Faith Comes

This week we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior and Soon-Coming King. Let us rejoice in our relationship with Him. What a joy to know the One Who is in charge of it all and Who has given us that authority to also be in charge while we are here on this earth, carrying out His destiny for each of us. Rejoice! Celebrate! Let His Presence be known wherever you go. He is the Almighty One!


Whatever we hear produces the faith from the words we hear.
FAITH COMES BY HEARING (Romans 10:17).

That hearing may even be what we hear inside ourselves ---- our thoughts.
Our thoughts have a voice also as well as what we hear being spoken by our lips.
As you and I know, those thoughts sometimes have a louder voice than what we are hearing ourselves or others speak to our physical ears.

It’s whatever we hear (thoughts or spoken words), whether negative or positive, whether good or bad, whether selfish or unselfish, whether Godly or ungodly that shapes our lives every day. Our lives are the products of what we hear. If we hear something often enough, it becomes a part of our being and becomes the life we live. This is a spiritual law. You can’t change that law. That is the way that it is. What you hear and hear and hear becomes a part of you and directs your life. This is the law of faith. A law is something which works the same way all the time for every person.

Today is the day to make a decision that what we think and speak and allow others to speak into our lives is God’s Word. His Word is true and honest and just and pure and lovely and of a good report (Philippians 4:8). That’s what we want flowing in our lives.

The Faith of God

Mark 11:22-24
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God (have the faith of God).
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that yor Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

I have Your faith, God.
I yield to Your faith.
Your faith speaks → → → →to something.

What does God’s faith speak to?
THE BIG PROBLEM ---- THE MOUNTAIN
What does God’s faith say?
Be removed!
Be cast into the sea!
Not only does God’s faith (which is in us as His children) command the problem to leave, but God’s faith tells it where to go. The sea is a place of disappearance, to be seen no more.

Then,
Do not doubt in my heart.
Believe those things I say come to pass.
Then,
I SHALL HAVE WHAT I SAY!

Therefore,
Whatever I desire,
WHEN I PRAY,
I BELIEVE (I believe I’ve laid hold on them and I’ve got them)
I RECEIVE them (I take with much force, seize with a grip that will not be shaken off.)
and I SHALL HAVE them.

AND,
WHEN I STAND PRAYING,
If I have ANYTHING against anyone (regardless of how small I think it is),
I FORGIVE!
That my Father also Who is in heaven may forgive me.


This week is a time for each of us to meditate on what our God has done for us. The Father sent Jesus. Jesus took our place and rose victorious over death, hell and the grave. The Holy Spirit came to dwell in each of us as the temple of God. Let’s give thanksgiving and praise to God for what He has done. Our hearts are full to overflowing with gratitude to God for what He has done. Let us REJOICE!

The Eyes of the Lord

The eyes of the Lord are upon us as His righteous ones. He is ever mindful of our place in His home. He is our dear Heavenly Father Who loves us with an everlasting love. He sees us at all times and takes note of our needs and desires and wishes. He is an awesome daddy God.

1 Peter 3:12
The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers….

Prov. 5:21, KJV and Amplified Bible
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders (carefully weighs) all his goings.

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him….

Job 31:4; 34:21
Does not He see my ways and count all my steps?
For His eyes are upon the ways of man and He sees all his goings.

Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

Jeremiah 16:17
For My eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from My eyes.

Hebrews 4:13
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

The eyes of the Lord are upon us as His righteous ones. He is ever mindful of our place in His home. He is our dear Heavenly Father Who loves us with an everlasting love. He sees us at all times and takes note of our needs and desires and wishes. He is an awesome daddy God.

1 Peter 3:12
The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers….

Prov. 5:21, KJV and Amplified Bible
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders (carefully weighs) all his goings.

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him….

Job 31:4; 34:21
Does not He see my ways and count all my steps?
For His eyes are upon the ways of man and He sees all his goings.

Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

Jeremiah 16:17
For My eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from My eyes.

Hebrews 4:13
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

God sees all! He hears all! There is nothing hidden from Him. All is open and exposed before Him, both the good and the bad. He sees us through the eyes of His Son Jesus and he loves us in spite of what we do or don’t do. His eyes are filtered by the blood of His Son Jesus. He sees us as His righteous ones. All we have to do is agree with Him and accept our place because of Jesus. What a God we serve! It gives me great comfort to know that He watches over me. His eyes are upon the righteous to show Himself strong on our behalf.

