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Confession & Declaration 24

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Romans 8:17 And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.

A few months ago I was intrigued by a promise repeated five times in the 37th Psalm:

Psalm 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait and hope and look for the Lord [in the end] shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:11 But the meek [in the end] shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Psalm 37: 22 For such as are blessed of God shall [in the end] inherit the earth, but they that are cursed of Him shall be cut off.

Psalm 37:29 [Then] the [consistently] righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.

Psalm 37:34 Wait for and expect the Lord and keep and heed His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; [in the end] when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

I knew that in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that He repeats this promise in Matthew 5:5 Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering), for they shall inherit the earth!

But after my discovery in Psalm 37 I had to say, Lord, all I really want is to be with You. I could care less about inheriting the earth. But my question for You is, Why is this such a big deal? The first thing He reminded me of was that to be on earth during the Millennial Reign of Christ is to be with Him. But the second thing He showed me was that which is in Romans 8:17 “…heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]…”

We need to understand something. In Hebrews 1:2 it states: “…has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;…”

Jesus is Heir of all things. In the Greek “all” means “ALL.” So everything belongs to Jesus – the earth and all it contains; the heavens’ and all they contain; the seas and all it contains; the universe, with its stars, planets, milky way, asteroids, comets, and moons. All of these things belong to Jesus. We belong to Him. Angels and demons are His. He owns it all. But guess what? Because He has made us His children, we have full rights to receive His inheritance. According to Matthew 25:34; Galatians 3:29; Colossians 1:12; and 3:24 – we are His beneficiaries. Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you [a]favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham’s Seed], then you are Abraham’s offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise.

Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light.

Colossians 3:24 Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah).

The payoff of the “blessed’s” found in the Psalm 37, and the Matthew 5:5 passages, is that we get to be with Jesus in Heaven. We get to be with Jesus during the Millennial reign. We get to be with Jesus in the New Heaven and New Earth. Oh yeah, and by the way, we inherit everything that belongs to Him!!!! Jesus is setting things back to the way they used to be. Have you ever thought about that? When God the Father placed Adam and Eve here that the entire universe belonged to them also? They got to co-steward it all with the Godhead. (Now you can understand why the devil hates your guts so bad: you own him!) Wrap your head around that. Even crazier is the idea that the earth and all it contains; the heavens’ and all they contain; the seas and all it contains; the universe, with its stars, planets, milky way, asteroids, comets, and moons. All of these things belong to you too. You don’t have to buy a star and put your name on it; all of them are your inheritance. When Paul speaks of the riches of our salvation he wasn’t joking. We had no idea we really are royalty.

Declaration 24: Father, I’ve often pondered the admonition: Be still and know that I AM God. I’ve also puzzled over the silence in Heaven in the Book of Revelation. But now I’m stunned. I’m stunned, humbled, and prostrated spiritually before You – groveling with my face to the ground. What words can express the measure and depths of Your love? The praise and worship You are worthy of? “Thank You’s” fall to the ground sounding hollow, and cheap. Words really can’t express my sincere and humble gratitude, and admiration. It all requires the fullness of all that I am to give You the worship You are due; to provide You with an eternity of service. But now I rise. Lord Jesus I rise above the sin and shame. I rise above the failures and rebellion. I rise above memories of my disobedience and my treatment of such an amazing salvation. I rise and stretch my hands towards You in Praise. I rise and raise my voice as thunder to You. I rise lifting the fullness of my soul – mind, will, emotions, and personality – and I pour it all out to the One Who is Worthy. Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain before the foundation of the world! Worthy is the Lamb, the Conquering King Victorious! Hallelujah I shout Your praises joining my voice with all the Voices that know this full well. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! How can I be quiet any longer? How can I be still? Crown Him with many crowns is my anthem now! Crown Him forever more!

Who’s Your One? Saturday, February 1, Day 20

Rise Up!

