Yet our Bible tells us: Satan is "the
prince of this world" (John 16:11) and "the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at
work in those who are disobedient" (Ephesians 2:2) and will remain so
until Jesus returns after our Father has put "everything under His feet" (Matthew 22:44).
Here is my question (I am still pondering this): What, in all the Creation, is my sphere of influence? Where can I, a simple Christian believer, bring God's mighty power, (Matthew 3:11; Matthew 10:8; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:1-2, 38-39), to my neighbour, my family, and even myself, and see God's love, glory and peace overcome some of the pain, sickness and trouble in the world?
Here is my question (I am still pondering this): What, in all the Creation, is my sphere of influence? Where can I, a simple Christian believer, bring God's mighty power, (Matthew 3:11; Matthew 10:8; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:1-2, 38-39), to my neighbour, my family, and even myself, and see God's love, glory and peace overcome some of the pain, sickness and trouble in the world?
My present understanding, (while I continue to pray and study):
In the beginning God gave humankind authority over the Creation: "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground'" (Genesis 1:28). These words were spoken to the first human beings, both to the man and to the woman, thus to all humankind.
Then, even before Adam and Eve had their first baby, Satan came and tricked them into giving him the authority God had given them. What Satan promised was less than Adam and Eve already had, yet they went along, thus precipitating the Fall with sin and death coming to the world (Genesis 3).
Throughout the Old Covenant, Satan had authority while God in Heaven continued in His eternal knowledge and power. We can see why things were so difficult for the Israelites during those centuries. Yet God loved Israel and her people deeply with a Father's love, He was faithful to them despite their callous treatment of Him and His way. God foresaw the cost of sending His Son to Earth to pay for all of humankind's sin, yet for Jesus' sake, He continued, and continues still, to love and be faithful to His Creation and its crown, humankind.
At just the right time Jesus came to Earth, "Emanuel, God with us", born as a boy child to the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:23, 25); His God-given name means "saviour":
"You know that [Jesus] appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin" (1 John 3:5).
"Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).
Jesus' earthly ministry concluded with His Passion. Humility in God's people is a great Bible theme; Jesus, the only person who ever lived without sin, humbled Himself even unto death on the Cross (Philippians 2:8). Jesus died (Mark 15:33-38) then God's mighty power raised Him from the dead (Ephesians 1:18-23) and He ascended to Heaven where He now rules and reigns, with Father God, by their Holy Spirit (Revelation 19:6).
This is how Jesus recovered back (an exact legal term) the authority Adam and Eve had given away; Jesus defeated Satan, sin and death. Jesus established the New Covenant so that we Christians, the "ecclesia", His church, could work with our God in Heaven to reveal Him and share in His glory.
Jesus gave us His authority
(Luke 10:19; Matthew 28:18) and commands that we, His body, do His work on
Earth until He comes again (1 Corinthians 4:5). Remember, Jesus is "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah
9:6), "God is love" (1 John
4:8,16). We are called to pray and lend our authority to ensure that God's
knowledge, power and love can do their good work as we continue to steward and
care for all the Earth (John 14:16; John 14:23; Luke 10:19; Matthew 10:8).
This is why we are given "spiritual gifts" (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12; Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Peter 4:9-11), so that we have the skills and power to exercise this God-given authority to do good.
Are we the church fulfilling that rôle today?
How did we do last century? Well, we had World War I, The Great Depression, World War II, also many totalitarian and communist governments (who deliberately killed more than 100,000,000 of their own people while completely failing to bring their utopian paradises into being).
In my lifetime we have seen the sexual revolution and acceptance of many unbiblical practices which undermine the family; "family" is God's foundation and building block for every human society. Sure, there were many advances too, in productivity and prosperity and diminution of hunger and some diseases. But the church shrank in impact, in numbers and in its blessing to the people and the societies of the world. This 21st century already looks worse.
Happily, Christian testimony shows that when we follow Jesus and God's way, His Kingdom can be seen here and now in our midst (John 7:38; Acts 2:42-47; Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 1:27).
God asks us to unify, repent and pray:
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:13-14).
Those words were first spoken to Solomon about Israel's great Temple. We Christians are the present-day "temple of God" (2 Corinthians 6:16) made of "living stones" (1 Peter 2:5); we are spiritual workers for God's earthly Kingdom (Ephesians 6:10-12).
In the beginning God gave humankind authority over the Creation: "God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground'" (Genesis 1:28). These words were spoken to the first human beings, both to the man and to the woman, thus to all humankind.