God's Heart of Love

There is a direct connection between the state of our soul (mind, will, emotions) and our body. In 3 John 2 we read that we will prosper and be in health even as our soul prospers. Our health is parallel to the way we think and react to situations in life. Sometimes we wonder why our body is not feeling well. It can be because we have been bitter or ugly or resentful or angry with someone or upset with the way things seem to be going in our lives. I see now why Love is a command of God. It is for our own personal well-being and a healthy body and lifestyle. God Love is a way of life which brings the power of God to work on our behalf, regardless of what we are facing, whether it is in our body or our relationships or our finances or our job situation, actually anything that is in regard to our life. Always yielding to love brings God on the scene every time on our behalf.

I would like to give you a few scriptures to meditate on today for the health and well-being of your life. The Lord gave them to me two days ago to ponder and I pass them on to you. They are for the time in which we are living right this very moment.

3 John 2
Beloved, I desire or pray that you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers.

Proverbs 12:18
The tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 4:22
God’s Word is life to me who finds it. It is health and healing, medicine to ALL my flesh.
Proverbs 15:22
A gentle tongue with its healing power is a tree of life.
Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart does good like a medicine.
Proverbs 14:30
A calm and undisturbed mind and heart are the life and health of my body.

It is God’s desire that each of us yield to Him Who is Love and He Who is Love will take care of us. His power will be released on our behalf. We do not have to fight our battles. What we do is stand our ground in Love and let God do what He does best: Win for us. The battle is not ours but the Lord’s. Love never fails, fades out or becomes obsolete. It is strong and powerful and victorious always.

Release the Love of God in your situation and refuse to operate any other way.

Authority and Power, Part 11

Today we wrap up our teaching on God’s authority and power in us.

Ephesians 1:17-23 and Ephesians 3:14-21 tell us about the dunamis, resurrection power we have dwelling in us, the love power of God. Therein is the dwelling place of our authority and power. God’s divine love is the greatest power in the universe. Out of that love pours forth the dunamis, explosive, resurrection power of God. Because of that power, there is authority brought forth. God is Almighty, and He is dwelling in us with all of His might. He gives us His authority and tells us it is ours to use as His children.

We see in 1 John 4:17 that our love (God’s Love in us) is made perfect that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as He is, so are we in this world. How is He? He is all-powerful. He is Love. He is all power and all authority. There is none higher than He is. There is none above Him. He is in charge. As He is----Love----so are we in this world.

Finally, according to Ephesians 6:10, we are strong in the Lord. We are empowered through our union with Him. We draw our strength from Him, that strength which His boundless might provides.

Through our union with the Lord Jesus Christ we have been given the power of God to exercise His authority over all the earth. Just as God spoke to Adam in Genesis 1, we have been given dominion over the earth. Let’s exercise that authority under the authority of God Almighty and at His direction. It is all about being led of the Spirit of God and not by our own human desires. It is He alone Who knows how to “run things.” Yield to Him and use the authority He has given you.

Authority and Power, Part 10

Isaiah 54:17, Amplified Bible
But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.

Even in the Old Testament God assured His people that they had authority over that which rose up against them in judgment, against them in opposition. As they were told, the battle was not theirs, but the Lord’s. He does protect His own. Now He has given us His authority and His power to defeat any weapon formed against us. No weapon formed against us shall prosper or succeed. Why? When someone or something comes against you, he or she comes against God. He is our defender and our vindicator.

Look at the next statement in that verse. We have a heritage. What does God’s authority and power give us? It gives us peace, which is shalom, which means that all is well, that we are whole, and that nothing is missing or broken in our lives. It gives us righteousness; we have been made right with God because of the blood of Jesus Christ. He has given us the rights that are ours as God’s children. It gives us security. We are secure in Christ Jesus. We know that He takes care of us. It gives us triumph over opposition. What is it that is opposing you today? Is it sickness and disease? Is it poverty? Is it fear? Is it unbelief? Is it a temptation you can’t seem to overcome? Is it lack in some area of your life? Whatever it is that opposes you, God has given you His authority to overcome. You are an overcomer in this life by Christ Jesus.

Know who you are in Christ Jesus. Nothing that opposes you will be successful. Let that reality sink down deep into you and give you confidence. Remember 1 John 4:4. We are of God. We are His children. We belong to Him As His children, we have already defeated and overcome the agents of antichrist because greater, mightier is He Who is in us than he that is in the world.

