I was reading a short devotional to my family the other day. As I read it aloud, I thought to myself, 'that's not right' but kept on reading. The book was given to me recently and I know it is excellent - that's why I wanted it! We are all on a learning journey, and we all miss it at times - so I wasn't going to say anything about the discrepancy. However, someone hadn't been paying attention, so I reread it. As I finished up, he said, "I don't like that book. We aren't limited to 'said limitations' and all things are possible!" At that point I couldn't help but say, "I was thinking the very same thing!" My heart was smiling because God's promise is true: 'Train up your child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.' As a parent, it is fulfilling to see glimpses of the promise even before it is fully manifest. God is faithful to His Word.
This morning, out of the blue, which actually happens rather frequently...the Holy Spirit gave me a thought. Read this short passage:
AND THE whole earth was of one language and of one accent and mode of expression. And as they journeyed eastward, they found a plain (valley) in the land of Shinar, and they settled and dwelt there. And they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly. So they had brick for stone, and slime (bitumen) for mortar. And they said, Come, let us build us a city and a tower whose top reaches into the sky, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the whole earth. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. Come, let Us go down and there confound (mix up, confuse) their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from that place upon the face of the whole earth, and they gave up building the city. Therefore the name of it was called Babel--because there the Lord confounded the language of all the earth; and from that place the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of the whole earth. Genesis 11:1-9 AMP
God Himself saw the capabilities of the people acting in one accord and realized it was only the beginning of what they could and would do - that whatever they imagined would be possible; left to their own devices. He divinely intervened, and apparently, not only was that particular group of people affected; but all of the earth. He knew the power of His creation. He did what He had to do to place limits...but...the thing to notice is that limits were put in place because the people - the sons of men (who were here before Jesus made a way; not born again and after Him) were trying to make a name for themselves. This was after the flood to rid the earth of evil. One of Noah's sons, Ham, had a son, Cush, who had a son, Nimrod. Not only was Nimrod a mighty warrior and hunter; he was a builder. I don't know about all of his cities - but I know about two of them: Babylon and Ninevah - where evil definitely abounded. Can you imagine God's heartbreak?!
We were created in the image of our Creator. He is not powerless or limited. We are not Him, but we are after Him. Just like our children are not us, but they are after us...and they pick up on and mimic what we do. Since we are in this fallen world and imitate more than our Heavenly Father, that's not always such a good thing. But when we do notice good things - or even better - see glimpses of Him in them, it is such a blessing! Our Father God didn't leave us limited or powerless. The same Spirit that rose Jesus from the dead dwells inside of believers. What POWER! When Jesus rose, the resurrection power rose others with him. Take a moment, close your eyes, imagine that - and breathe it in. It is sad that many believers do not realize who they are in Christ. I am ever so grateful for the teachers of truth that mentored me in faith. I will never be the same.
I'm going to list some verses...just a taste. Are you hungry? I encourage you to dig in and go deeper for yourself. We love because He first loved us. We choose Him because He first chose us. We are anointed and appointed to do even greater works than He did. For the first couple, I want to point out that Jesus chose and appointed 70 more (than his original 12 disciples) to go before Him and walk, speak, and act in authority. He told them to pray for the Lord to send more laborers (like themselves - us maybe?!) for the abundant harvest. Other than that, He did not tell them to ask or beg for help from God for anything else. Rather, He told them to do it themselves.
From Luke 10 AMP:
Carry no purse, no provisions bag, no [change of] sandals; refrain from [retarding your journey by] saluting and wishing anyone well along the way. Whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this household! [Freedom from all the distresses that result from sin be with this family]. v. 4-5
Whenever you go into a town and they receive and accept and welcome you, eat what is set before you; And heal the sick in it and say to them, The kingdom of God has come close to you. v. 8-9
He who hears and heeds you [disciples] hears and heeds Me; and he who slights and rejects you slights and rejects Me; and he who slights and rejects Me slights and rejects Him who sent Me. The seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name! And He said to them, I saw Satan falling like a lightning [flash] from heaven. Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are enrolled in heaven. v. 16-20
In that same hour He rejoiced and gloried in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have concealed these things [relating to salvation] from the wise and understanding and learned, and revealed them to babes (the childish, unskilled, and untaught). Yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will and choice and good pleasure. All things have been given over into My power by My Father; and no one knows Who the Son is except the Father, or Who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son may choose to reveal and make Him known. Then turning to His disciples, He said privately, Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those whose eyes see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings longed to see what you see and they did not see it, and to hear what you hear and they did not hear it. v. 21-24
As for binding and loosing...using our authority...and asking:
Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven. Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven. For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them. Matthew 18:18-20 AMP
I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son. [Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM].
John 14:12-14 AMP
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