19 May 2020
​
We all saw the sequel ,the Chinese nurse who was not allowed to see her deceased husband. She was pulled back by her colleagues , was forcing herself to reach out to the ambulance and finally they let go. Once the ambulance started moving gradually , she runs after it in tears for a short distance , the vehicle doesn’t stop for her ,it proceeds. Not even able to have a last glance of her beloved one. I am not going through that situation at this time , there are many such heart breaking stories we hear . I am observing lock down in the most careful way to protect myself and my family . There are many number of medical, government and support workers struggling to make our lockdowns possible .
Another lady, in isolation for years, away from home and dear ones, taking care of people in destitude , far away from the reality we live in . Families that go through pain and divorces, families who are struggling to make ends meet. In midst of all this ,we tend to think , where is God … The House of Martha & Mary also had a similar situation , going through a period of sadness in the death of their only brother Lazarus . When they needed God, he was not to be found .
Are we bothered only about the current situation of our World. The word says … these are signs / pangs of birth pain towards second coming of Christ . Mind you , the birth pain always increase ,as we advance towards its culmination . Pls be ready to face more in the future .What would be the situation, after all these generations pass away and a new generation has to face even more calamities , with more aggravation .Think about your children and grand children going through even more severe situations . Are we ready to prepare our next generation and the world around us for this . Does it still ring a bell…The world has been always going through several issues , but its now that we have the time to hear and understand it . Problems were there always .Where was our compassion all this time….The question needs to be rephrased ..Where were you when God wanted you ? Honestly .. we have been lovers of our own self, the bible quotes, 2 Tim 3: 1-2 . We are still operating in our flesh body nature .
Ever since the beginning of the world , bible history records , disasters, famines , pestilences , wars, slavery and tribulations . During each instance , there was an Abraham, an Issac, a David, ,a Samuel, a Joseph, a Daniel, an Ezra, an Esther, and the list goes on . God is asking us …where is my Abraham now, where is my Daniel now , where is my David now, where is my Nehamiah now…. Where are they …? Any situation of our life are always filled with 3 aspects of God . God attends man, delights and exercises all situations through these three aspects.. justice, righteousness and steadfast love , neverthless what we assume, whether the situation is favourable or not . Jer 9:24. These are the Key aspects of the Kingdom of God.
As God’s children we have been called to work in such a kingdom of God filled with these 3 aspects , justice righteouness and steadfast love. God has given us the Promise of Abraham, not just in the flesh body realm but in the spirit by Faith , (Gal 3: 14) . Are we aware about this great promise , the Spirit he has put inside us . Are we Led by the Spirit or by our own wisdom ? Jesus has not left us alone and bid us good bye.
Honestly ,we are mostly concerned about how to restore our own rights in the kingdom in our current situation of our life . We are not bothered about other people or even the next generations to come .. We know this portion in the bible,..a few people gathered around the Lord , even as He was ascending back to the Father ,were typically asking a similar question to restore their own rights .
Acts 1: 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus was not keen on answering their question , but on a much more higher responsibility and accountability ,on what they have to be , when the Promise of the father comes upon them . At times ,we still behave as slaves rather than sons in the house of God , as if without any promise. The bible says , like Issac we are also children of promise.. Gal 4: 28
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Luke 10:19
God’s power manifests when we use the authority given to us in Christ…. But there are some requisites in accessing those authorities….
The word “authority” denotes permission. It denotes privilege; it denotes power; it denotes rule, control, influence. When someone has authority, that means they’re on top of other people. They have responsibility beyond the norm. They are able to determine things, to decide things, to render judgments, to wield certain rights and privileges. And we say in the home there’s authority, resting with the Father, with the parents. In the government there are authorities: the police and those who govern us. In the schools there are authorities. Often we witness authority being misused and misconstrued
But there is one who has authority that surpasses all other authorities. In Matthew chapter 28, verse 18, Jesus said this, “All authority is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” “All authority is given unto Me” – that is an amazing claim to privilege.
