Dear Pray-er,
This is Part 9 of our Bible Study. Scroll down for previous lessons.
I pray for you today: Father, bless this dear brother or sister with your abiding and powerful love. Keep them in the shelter of your embrace. Cause them to be filled with the strength and power of the Holy Spirit. Open the eyes of their understanding and prosper them to a higher place of prayer that produces life.
In the name of Jesus.
Receive that today as you speak it over yourself.
Read Matthew 16:13-20
In this study we have focused on several very important principles that The Church is built upon and functions from.
My Key Ring
You probably have many keys on your key ring, but I have only two on my key ring. One key is a house key. It opens and locks the door to my home. I cannot enter without it. My home provides me with things necessary to my life: shelter, food, clothing; a place set apart for me to rest, to study, and to gather with others. I also use my key to protect my home so that no intruder can enter.
My other key is to my car. That key unlocks my car. The same key also turns the ignition on to provide me with mobility so that I can go and do what I want.
Keys of Heaven
What are these keys? What are they for? How do they operate? Can “little ol’ me” use them? Like the keys to my home and my car, do the “keys of Heaven” help to meet the needs of its Ambassadors who are presently on earth?
Certainly, there are several answers to what these keys are.
Various views are kind of like taking different hiking trails to the top of a mountain. We may each see things a bit differently on our journey. That’s fine as long as our opinions don’t contradict sound doctrine.
Several lessons back, I asked you to make a list of what you thought the keys were. I also made a list of what I thought they are. Before I share my thoughts, let’s again acknowledge some basic truths the scriptures plainly say about these keys:
My List
In meditating about what these keys of Heaven are, I would put one above all others. Let’s study this one key this week.
The Word of God: The Master Key that opens all of the other keys.
Well, I could write a book on all the scriptures that speak of God’s Word. But in fact, it’s already been written!
The abiding Word is the key to answered prayer.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7
Power
The Word of God coming forth in faith from a Believer's mouth has the same power to enforce victory as Jesus did when He said, "It is written."
"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:19
Darkness vs. The Light
If you and I did not have a Bible, we would know nothing of who our Father is, who Jesus is, or who we are in Christ.
We would know nothing of The Church: Kingdom citizens who have the operational power of God on earth. Imagine this world without The Church. Lawlessness, wickedness and chaos would be everywhere to such an awful degree. We may complain about how bad things have become now but do you remember the fullness of sin that Genesis 6:5 describes?
Think of what would be missing from your life without His Word.
If we didn’t have the Word, we would have no knowledge of our rights and privileges that Jesus purchased for us in our redemption. In fact, we could not even be born again without hearing God’s Word. My goodness, where would we be? Would we even have a reason for living?
There certainly would be a gigantic void in my life without His Word.
In truth, without God’s Word of power upholding this planet and everything on it, we could not even exist!
Pray Now
Let us offer up hearts of gratitude today to our Father and our Lord Jesus for giving us His glorious Word and the knowledge of all that has been freely given to us. It was not without great cost to our Beloved.
This is a good time to intercede for The Lost in your city and the counties of your state. Where would you be if someone had not prayed for you?
This is Part 9 of our Bible Study. Scroll down for previous lessons.
I pray for you today: Father, bless this dear brother or sister with your abiding and powerful love. Keep them in the shelter of your embrace. Cause them to be filled with the strength and power of the Holy Spirit. Open the eyes of their understanding and prosper them to a higher place of prayer that produces life.
In the name of Jesus.
Receive that today as you speak it over yourself.
Read Matthew 16:13-20
In this study we have focused on several very important principles that The Church is built upon and functions from.
- Jesus is the Master Architect who is building His Church. There is no division between Jesus and His Church. The Head and the body are one.
- Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega who has the keys of Hades and Death. The gates of Hades shall never prevail against The Church. Jesus is the Head of The Church and He has dominion over ALL! (Read Colossians Chapter 1 this week.)
- Jesus is the foundation upon which the ministry gifts function: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. When in correct alignment their operation is to equip the saints to do the work of ministry. A healthy Body will bring unity, knowledge, perfection and maturity to His Church.
- Jesus has released the “keys of Heaven” to His body to bind and to loose.