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Revelation 12:9-11 And the huge dragon was cast down and out—that age-old serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, he who is the seducer (deceiver) of all humanity the world over; he was forced out and down to the earth, and his angels were flung out along with him.10 Then I heard a strong (loud) voice in heaven, saying, Now it has come—the salvation and the power and the kingdom (the dominion, the reign) of our God, and the power (the sovereignty, the authority) of His Christ (the Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren, he who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out! 11 And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing].

Satan, the dragon symbolizes many things: ultimately he is a large serpent who represents the power of chaos that opposes God. He symbolizes fascination, and irresistible temptation that draws people in. He is dominating, and extraordinarily large. The dragon symbolizes those things that oppose us, creating chaos, confusion, and disorder in our lives. He symbolizes those problems, temptations, and fears that dominate, intimidate, and appear overwhelmingly large. He is the hidden monster that clutches our hearts in terror with its claws. He is that overwhelming sense of dread of impending doom. He is despair that causes hope to ebb away into shadows of circumstances which loom larger and larger.

This dragon also symbolizes geo-political rulers, and powers that dominate a region influencing its citizens, and political leaders. He exerts his influence over political, economic, and religious beliefs of the region. He is the political upheaval we feel tightening its grip leaving people anxious, fearful, uncertain, hopeless, and angry.

But the real question, what Power forced this ominous, overpowering, and immense dragon out of Heaven? Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a male Child, One Who is destined to shepherd (rule) all the nations with an iron staff (scepter), and her Child was caught up to God and to His throne. The Answer to the question above? A Baby! But not just any baby. This Baby was the Lord Jesus Christ! The Lord Almighty! Our conquering King! In fact Scripture states a powerful result which came through our conquering Kings’ Resurrection and Ascension: Colossians 2:13-15 And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us all our transgressions,14 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. 15 [God] disarmed 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].

Jesus has defeated the dragon raising us to life, and forgiving us of all of our transgressions – past, present, and future. Jesus has nailed hostility to the cross. Jesus has disarmed the dragon! Our Conquering King and God holds the stars of the universe in His hands. What’s a little dragon going to do? Our Jesus has triumphed over this dragon through the weakness and foolishness of the cross. Not only has our Jesus triumphed but He has led us out of our graves into triumph – to fear no more. Jesus has led us out to stand up and rise up and advance the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the time of our getting up – no more snooze buttons, no more covers over our head. It’s time for a full on awakening to who we are, and to whom we belong. You and I are washed in the Blood of Jesus, clothed in His Righteousness, overcoming the shadows of the dragons’ fury. Why the confidence? Why the boldness? The answer? The Battle is the Lord’s!

Get Up! It’s time we start believing it, declaring, and proclaiming it.

Day 3, Declaration 3: Thank You Jesus, My conquering King, that in the midst of global chaos, hopelessness, upheaval, dread, despair, and uncertainty – that the Lamb of God has overcome. Thank Jesus, that You are our roaring Lion who places the dragon under our feet. Thank You, Soon and Coming King, that when circumstances come to oppose me, and chaos swirls disorder and confusion around me – that the Prince of Peace comes and walks me through the storms. Thank You my Almighty Warrior that this is Your battle. This is Your Fight and I have been made more than an overcomer. Thank You, Blazing and Brilliant Light of Glory – the Glorious One – that the Fire of Your gaze consumes my fears, dominates the intimidator, throttles the tempter, breaking the back of this dragon who dares to oppose the Living God. Thank you Jesus that in Your Glorious Light everything – and I mean everything becomes light – what can the shadows do to You in me? Thank You that the blazing Fire of Your Words burns away the dragons grip causing Living Hope to abound in me. What is my Confidence? What is my Hope? Jesus, Who has raised me from the dead, and forgiven all my transgressions. Jesus, Who has cancelled, blotted out, and wiped clean the decrees spoken against me. Jesus, Who has disarmed the principalities and powers arrayed against me. Jesus, Who has made a public display, and example, triumphing over them through His Cross. I get up, stand up, rise up – putting my trust in the One Who Rose Up – placing my feet solidly on the Rock! Greater is He Who is in me than he that is in the world! Hallelujah!