Then, even before Adam and Eve had their first baby, Satan came and tricked them into giving him the authority God had given them. What Satan promised was less than Adam and Eve already had, yet they went along, thus precipitating the Fall with sin and death coming to the world (Genesis 3).
Throughout the Old Covenant, Satan had authority while God in Heaven continued in His eternal knowledge and power. We can see why things were so difficult for the Israelites during those centuries. Yet God loved Israel and her people deeply with a Father's love, He was faithful to them despite their callous treatment of Him and His way. God foresaw the cost of sending His Son to Earth to pay for all of humankind's sin, yet for Jesus' sake, He continued, and continues still, to love and be faithful to His Creation and its crown, humankind.
At just the right time Jesus came to Earth, "Emanuel, God with us", born as a boy child to the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:23, 25); His God-given name means "saviour":
"You know that [Jesus] appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin" (1 John 3:5).
"Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).
Jesus' earthly ministry concluded with His Passion. Humility in God's people is a great Bible theme; Jesus, the only person who ever lived without sin, humbled Himself even unto death on the Cross (Philippians 2:8). Jesus died (Mark 15:33-38) then God's mighty power raised Him from the dead (Ephesians 1:18-23) and He ascended to Heaven where He now rules and reigns, with Father God, by their Holy Spirit (Revelation 19:6).
This is how Jesus recovered back (an exact legal term) the authority Adam and Eve had given away; Jesus defeated Satan, sin and death. Jesus established the New Covenant so that we Christians, the "ecclesia", His church, could work with our God in Heaven to reveal Him and share in His glory.
This is why we are given "spiritual gifts" (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12; Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Peter 4:9-11), so that we have the skills and power to exercise this God-given authority to do good.
Are we the church fulfilling that rôle today?
How did we do last century? Well, we had World War I, The Great Depression, World War II, also many totalitarian and communist governments (who deliberately killed more than 100,000,000 of their own people while completely failing to bring their utopian paradises into being).
In my lifetime we have seen the sexual revolution and acceptance of many unbiblical practices which undermine the family; "family" is God's foundation and building block for every human society. Sure, there were many advances too, in productivity and prosperity and diminution of hunger and some diseases. But the church shrank in impact, in numbers and in its blessing to the people and the societies of the world. This 21st century already looks worse.
Happily, Christian testimony shows that when we follow Jesus and God's way, His Kingdom can be seen here and now in our midst (John 7:38; Acts 2:42-47; Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 1:27).
God asks us to unify, repent and pray:
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:13-14).
Those words were first spoken to Solomon about Israel's great Temple. We Christians are the present-day "temple of God" (2 Corinthians 6:16) made of "living stones" (1 Peter 2:5); we are spiritual workers for God's earthly Kingdom (Ephesians 6:10-12).
Jesus ever intercedes for us, by His Spirit
(Romans 8:26), so that we can live by and for Him (Colossians 1:16). God asks
us to "humble [our]selves and pray
and seek [His] face and turn from [our] wicked ways [of omission as well as
commission], then [God] will hear from heaven, and will forgive [our] sin and
will heal [our] land".
We may be small in number,
it seems to me that we are a remnant like those reported in our Bibles. Hitler's
Germany had a remnant during those twelve terrible years, as did the Soviet
Union during their three generations. We know, and thousands of testimonies
show us, that Jesus is truly with us and amongst us, but the world does not see
Him.
Let us unite and care for one another. "Jesus, I pray, reveal yourself, teach us to love in your likeness".
We have a place and a rôle to fill; let us gather together and pray often. Let us seek our Father’s will, and lend our hearts and voices to His wisdom and strength, for ourselves, our families, our brothers and sisters in Jesus, and for our neighbours everywhere.
"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).
"Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them from heaven" (John 14:23).
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, Intercessor, Advocate to help you and be with you forever" (John 14:16).
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you" (Luke 10:19).
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8).
Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Permalink: https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2024/05/authority.html
Let us unite and care for one another. "Jesus, I pray, reveal yourself, teach us to love in your likeness".
We have a place and a rôle to fill; let us gather together and pray often. Let us seek our Father’s will, and lend our hearts and voices to His wisdom and strength, for ourselves, our families, our brothers and sisters in Jesus, and for our neighbours everywhere.
"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).
"Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them from heaven" (John 14:23).
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, Intercessor, Advocate to help you and be with you forever" (John 14:16).
"I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you" (Luke 10:19).
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).
"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give" (Matthew 10:8).
Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Permalink: https://www.psalmsofjohn.com/2024/05/authority.html