Authority comes , in our relationship with the Father , in other words.. in how much time you spent with the father on the mountain top . After the 3 and half years of experience with Jesus , the disciples surprisingly seldom asked Him , ..would you pls teach us on how to do these miracles ? They have been observing him closely during each instance and understood clearly how he attained this authority , they saw a master who spend a lot of time with the Father . We always come across this common phrase in the gospels …and Jesus withdrew to the mountain ….For instance , when news of John the Baptist death came , Jesus withdrew to the mountains .After leaving the crowd…, Jesus withdrew to the mountains. A time of prayer with the Father . In Gethsamane , remember he was asking them to pray to the Father to avoid temptation . They have been regularly seeing their master withdraw to the mountain for prayer . Prayer & fasting was not a separate activity ,it was a lifestyle . For Jesus, Prayer was dependence on His Father . Its not ,on how much you obtained , through prayer but how much of the heart of God you obtained in prayer . In Mark 9: 28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples cornered him and asked privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind ,can come out only by prayer.” Whom are we depending on…. Eventually they realized the importance of this mountain top relationship and they ask him , one relevant question , master teach us how to pray …. He teaches them the Lord’s prayer. Do we spent time on the mountain top , Do our generations see us on the mountain tops. Prayer on the mountain top is to seek the heart of the Father .
The degree of your authority in public depends on the depth of your relationship with the Father in private .
Secondly, Authority comes when we are led by the Holy Spirit
John 11 : 8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
The Sun is the external source of our Light during the day . We stumble when we do not have this external Light source . Jesus’ source of Light was always the Father . He was Led by the Holy Spirit .. John 12: 35-36
Spiritual authority is given to us by Jesus so that we can reign in this world as his children (Luke 10:19) . Worldly authority is implemented ,when we declare it formally by our words .And our mission is fulfilled when the subjects involved submit to our authority . For instance the Chief minister of Kerala decrees a lockdown for the whole state. He uses his authority to implement the lockdown. The people of the state submit to his authority and observe the lockdown. But in the Kingdom of God, authority is implemented in a slightly different way . More than the success of the mission, it’s the designation we maintain and exercise in relation to the Higher office is even more important than the outcome of the mission. It is always exercised in relationship to the Father . In our example ,its the relationship which a chief minister maintains ,with a commitment and bonding towards the Prime minister of the country. Thus fulfilling the will of the Prime minister . Thus displaying the quality of a committed citizen in authority. Its not to rejoice in your authority over submission of spirits. But rather that your relationship with the Father needs to be ,one more step higher . Your names ,as citizens of heaven is once again reconfirmed . Luke 10: 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” When we operate our authority through Jesus , we transfer that atmosphere or governance of heaven into this world and our situations. We represent who we truly are. We start operating from above ,rather than from the earth . We start behaving like a heavenly citizen.
The degree of authority we carry depends on the relationship with the Father and also on how much ,we are obedient to the His Spirit and thus access into his Kingdom .
Observe , how Jesus operated, while on earth . He always operated from the kingdom of God, we can observe it ,in all his conversations. The kingdom of heaven is among us and we need to tap into it by a mustard seed faith. Mat 17: 20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. 21Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
No affliction will affect the tents of Jacob...says the word....Its a life to be lived as a King and a priest...
His will for us , is always good. “Thy kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven.” His word and promises always come to pass . It’s the heavenly kingdom which has to be established on earth , this was the focus of Jesus ministry . Thats how, he wants us to operate in this world. That doesn't mean that we cannot have tribulations or sickness. The Centurion once again witnessed, what authority is , when Jesus sent a word to heal his servant. Jesus responded to Pilate about his identity John 18: 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
When we apply Faith , we have access to His kingdom
Fear is observing faith in the wrong kingdom
We need to be conscious about our authority as children of promise . We can display our heavenly authority when we believe and affirm ourselves , that Christ truly has full knowledge and claim over our situations, like the Centurion, the Cananite woman ….Thats when the Kingdom of God invades our earthly realm and situations. Its something we need to apply and activate in the present tense from our spirit .
Martha & Mariya and the people at Bethany were not able to perceive their dead brother coming back to life . Like us , they operated from an earthly realm . The whole place was reporting a viral news that, Lazarus was already dead. But Jesus operated and behaved , like one from the heaven . He operated from above . He was sure about the eventual joy, peace and righteousness of their situation. There always a need to declare our Non acceptance or disagreement of any remark which comes against the principles of the Kingdom .Why does sickness ,not heard in heaven… there is no one in heaven ready to accept or agree any remark coming outside of the Kingdom . When Jesus heard the viral report of Lazarus death , the first response was, to say NO to it and was able to establish his authority . He replied ," it is only for the Glory of God ." John 11: 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
The first thing Jesus did was to deny the viral report , Instead ,He revealed the light of the knowledge of the situation, thus displaying God’s Glory . We are called to administer this kind of authority . Are some viral reports replacing our rights and authority in Christ ?
2Cor 4: 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
In midst of darkness , we are called to shine. Light should flow out of darkness . May God bless all our brothers , communities and nations..
Coronate ,we know the word means crownship to a higher position .
A small mustard faith is enough to Coronate ourselves once again as children of God .