Tag Archives: on earth

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…AUTHORITY – 7d

Bible Study, ,

To sum up this long discussion on authority, what have we learned so that we fully understand where and how Jesus’ delegated authority works for us?

  1. God the Father has given all authority in heaven and on earth to Jesus, the Son. 

Through His submission and obedience to the Father during His earthly life, Jesus regained His sovereignty over the universe, over the earth, and over the nations. 

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  1. During His earthly life, Jesus called and trained twelve men to continue His work after He returned to heaven. 

“He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus’ work was to usher in God’s kingdom by revealing the Father, redeeming mankind, and restoring   all creation to God’s original purpose. 

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus exposed and destroyed the devil and his deception. 

“The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  1. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth, teach them about Jesus, enable them to overcome sin, and to be His witnesses through their preaching and their lives. 

The presence of the Spirit in them would empower them to represent Jesus to the world. 

  1. To His disciples, Jesus gave authority over all the spiritual powers that opposed Him. 

The miracles He authorised them to do would be signs that God’s kingdom was among them, in part, to reveal the nature and power of His rule of mercy and grace. 

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  1. Jesus’ delegated authority is conditional. 

There are two kinds of authority that operate on earth …either delegated authority or illegitimate authority. 

The effectiveness of delegated authority depends on the absolute submission and obedience of the one to whom authority has been given. Jesus proved His authority to act in the Father’s name because He was a perfect Son. His own witness was…

“So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.””

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For the believer, this is crucial. For the authority to speak and act in Jesus’ name, a disciple of Jesus must be submitted to Him and obedient to His Word. To claim Jesus as Lord implies living under His authority as supreme. 

Jesus will not support illegitimate authority…that us, anything that is said or done “in His name” but not supported by submission to His will in all things. 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭21‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

To be concluded…

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…GOD’S WILL ON EARTH -6b

Bible Study, ,

How is God’s will done on earth?

We implement God’s will on earth by prayer through two important attitudes…faith in a reliable object and the authority of that object to do what that it says or stands for. 

First, then, faith must have an object. Faith is an attitude based on the truth that faith’s object exists and that faith’s object can be trusted to live up to its claims. 

Many people worship “gods” who, they believe, claim the right to be trusted. The proof of their existence lies in what they do or don’t do. 

“Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭115‬:‭2‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Faith in inanimate objects is a delusion. Faith in the God of the Bible is legitimate because He exists and He acts according to His Word. 

“With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it…Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?… “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭18‬-‭19‬, ‭21‬, ‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God does not do anything unless we have confidence in Him, that He can and will do what He says. 

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV

Second, faith is confidence in the authority of the one who speaks…that He has the right to do what He has said. God is God and there is no one above Him. The Father gave Jesus the authority to rule over the nations. Jesus is Lord.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, Jesus authorises His disciples to go, to speak, and to do…in His name. 

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He authorises us to do His works and to pray…in His name. 

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Humans have no authority to say or do anything on God’s behalf without His authorisation. We are only the agents, the voices that relay heaven’s will to earth’s situation. Therefore, we must listen to what God has said. We are God’s prophets. 

To speak for God without authorisation and out of our own imagination is both delusional and dangerous.

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God exposed the sin of the false prophets who spoke their own words instead of God’s words. 

“Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

By contrast, God’s Word, spoken from the mouth of the Lord through the mouth of His prophet, to the appropriate situation on earth, is more powerful than the heat of a fire or the blow of a hammer. 

A true prophet listens to God and speaks His word faithfully to turn people from their sin. 

“I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

James assures us that the prayer of an ordinary person like Elijah, for example, but righteous through Jesus and according to His word (implied), is both “powerful and effective.” 

‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬b NIV‬‬

God is not obligated to do anything on earth that does not come from His instruction. His will and His will alone is our mandate to speak so that it is done on earth. 

Let us never degrade prayer to the level of the pagans who babble about selfish needs and wants. Let’s remember our mandate to rule with Jesus…now…by listening to Him and speaking His word so that His kingdom will grow and flourish and His will be done here as it is done there. 

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…GOD’S WILL ON EARTH – 6a

Bible Study, ,

How does God implement His rule in earth? We understand that He is sovereign and that He always does what He has predetermined. We also know that He rules in and through His chosen people. This is a mystery! 

