This morning, during my communion time with the Holy Spirit, He spoke to me about us going further in our walk with Him by becoming the vessels through which the Lord diffuses the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ in every place we enter. 2 Corinthians.2:14. The Holy Spirit always leads us out in triumph in Christ, and then, through us, manifests the fragrance of the knowledge of God in every place. This is a profound spiritual reality that we must understand and embrace as followers, lovers and servants of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit wants us to become increasingly conscious of this fragrance and what it should look like when it is present in our lives and in the environments we enter. It is not something that should remain hidden within us or be confined to our private communion with the Lord. The fragrance of the knowledge of God should be exuding through our lives daily, becoming visible wherever we go.

But what does this fragrance actually produce in a place? How can we recognise its presence? What happens when the knowledge of God is diffused through the lives of those who belong to Jesus? The Holy Spirit directed me to examine the ministry of Jesus and the lives of His followers to see the unmistakable evidence of this fragrance of the knowledge of Christ in manifestation.

In Matthew 4:15–16, we read these prophetic words: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” This prophecy reveals what happens when the presence and knowledge of God begin to be manifested in a place. Light dawns upon people who have been sitting in darkness, and those who have been living under the shadow of death encounter the light of the Lord.

Notice that this manifestation became evident in the ministry of Jesus after He had been baptised and the Holy Spirit had come upon Him. As His Holy Spirit-empowered ministry unfolded, the fragrance of the knowledge of God began to be seen through His words, His actions and the power of God working through Him. The fragrance of the knowledge of God never leaves darkness undisturbed, because it brings the light of God’s Kingdom into places where darkness has prevailed, and it reveals the reality of the Lord through miraculous manifestations that people can see and experience.

Where this fragrance is diffused, people are given an opportunity to encounter the light of Jesus Christ, and the darkness that has held them captive is confronted by the truth, power and goodness of the Lord. We must therefore understand that our calling is not simply limited to just speaking about the light, because as carriers of the Holy Spirit, we are to yield ourselves to Him so that the light of Christ becomes evident through our lives through physical manifestations of the hand of the Lord.

Let us examine the evidence of Jesus’ ministry in Matthew 4:23–25: “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.”

These verses describe the visible effects of the fragrance of the knowledge of God being diffused through the ministry of Jesus. He taught the people, proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom and healed every kind of sickness and disease among them.

Those who were tormented, demon-possessed, epileptic and paralysed were brought to Him, and He healed them. His fame spread throughout the surrounding regions, and great multitudes followed Him. One thing becomes perfectly clear from this account that as the fragrance of the knowledge of God was manifested through Jesus, the works of satan were being confronted and people were experiencing the liberating power of God’s Kingdom.

The oppressive influence that had been present in people’s lives was being displaced by the goodness and power of God. The fragrance of the knowledge of God was not just merely an invisible spiritual concept to ponder on, but it was producing visible changes in people’s circumstances that could not be denied. The result was that multitudes were drawn to Jesus, and they kept coming because they had heard of what He was doing and wanted to encounter the power that was bringing healing, deliverance and restoration in people’s lives.

This reality is exactly what the Holy Spirit wants us to recognise, that when the fragrance of the knowledge of God is manifested through our lives, it should point people to Jesus and demonstrate the reality of His Kingdom. Our calling is not intended to draw attention to ourselves but it is to make the greatness of Jesus evident. We must allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to such a degree that people can encounter the truth and power of the One we represent.

We see an even greater manifestation of this reality in Luke 6:17–19 which reads these words: “And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.”

Just look at the magnitude of what took place as a great multitude of people came from different places to hear Jesus, receive healing and experience freedom from the torment of unclean spirits. The power of God was manifested so evidently that the people sought to touch Him, and healing flowed to them all.

The Holy Spirit showed me that this is how the fragrance of the knowledge of God spreads in every place, because it always produces such exuberant joy and celebration as people are being freed from all oppression, healed of various diseases and delivered from torment.

The effects of the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ being diffused are clearly visible for people to behold. They are never just merely hype, hoping that something might happen in the future; they are evidence that we are witnessing the manifestation of God’s power in the present.

The fragrance of the knowledge of God is real and produces evidence that cannot easily be dismissed, even by fiercest opposition, because people can see with their own eyes what has happened and testify to the difference it has made in their lives.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I declare that I am called to walk in triumph in Christ and to diffuse the fragrance of the knowledge of God in every place. So I yield myself entirely to the Holy Spirit, and I receive His grace to become a vessel through whom the greatness, goodness and power of Jesus are made evident.

I declare that my life will not conceal the reality of Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may the light of Jesus shine through me into places of darkness, thus bringing the knowledge of God to those who need to encounter His truth, love and power.

I receive the grace to walk in increasing sensitivity and obedience to the Holy Spirit. As I lay aside every weight, obstacle, natural desire and impediment that would hinder my pursuit of the Lord’s purpose. I on purpose choose to make myself available for His work and I allow Him to use my life for the advancement of His Kingdom.

Therefore as the fragrance of the knowledge of God is diffused through my life, may the works of darkness be confronted, so that those who are oppressed will encounter the freedom of Christ, and those who need healing and restoration will receive the help of the Lord according to His will and power in Jesus name. Amen.