"... that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times
He might gather together in one
all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven
and which are on earth--
in Him."
Ephesians 1:10
_______________________________________________________________
Children of God,
If you haven’t read the previous lesson, please scroll down before continuing.
THE BLESSING OF GOD
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them,
• ‘Be fruitful
• and multiply;
• fill the earth
• and subdue it;
• have dominion over the fish of the sea,
• over the birds of the air,
• and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” Genesis 1:27-28
Awesome and glorious words, containers of God’s will for man.
And just like when God said, “Light be!” and light was, His Word contains the power to produce what He said.
The Thief
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
When Adam and Eve received The Blessing it was exactly what Satan wanted: dominion and authority to rule! (God gives us insight about Satan and his past in Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:1-19.)
Satan thought he could have the blessing but everything that he touches becomes defiled and rotten. He devised a way to work through fallen man to take authority on earth.
He even came to Jesus in an attempt to steal what Jesus was sent to earth to do.
“Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, ‘All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.’” Luke 4:5-7
Jesus overcame this temptation by speaking God’s will, the written word.
“You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.”
After the resurrection, God blessed His Son.
“ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME.” MATTHEW 28:18
Jesus Christ, Son of God, Son of man, overcame every temptation from the enemy and redeemed mankind from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2. As the first Adam had a choice in the garden, so man would once again have the right to choose the blessing or the curse, eternal life or eternal damnation.
And our Savior also had something else in mind.
THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT: This Changes Everything!
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14
This is the Gospel message and it holds within it the power of change.
When received, man would be born again, the temple of His Spirit, one with God!
KEPT UNDER THE LAW: The Tutor
“But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.” Galatians 3:23
THE FULLNESS OF TIME
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
“And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:4-7
WHEN GOD JOINS WITH MAN
Jesus Christ opened the way for you and me to be one with Him and His Father, to receive eternal life. With adoration and complete submission we cry out, “Abba, Father, I love you!”
The Creator became one with you and me, His creation, through the sacrifice of His Son. Glory to God!
THE REVEALING
“For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Romans 8:19-21
HEIRS
As we develop and mature through fellowship, prayer, and study of His Word, we increase in our ability to receive revealed knowledge and operate as sons who have been given great power.
We would never place a two-year old child behind the wheel of a car, hand him the keys, and tell him to drive to New York City. Why not? He has to develop and mature through years of daily training. When he reaches the appropriate age he must pass a test before being issued a license, a vehicle, and the keys to be free to go wherever he pleases. He can now be trusted.
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” See 1 Corinthians 13:11.
THE TEST: It’s Your Choice
1. LOVE
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
2. ANSWERED PRAY AND FORGIVENESS
“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:24-26
3. DOERS OF THE WORD
“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25
4. WORDS: WATCH WHAT YOU SAY
“For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” James 3:2
5. LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For
‘He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.’” 1 Peter 3:8-12
6. THIS GRACE IN WHICH WE STAND
“But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
‘God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.’
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:6-7
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2
7. THE GOSPEL: The Life of Faith
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written,
‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:16-17
DIVINE UNITY: Original Intent Restored!
• One with God’s plan.
• One with God’s purpose.
• One with God’s Spirit.
• One with each other.
Read and meditate on John Chapter 17 this week.
_____________________________________________
PRAYER WITH PURPOSE
Called to pray for:
The Glorious Church The Lost Elected Leaders
If you have read this lesson and feel like you’re on the outside looking in, or in other words, you don’t have a personal real-life relationship with God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, it’s time you did! It’s what you’re searching for.
Please read the prayer on the: Don’t Know God? page.
Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org
If you haven’t read the previous lesson, please scroll down before continuing.
THE BLESSING OF GOD
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them,
• ‘Be fruitful
• and multiply;
• fill the earth
• and subdue it;
• have dominion over the fish of the sea,
• over the birds of the air,
• and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” Genesis 1:27-28
Awesome and glorious words, containers of God’s will for man.
And just like when God said, “Light be!” and light was, His Word contains the power to produce what He said.
The Thief
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
When Adam and Eve received The Blessing it was exactly what Satan wanted: dominion and authority to rule! (God gives us insight about Satan and his past in Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:1-19.)
Satan thought he could have the blessing but everything that he touches becomes defiled and rotten. He devised a way to work through fallen man to take authority on earth.
He even came to Jesus in an attempt to steal what Jesus was sent to earth to do.
“Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, ‘All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.’” Luke 4:5-7
Jesus overcame this temptation by speaking God’s will, the written word.
“You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.”
After the resurrection, God blessed His Son.
“ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME.” MATTHEW 28:18
Jesus Christ, Son of God, Son of man, overcame every temptation from the enemy and redeemed mankind from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2. As the first Adam had a choice in the garden, so man would once again have the right to choose the blessing or the curse, eternal life or eternal damnation.
And our Savior also had something else in mind.
THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT: This Changes Everything!
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14
This is the Gospel message and it holds within it the power of change.
When received, man would be born again, the temple of His Spirit, one with God!
KEPT UNDER THE LAW: The Tutor
“But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.” Galatians 3:23
THE FULLNESS OF TIME
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
“And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:4-7
WHEN GOD JOINS WITH MAN
Jesus Christ opened the way for you and me to be one with Him and His Father, to receive eternal life. With adoration and complete submission we cry out, “Abba, Father, I love you!”
The Creator became one with you and me, His creation, through the sacrifice of His Son. Glory to God!
THE REVEALING
“For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Romans 8:19-21
HEIRS
As we develop and mature through fellowship, prayer, and study of His Word, we increase in our ability to receive revealed knowledge and operate as sons who have been given great power.
We would never place a two-year old child behind the wheel of a car, hand him the keys, and tell him to drive to New York City. Why not? He has to develop and mature through years of daily training. When he reaches the appropriate age he must pass a test before being issued a license, a vehicle, and the keys to be free to go wherever he pleases. He can now be trusted.
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” See 1 Corinthians 13:11.
THE TEST: It’s Your Choice
1. LOVE
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
2. ANSWERED PRAY AND FORGIVENESS
“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:24-26
3. DOERS OF THE WORD
“But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25
4. WORDS: WATCH WHAT YOU SAY
“For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” James 3:2
5. LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For
‘He who would love life
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.’” 1 Peter 3:8-12
6. THIS GRACE IN WHICH WE STAND
“But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
‘God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.’
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:6-7
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2
7. THE GOSPEL: The Life of Faith
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written,
‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:16-17
DIVINE UNITY: Original Intent Restored!
• One with God’s plan.
• One with God’s purpose.
• One with God’s Spirit.
• One with each other.
Read and meditate on John Chapter 17 this week.
_____________________________________________
PRAYER WITH PURPOSE
Called to pray for:
The Glorious Church The Lost Elected Leaders
If you have read this lesson and feel like you’re on the outside looking in, or in other words, you don’t have a personal real-life relationship with God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, it’s time you did! It’s what you’re searching for.
Please read the prayer on the: Don’t Know God? page.
Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org