have no idea who God is.
The believers who know God have a fire burning on the inside of them that you can see and feel when you encounter them. This is because they have a personal, intimate relationship with God. These are the believers who know God out of their encounters with Him. These are the believers you meet and your life is changed because there’s something about them that draws you in. They are the Peters’ and Paul's of today for they aren’t ashamed of the Gospel. For them, it’s Jesus or nothing.
My conviction and stand today is that if it’s uncool to say that I’m saved, to say His name out loud, and sing about His goodness, then I’m cool being uncool and crazy. It’s time we believers take a stand and stop treating Jesusholics like extremists. We should all listen to Newsboys song “Guilty” and assess our faith.
The next time you meet people who are all in for God, leave them alone. Only they understand what Jesus means to them and the price He paid for them. They understand that they’re nothing without God. Like Paul, they would rather lose everything but have Christ. Because what’s the point of gaining the whole world but losing your soul?