Authority and Power, Part 9

We know our authority over the kingdom of satan because Christ has set us free from the curse of the law. He has given us total freedom from the curse. What is the curse? If we look in Deuteronomy 28 we have a list of the things that come from the curse. They can be summed up in three words: sin, sickness, and poverty. Each of these bring death. Death is separation from something. Sin is separation from the righteousness of God. Sickness is separation from the health of God. Poverty is separation from the prosperity of God. God’s original intent was for us to be blessed with His Blessing. That is still true today. Jesus opened up the way for The Blessing of God to be available to us again. We as God’s children should expect to walk in that Blessing.

Galatians 3:13,14,16,29
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Our inheritance, our right, is to have The Blessing of God, which is The Blessing of Righteousness, The Blessing of Health and Healing, and The Blessing of Prosperity operating in our lives all the time. When that is not the case, we have God’s command to take authority over anything that is robbing us of our blessing or blocking our blessing. We must be open to His instruction, because sometimes the blocking of the blessing is on our part because we are ignorant of our inheritance or we are afraid it won’t work for us or we feel like we are not worthy of it. Of course we are not worthy of it. BUT, JESUS CHRIST MADE US WORTHY! It is because of Him that we have these benefits of the Kingdom of God.

What part of The Blessing do you need to be operating in your life today? Take authority over the devil who is trying to keep it from you. You have been set free from the curse that the blessing may be upon you. Enjoy your Blessing!

Authority and Power, Part 8

Let’s review what we have learned so far: Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He rendered satan entirely useless, and the principalities and powers have been stripped of their authority. The handwriting of the note (the law of sin and death) has been cancelled. That is enough right there to take care of our lives.

Today we look at our deliverance from the control of darkness. God is Light. In Him is no darkness at all, not one little tidbit. He is all Light. That is the way creation happened. God stepped out where there was darkness and said: Light in Me be! And Light was! By the way, the same thing happened to you when you were born again. When you said yes to Jesus, God basically was saying to you: Light in Me, be in you! Now we are called the light of the world as God (Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) is called the light of the world, because He Who is Light is in us.

Colossians 1:13,14, KJV and Amplified Bible
The Father has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us, translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of His Love, in Whom we have and enjoy our redemption, our release is secured, our sins are forgiven through His blood.

It gives our dear Heavenly Father, who loves us intensely, great pleasure to see us delivered out of the control, the dominion of darkness. Darkness no longer has any control over us. Why? Because we have been delivered from darkness. Not only have we been delivered from darkness but we have been transferred into another Kingdom, the Kingdom of God, where Love is King and joy and peace reign. God’s Kingdom is a kingdom of light and love and life. Where He is, life is.

In Jesus, the Son of God’s Love, we have redemption. We have been redeemed from the power of the enemy, the adversary, the one who is in opposition to us, the devil. We have been released from his clutches forever. Our sins are forgiven forever. We are a free people. It’s all because of the blood of Jesus. When His blood was spilled on this earth, it sealed the covenant between God and man forever. We are forever free. When Jesus purchased our freedom, it was a permanent work. Nothing can change it. We come through His blood to stand pure and spotless in the eyes of our heavenly Father. Jesus’ blood is on the mercy seat of heaven forever declaring Life.

Celebrate your freedom today!

Authority and Power, Part 7

So far we have learned that Jesus came and destroyed the works of the devil for us and he rendered satan entirely useless. Today we will see what he did to the principalities and powers and the law of sin and death.

Colossians 2:14,15, Amplified Bible
Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note, bond, with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us, hostile to us. This note with its regulations, decrees, and demands He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to His cross.

God spoiled, disarmed, stripped of authority the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it, the cross.

God through Jesus personally cancelled the handwriting of the note that was written against us. He completely blotted it out and wiped it away. It was a legal demand which had been decreed against us. It was in place and stood against us, condemning us and accusing us. It was hostile to us. What was that note? It was the law of sin and death that had been instituted by Adam’s yielding to satan. Satan has only one thing----death, which results from sin and fear because he is fear personified. We see in Romans 8:2 that the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death. Jesus nailed that note to the cross when he was nailed to the cross because He Who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus----that we may be made right with God and enjoy His rights bestowed on us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Then, in addition to dealing with the law of sin and death, God through Jesus dealt a blow to satan’s kingdom by stripping every one of satan’s demonic forces of their authority over us as God’s children. He triumphed over them in the cross. The cross is where the tide was turned for you and me. We are on the other side of the cross. We are on the victory side. Since Jesus came to this earth and completed His assignment, we are forever free from all the dominion of the satanic realm. We must exercise the authority we have been given over this realm in order to walk free ourselves.