Before God created the universe, His plan was to draw His human creation into partnership with Him. He created mankind in His image and gave humans the mandate to rule over the natural world. Despite every attempt of ungodly people to deny this truth, the Bible declares…

“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Humans are the unique creation of God, separate and different from the animal world, able to connect with Him through His Spirit and through prayer, and created to rule with Him over the earth. 

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels (that is, “Elohim”…God), and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Not only that but God also tells us what He plans to do … for example…

“Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” …Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.” …Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18‬:‭17, 20‬-‭21‬, ‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? … Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.”

‭‭Amos‬ ‭3‬:3, 7 NIV

The mystery deepens!

As we have already discovered, God always works through His Word. He created the universe by His spoken word. He sent Jesus, His Word in person, to complete His communication to the world.  

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It is through His word and most often, in prayer…the way we connect with God, through our spirits and His Spirit…that He makes His mind and His will known to us. He has spoken to us through Jesus and He continues to speak to us through His written Word. 

Prayer, then, is not primarily about our telling God about our “stuff” and getting him to do something about it. When we do this, we have dragged prayer down to the level of the pagans! Prayer is about God sharing His secrets with us. Let that sink in!

“The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭25‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God has included everything about the relationship between Himself and us in a legally binding covenant, which Jesus, His Son, signed in His own blood. Included in that covenant is the partnership that we have with Him and through which He carries out His will on earth. 

In a simple sentence, in a few words, Jesus ratified that mandate. 

“…Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In this model prayer, God shows us His way of including His people in the administration of His kingdom and will on earth. Once again, as I have already stated, God always works through His word. His Word expresses His intention and forms the bridge between heaven’s will and His power to way accomplish His will on earth. We speak His Word and He works according to His Word. Again, it’s as simple as that!

To be continued…

A WALK THROUGH THE LORD’S PRAYER – 4

Prayer, ,

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“…Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

‭‭

As in His own life, so Jesus taught His disciples that their first consideration should be the Father’s business…His kingdom and His will. Prayer, after all, is His idea and is about Him. Our wants, needs, and human frailties must always take second place to His will and purposes. 

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We start with the bigger picture. God’s design was to create a place for the crown of His creation, humans, to live and to serve their apprenticeship for their ultimate role as co-heirs with Jesus and co-rulers of the planet. His plan was to join earth with heaven, so that He could always be with His family in union and communion. 

Although the first man blew God’s intention out of the water, God had already devised a rescue plan before the disaster happened. He planned that humans would work with Him to restore the earth to its original purpose, and to restore His image in the people on it, by conforming them to the image of His Son and His pattern for living. 

Prayer is God’s chosen way of communication between the Father and His sons and daughters.  Through our Mediator, Jesus, and our Helper, the Holy Spirit, and the many facets of prayer…worship, adoration, meditation, intercession, petition, etc…that enable us to draw near to God, He plants His seed, His word…His promises…in our spiritual “womb”. Through our faith and patience, He brings them to birth in His time and in His way. 

God always works through His word, and He guarantees that His word will always accomplish His purposes. He uses our declaration of His word in our prayers as a bridge between heaven and earth to carry out His will on earth. 

God values this partnership in prayer since it is His way of including His family in His redemptive work on earth. As we recognise, acknowledge, and submit to His authority, we bring to Him, in prayer, the issues that concern us in our “world” of circumstances and events. 

He gives us, in response, His solution, His word which is the expression of His will. Now let’s look at the Scriptures that show us how this works. 

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is God’s blueprint for prayer. His promises are His way of telling us what His will is and what He plans to do. How do we implement His plans on earth?

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Amen” means “Let it be as you have said.” Can you see how simple God has made it for us to partner with Him? He speaks His promises in heaven…He authorises us to speak His promises on earth…and His word does the work on earth through two agencies…

His power, 

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

And our participation, 

“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Did you get the impact of James’ final statement?

Prayer…powerful and effective…speaking God’s word to accomplish His will on earth.  However, the key to this transfer is faith!  

Now, Jesus told us, in a nutshell, how to transfer heaven’s will to earth’s needs by the bridge of His spoken word. 

“The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak,”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What a world of possibilities, adventures, miracles, is contained in Jesus’ simple prayer. When we 

harness God’s word as Jesus taught His disciples to do, God releases His power on earth to move His redemptive plan forward wherever