Before the Foundation of the World

There's a wonderful verse in the Book of Revelation...

'And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship Him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.' [Revelation 13:8, KJV]

This is a marvelous verse! The Lamb slain, FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

Now that's a quantum verse...and we know from Hebrews 4:3 that His works were finished from the foundation of the world.

But wait...let's look at it in the New American Standard Version.

'All who dwell on the earth will worship Him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.' [Revelation 13:8, NASB]

Wow.

Now I'm no Greek scholar, I just look things up. As wonderful as this verse is in the KJV, it is equally wonderful, yet different, in the NASB.

Why? Because it confirms that our names are written in the book of life FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD!

What if...

What if we're more powerful than we think we are?

What if the Holy Spirit prayer in Colossians 1:11 was actually answered? That we may be strengthened with all power?

What exactly would ALL POWER look like?

Dunamis
First, let's look at the Greek word for 'power' in this passage.

It is dunamis...strength, power, ability, the power for performing miracles. The power and influence which belong to riches and wealth, the power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts. It is INHERENT POWER residing in a thing by virtue OF ITS NATURE!

We have died and Christ now live within us...in fact, according to John 14, Jesus, the Father AND the Holy Spirit now reside, or abide, in us!

And that's where the power comes from! I was crucified with Christ and now, HE LIVES IN ME!!

And I am strengthened with ALL POWER!

Why We Are Jewish

The Holy Spirit, speaking through the Apostle Paul, tells us who the real Jews are....

'But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.' [Romans 2:28,29]

'...for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh...' [Philippians 3:3]

'...and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ...' [Colossians 2:11]

We also know from him that we have been grafted into Israel.

'But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.' [Romans 11:17,18]

And, we know that we are the descendants of Abraham in Christ Jesus.

'Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham...and if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.' [Galatians 3:7,29]

But mostly, it's because we're one Spirit with the Lord, and He surely is a Jew! [1 Corinthians 6:17]

Hallelujah!

So, if you're harboring any anti-Semitism, get rid of it today, because it's you, baby!

And if you're not supportive of God's original plan for Israel, repent today because it belongs to you, too!

That's why 2 Corinthians 1:20 says 'For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are YES; therefore also through Him is our AMEN [so be it] to the GLORY of God through us.'

Not only do we get all the promises of the New Covenant, but of the Old Covenant, too...but without the curse! Christ redeemed from the curse of the law! [Galatians 3:13]

All of the blessings, none of the curse. Praise the Lord!

Shalom!

Already Answered

Yesterday, while out running errands, I heard quite clearly "All of your prayers are already answered."

Wow.

Why can't I remember this? That every promise of God is 'YES' in Him, that God has GLADLY given me the kingdom, that His works were finished from the foundation of the world. [2 Corinthians 1:20; Luke 12:32; Hebrews 4:3]

1 John 5:14,15 states conclusively that 'This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask ANYTHING according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we KNOW THAT WE HAVE the requests which we have asked from Him.'

I can either look at and believe the natural, temporal circumstances or I can look at the eternal Word of God.

'...while we look NOT at the things which are seen, but at the THINGS which are NOT SEEN; for the things which are seen are TEMPORAL [temporary], but the THINGS which are NOT SEEN are ETERNAL.' [2 Corinthians 4:18]

What would it look like if every prayer was already answered? Jesus said that ANYTHING we ask in His Name, He would give it to use. Then He repeated it for four chapters! [John 14-17] I guess He knew how dense we were going to be...

Jesus IS the Word, the Word IS God, and God IS eternal, both forward AND back! He IS the Alpha and Omega, and He IS His Word!

So if I am to look at the eternal, I am to look at His Word as fulfilled in my life, as well as on the world stage.

In His Word, I look pretty good. Filled up to all the fulness of God, healed, reigning in life, rich...the well-being of my sons is great and they are taught of the Lord. One Spirit with the Lord, seated with Him in heavenly places in Christ, with my youth renewed like the eagle. Speaking to mountains and trees that obey me immediately.

Hmmm....

So what's the catch?
Not enough looking at the unseen, too much looking at the train wreck.

Hebrews states it pretty plainly, talking about Israel in the wilderness...

'And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

'Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the WORD they heard did NOT profit them, because IT WAS NOT UNITED BY FAITH IN THOSE WHO HEARD.' [Hebrews 3:18-4:2]

What was the eternal WORD they heard? That they were to go in and possess the land, that He had ALREADY given it to them and to their descendants. The already was the eternal part!

You know the story...if you don't, read it in Numbers 13,14. Twelve spies went in to reconnoiter the land. Ten came back with the evil report that there was no way they could take the land—why was it evil? Because is directly contradicted God's Word that they could take the land!