We are free people! Believe it and receive it! Take hold of the truth of who you are in Christ Jesus!

Authority and Power, Part 6

Yesterday we read in 1 John 3:8 that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. Today we will see in Hebrews 2:14,15 that Jesus rendered satan entirely useless.

Hebrews 2:14,15
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

In this passage, let’s look at several words in the Greek.

Destroy: Render entirely idle, useless; totally incapacitate; completely paralyze and put out of commission forever; render absolutely helpless

In the Berkeley translation it says that Jesus neutralized satan; in Goodspeed, He dethroned satan; in Rotherham, He paralyzed satan; in Moffatt’s, He crushed satan.

Power: Strength, vigor, dominion

Bondage: Slavery

From the understanding of the words “destroy,” “power,” and “bondage,” in Hebrews 2:14,15, we see that Jesus became like us by taking on a flesh and blood body. He allowed His flesh and blood body to take on death in order that He might render satan absolutely helpless who had had the strength and vigor of death over you and me. Every human being had been held in slavery to the fear of death all their lives. Jesus delivered us from that fear when He put satan out of commission.

As you read this passage today, you may say to yourself: Well, you could have fooled me that satan is rendered absolutely helpless. It looks like he is tearing up everything in my life. What every one of us must realize is that Jesus took care of satan and his works for us. It is a done deal. Now we have to personally enforce that defeat in our lives when the enemy comes to steal from us what is rightfully ours. It is a stand against all the pressure and the tactics of the enemy. But we always overcome, according to the Word of God.

Here’s what it amounts to in our lives. Jesus has given us the victory over satan. He has given us the power and authority to enforce that defeat. If we don’t know we have authority or if we do not use our authority, then satan “runs over us” and loves every minute of it as he rubs in God’s face that another one of His children has gone down.

The purpose of these Pearls over this week and some of next week is to encourage you to get up and take back the territory that has been taken from you by satan, whether it is in your finances or your physical body or relationships. Whatever it is, get up and fight for your rights. And it has nothing to do with the way you feel. There are some days when I feel like I am the weakest one in the Body of Christ, but that is feelings. That is not what the Word says. We must get to the point where the Word of God is the only, the first and the final authority in our lives. If the Word says it, then I believe it and I receive it for myself. That must be our attitude.

You are an overcomer in this world through Christ Jesus. Rise to the fullness of the authority you have been given. You are a mighty man/woman of God!

Authority and Power, Part 5

1 John 3:8b, Amplified Bible and KJV
…For this purpose, reason, the Son of God was manifest, visible, that He might loosen, undo, dissolve, destroy the works of the devil.

Over the next several days we will see what Jesus has done so that we can have authority on this earth over satan and all of His works.

Today’s verse tells us that Jesus has destroyed the works of the devil. What are the works of the devil? Sickness and disease, want, lack, poverty, doubt, unbelief, defeat, failure, death are all works of the devil. They are designed to bring us down and divert us from God’s best for us, which is health, prosperity in all areas of our lives, faith, victory, success, a sense of well-being (which is what shalom is).

Think about it: Jesus came to this earth in order to take care of all the works of the devil. Did you hear that little word “ALL”? Yes, He came for the purpose of destroying the works of the devil. That is the best news I have heard in my life. It’s over. The battle has been won. The victory is ours.

How does victory come? We personally stand our ground for what belongs to us and we do not let the thief come along and steal our goods. Say this after me: “Health is mine. Victory is mine. Success is mine. Prosperity is mine. All that God has is mine. I stand and receive it for myself. It is mine NOW! I have been given the authority to take all that is mine. God gave me His authority and His power. I am not a weakling. I am strong in the Lord. I draw my strength from Him.”

Jesus is the Head. We are the Body of Christ.
We and He work together.
Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil.
Even so, so are we in this world. He gave us His authority to take care of all the works of the devil in our lives.

Authority and Power, Part 4

Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.

In verse 18 the word for power here is authority.