My Key Ring
You probably have many keys on your key ring, but I have only two on my key ring. One key is a house key. It opens and locks the door to my home. I cannot enter without it. My home provides me with things necessary to my life: shelter, food, clothing; a place set apart for me to rest, to study, and to gather with others. I also use my key to protect my home so that no intruder can enter.
My other key is to my car. That key unlocks my car. The same key also turns the ignition on to provide me with mobility so that I can go and do what I want.
Keys of Heaven
What are these keys? What are they for? How do they operate? Can “little ol’ me” use them? Like the keys to my home and my car, do the “keys of Heaven” help to meet the needs of its Ambassadors who are presently on earth?
Certainly, there are several answers to what these keys are.
Various views are kind of like taking different hiking trails to the top of a mountain. We may each see things a bit differently on our journey. That’s fine as long as our opinions don’t contradict sound doctrine.
Several lessons back, I asked you to make a list of what you thought the keys were. I also made a list of what I thought they are. Before I share my thoughts, let’s again acknowledge some basic truths the scriptures plainly say about these keys:
- They came from Jesus.
- They have been issued to The Church.
- Only The Church has them.
- They are to be used.
- They are from another Kingdom.
- They are power and authority.
- They bind and they loose.
- They work in the supernatural to change the natural.
My List
In meditating about what these keys of Heaven are, I would put one above all others. Let’s study this one key this week.
The Word of God: The Master Key that opens all of the other keys.
- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
- He is before all things and in Him all things consist. Colossians 1:17
- The worlds were framed by the Word of God. Hebrews 11:3
- He is upholding all things by the Word of His power. Hebrews 1:3
- It is the perfect law of liberty. James 1:25
- The Words that I speak to you are spirit and they are life. John 6:63
- The Word of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7
- He sent His Word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20
- The sower sows the Word. Mark 4:14
- The Word of God is living and powerful. Hebrews 4:12
- The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Ephesians 6:17
- Jesus overcame the tempter in the wilderness by speaking, “It is written.” Matthew 4:1-11
- His name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19:13
- They overcame him, (the devil,) with the Word of their testimony. Rev. 12:11
- You were born again of incorruptible seed through the Word of God. 1 Peter 1:23
- His Word is life and health to all your flesh. Proverbs 4:22
- Jesus prayed for you to be sanctified by the Word of truth. John 17:17
- The Holy Spirit guides us and teaches us truth. John 16:13
- The Word of God is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness, that we may be complete and equipped. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
- God’s Word provides us with great and precious promises that we may partake of the divine nature and escape corruption. 2 Peter 1:4
- As we meditate and do God’s Word we shall have success. Joshua 1:8
- Faith comes by hearing. And hearing comes by God’s Word. Romans 10:17
- God’s Word will lead you, keep you and speak with you. Proverbs 6:22-23
Well, I could write a book on all the scriptures that speak of God’s Word. But in fact, it’s already been written!
The abiding Word is the key to answered prayer.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7
Power
The Word of God coming forth in faith from a Believer's mouth has the same power to enforce victory as Jesus did when He said, "It is written."
"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Luke 10:19
Darkness vs. The Light
If you and I did not have a Bible, we would know nothing of who our Father is, who Jesus is, or who we are in Christ.
We would know nothing of The Church: Kingdom citizens who have the operational power of God on earth. Imagine this world without The Church. Lawlessness, wickedness and chaos would be everywhere to such an awful degree. We may complain about how bad things have become now but do you remember the fullness of sin that Genesis 6:5 describes?
Think of what would be missing from your life without His Word.
If we didn’t have the Word, we would have no knowledge of our rights and privileges that Jesus purchased for us in our redemption. In fact, we could not even be born again without hearing God’s Word. My goodness, where would we be? Would we even have a reason for living?
There certainly would be a gigantic void in my life without His Word.
In truth, without God’s Word of power upholding this planet and everything on it, we could not even exist!
Pray Now
Let us offer up hearts of gratitude today to our Father and our Lord Jesus for giving us His glorious Word and the knowledge of all that has been freely given to us. It was not without great cost to our Beloved.
This is a good time to intercede for The Lost in your city and the counties of your state. Where would you be if someone had not prayed for you?