Two came back saying "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it." [Numbers 13:30]

Both groups saw the same land, but they were looking at two entirely different things! The ten looked at the SEEN...a great place filled with scary giants. The two looked at the UNSEEN...the promise of God that He had already given it to them!

So, according to His Word, the ten died in the wilderness, just as they had said, and the two, Joshua and Caleb, went on to take the land!

Why? Because they united the unseen, eternal Word of God with faith.

The faith that His Word is settled forever, forward AND back. That what is UNSEEN is eternal, everlasting, and that which is SEEN is merely temporary, subject to the UNSEEN.

Or in other words, for you card players out there, UNSEEN trumps SEEN!

Simply put, they believed God. They believed that what He said would come to pass, period.

And it did, for them. For those who did NOT unite His Word with faith, they wandered around in the wilderness for forty years, dying there according to THEIR word! [Numbers 14:2,28,29]

They looked at the SEEN and SPOKE accordingly. And they got just what they said.

Train Yourself
Start to train yourself to see the unseen. If God told us to look at the unseen, we must be able to!

See what your life looks like with every promise being 'Yes.' Close your eyes and look at the unseen in your life, in the lives of family members, your church/business/community/whatever.

For example, the Blessing of Abraham is a material blessing, and it is ours in Christ Jesus. [Galatians 3] We know that that blessing made Abraham very rich...what does that look like in your life?

Part of that blessing is that we will possess the gates of our enemies. What would that look like?

We know that by His stripes we were healed. [Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24] What does that look like in your life?

In the gospels, there are scriptures that say we will have whatever we say. What would that look like?

How about Psalm 112? It is an amazing description of the life of the righteous, and we have been made righteous in Christ. How would your life look if all of Psalm 112 were fulfilled in your life today?

AND IT IS! In the Spirit, it is ALREADY fulfilled, because you are IN Him, one Spirit with the LORD, and He IS the Word! Hallelujah!

Start to meditate on the Word as true, as fulfilled in your life. Look at the NOT SEEN, the eternal promises of God, the forever-settled Word and stop looking at the current, temporary SEEN circumstance.

'But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.' [James 1:25]

Praise the Lord!

The Lord is My Shepherd

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. [Psalm 23]

Reign in Life 2

We know from John 1 that Jesus IS the Word and that the Word IS God.

Romans 5:17 says:

'For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will REIGN IN LIFE THROUGH THE ONE, JESUS CHRIST.'

Do the math. If Jesus is the Word, and we reign in life through Jesus, it stands to reason that we reign in life through the Word!

The Word is how we reign. In Proverbs 8 Wisdom tells us that "By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, all who judge rightly."

And God's Word IS Wisdom!

Consider this:

'For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His Beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

'For by Him ALL THINGS were created, both IN THE HEAVENS and ON EARTH, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, whether THRONES or DOMINIONS or RULERS or AUTHORITIES—ALL THINGS have been created through Him and for Him.

'He is before all things, and in Him ALL THINGS hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the FIRSTBORN from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

'For it was the Father's good pleasure for ALL THE FULLNESS to dwell in Him, and through Him to RECONCILE ALL THINGS to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether THINGS ON EARTH or THINGS IN HEAVEN.' [Colossians 1:13-20]

Okay...all things in the heavens and on the earth were created by and for Him. Colossians 2:15 tells us, however, that Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public display of His triumph over them.

Why would He disarm something that belonged to Him? Because someone had taken possession of those thrones illegally, and Jesus cast Him out!

Luke 4—Satan tells Jesus that kingdoms and authorities were delivered to him...by whom? By Adam...Jesus took them back, as the Last Adam and Firstborn of Many Brethren.

Ephesians 12 says that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

These are the guerrilla remnants of a defeated enemy! They will try to hold their position until we—the Body of Christ—get rid of them!

Already Seated
We are already seated in Christ Jesus in heavenly places...where exactly is He seated?

'...at HIS RIGHT HAND in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, NOT ONLY IN THIS AGE BUT ALSO IN THE ONE TO COME.

'And He put ALL THINGS in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over ALL THINGS to the church, which is His body, the FULLNESS OF HIM WHO FILLS ALL IN ALL.' [Ephesians 1:20-23]

Back to How
It is clear that we are to reign in life. Revelations 5:10 says:

"You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

But it has not always been clear how we are to reign...

We are to reign THROUGH the One, Jesus Christ, the WORD!

The Greek word dia in Romans 5:17 is translated in the NASB as 'through.' So it reads '...reign through the One...'

But it is also translated as with, in, by, by means of, on account of.

So that passage could be read as '...reign in life BY the Word...' or '...reign in life IN the Word...' or '...reign in life WITH the Word...'

And we know we are already IN HIM.

Put the Word in your mouth and reign in life.

Think about it.