Why did Jesus tell us to go, therefore, right after He said that all authority has been given to Him in heaven and earth? Jesus, with His power and authority, is in us. Therefore, His authority is in us to use as He instructs and guides us by the direction of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is assuring us here as God’s children that we have the backing of His authority in all that we do for Him.

Wherever we go, when we are obeying the Lord, and when we are doing His Kingdom business, going about our daily lives, He is there with His authority, which He has given to us, to use against the devil’s kingdom. We are the ones who are the conquerors and the ones with the authority. For thousands of years, the devil has been bluffing God’s people, telling them lies about their effectiveness. It is time that we rise up to the fullness of the stature of the Lord Jesus Christ Who is in us and declare our freedom and our ability to overcome all the works of the enemy.

We are not to be cowering in some corner somewhere just waiting for the Lord to come back. He is not coming back for a weak, passive bunch of cowards. He is coming back for a victorious, overcoming church, one whose power and authority is made known to the kingdom of darkness. We are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. That’s who we are!

Authority and Power, Part 3

As we continue our study on the authority that God has given to us as His children, let’s look at Luke 10:19. This verse is Jesus’ assurance to us of our authority here on this earth.

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Jesus says: I Myself give to you authority (the legal power or right to command or act; exousia) to tread on (crush under the foot; subdue) serpents and scorpions (demonic powers), and over all the power (dunamis; inherent power) of the enemy (satan, the devil, the deceiver, the seducer): and nothing shall by any means hurt you or harm you.

This scripture is God’s guarantee to us that He has given us His authority and power to take care of our enemy, satan, and all that he throws our way to defeat us. That is the best news I have ever heard in my life. Meditate on this scripture today as you are going about your daily business.

We have been given the authority of God. Let’s use it as He directs.

Authority and Power, Part 2

As we said yesterday, God created the earth, created mankind and delegated authority to us to rule and reign in this earth, taking dominion and authority over the world system. Satan, God’s enemy, came to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and tempted them to listen to him and thus give their authority over to him by obeying what he said and doubting what God had spoken to them. They had been given free choice to make decisions concerning what they would believe. They believed satan’s lie; they were deceived and lost their position of authority.

Now satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) because Adam gave his authority, dominion (given by God) over to satan by believing him and obeying the devil’s voice. The devil and his demons have a right to be here in this world, operating this world system. They have the right to exist here because of Adam’s treason until they are cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).

But we as God’s children don’t have to be under the authority of satan or his demonic realm. We have authority over them. Jesus came to this earth to take back what the devil had stolen from mankind. With His death on the cross and His shedding of His blood and taking our place as our substitute, Jesus purchased for all eternity our place in the Father’s household. That position has been restored to mankind. Along with the position comes rights of the household and authority as Father’s child. God through Jesus turned all He did over to the Church, the Body of Christ----dominion, authority, rule, reign, ALL THINGS (Ephesians 1:22) God has already done it----past tense----done deal. God did all this for you----His Church, His Body, the Body of Christ.

Jesus came to this earth for one purpose; God wanted His family back. A thief called satan came and kidnapped Father’s family of mankind and was exercising the strong whip over them.

Jesus took on flesh and blood to become like us so that He could defeat satan forever for us and take back the authority we had forfeited in the Garden of Eden. Oh, Hallelujah! There was another garden called the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus came head to head with satan and committed Himself to the Father to take our place and suffer for us in our stead the penalty of death for sin. He became sin so that we could become righteous. He did not sin. He became sin and conquered death, hell and the grave forever. He stripped satan and all his demonic realm of their authority and now stands ready to offer that dominion once again to each person who chooses Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. There are rights in this Kingdom while we are here on this earth. It is our choice (just as Adam and Eve made their choice) to choose the loving life of Christ or the hard fist of satan and his rule.

Authority and Power, Part 1

As God’s children we operate in two different ways: (1) We enter into the intimacy of God’s personal presence and worship and honor him in all our ways, walking in the fullness of His Love and enjoying a Father relationship with Him. (2) On the other hand, we are great and mighty men and women of God, tearing down the enemy’s strongholds in our lives and other people’s lives, taking our God-given authority and using it to establish our rights in this earthly realm. The result of taking authority over the devil and all his works is true freedom. For the next several days, we are going to discuss the authority that God has given us and the power that resides in us to walk in victory.

We must start at the beginning with Genesis 1:26-28. In this passage of scripture we see what God’s design was for us as human beings. We are to be people of dominion and authority. He commanded us to subdue and have dominion.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

Let’s specifically look at some of the words in these verses. God said: LET US. That means that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit were all involved in making man. MAKE: Mold into shape, create, form from nothing, cause to exist (1828 Webster’s Dictionary) The word asah used in this verse describes God’s creative ability (Hebrew-Greek Study Bible).

MAN: Adam refers to generic man as the image of God, the crown of His creation, distinct from the rest of creation. God created human beings by a special immediate act. God put Adam and Eve in a position of honor and had great plans for them (Hebrew-Greek Study Bible).

IN OUR IMAGE, AFTER OUR LIKENESS: We are like God in our nature because He made us like Him, in His image, with His qualities.

AND LET THEM HAVE DOMINION: Strong’s Concordance and Webster’s 1828 Dictionary tell us that dominion means to rule and to reign with supreme authority. It is the sense of being in charge. God gave us authority over the earth like He has authority over us. He delegated His authority to us to take care of the place He has created for us to live in.

AND GOD BLESSED: The word “blessed” means to be prosperous, to enjoy happiness and the favor of God, the enjoyment of good, great joy. God intended for us to enjoy life in the fullness in every aspect----spirit, soul, body, socially, financially.

FRUITFUL, MULTIPLY: Increase, excel, produce in abundance. Everything we touch is blessed and prospers and comes to maturity. We must see that in our mind’s eye. We were created with God’s ability to multiply and increase and produce abundance, which is overflow in every area of life.

REPLENISH: Keep filled up and fully supplied

SUBDUE: Conquer, tread down, bring into subjection, implies a permanence of conquering

God created the earth, delegated His authority to Adam and gave Adam the command to operate as a king in this earth, under God’s direction as The King.

By Grace, Through Faith

Ephesians 3:6-10, Amplified Bible
And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus.
For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God.
Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself].
For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned before hand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

Most of us know this scripture in Ephesians 3:6-10. Have we really, truly take a look at it to understand what this means for us personally. Let’s do that for a moment here today.

God Almighty, Father of Glory, our own dear heavenly Father has made His whole kingdom available for us as His children. Everything He has is ours. Why did He do this? Because of His intense love for us, He has extended His grace, His all in all, to us. All we have to do is accept it----that is faith. Faith takes what has been given to it. Faith is an action word. We act on what we believe. That is faith. What is God saying to us? I have already planned a good life for you to live. It is ready; it is available for you; it is already there, planned beforehand, for you to walk in it. You are delivered from the ravages of this world system and satan’s control because of God’s grace and because of your faith, which actually is His faith imparted to you. It is a win-win situation. Let’s enjoy the grace of God which is extended to us every day. His mercies are new every morning. That means: NEW! I’m going to enjoy a new day every day with my Father. How about you?

God Of Peace

1 Thessalonians 5:23,24, Amplified Bible

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).
Faithful is He who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and he will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you].

Let’s look at the meaning of words in this scripture reference and see what we are focusing on in our verses for today.

PEACE: Means to join, one, prosperity, quietness, rest, deliverance and freedom from all the distresses experienced as a result of sin.

SANCTIFY: Means to withdraw from fellowship with the world by first gaining fellowship with God.

PROFANE: Means impure, unholy, defiled

PRESERVED: To guard from loss or injury by keeping the eye upon; to keep from destruction or decay; defend from evil; protect, save, keep intact.
INTACT: Untouched by anything that harms or defiles, left complete

SOUND: Means free from flaw, healthy, not weak or diseased, firm, strong, safe, robust of body and mind.

COMPLETE: Filled up with no part lacking

BLAMELESS: Means without fault, free from fault

Here is our confession of these verses with all the understanding we have of the words now. This is actually an all-inclusive scripture. It touches on everything that involves us. This scripture is a powerful one to meditate every day for your life.

And may the God of peace (freedom from all the distresses experienced as a result of sin) sanctify me through and through, separate me from fellowship with the world, (profane, impure things) into fellowship with Him.
May my spirit, soul and body be preserved (guarded from loss or injury, because God has His eye upon me to protect me and keep me untouched by anything that harms). My spirit, soul and body are kept free from flaw. They are healthy and not weak or diseased. They are strong. They will be found blameless, free from fault at the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ. I am complete, filled up with no part lacking.
Faithful is He Who is calling me to Himself. He is worthy to be believed. He is steadfast to His Word. He is utterly trustworthy. He will fulfill His call on my life by hallowing and keeping me.