May I please have the keys? –Declaring Independence

May I please have the keys?                     

                       –Declaring Independence

“May I please have the car keys?”

That question just might still be ringing in your head if you currently have or have had a teenager with a driver’s license.

When he walks out the door, car keys in hand, he experiences a new independence that was not his just a few years, months, or days ago. It’s a great feeling. Do you remember what it felt like yourself? (In my example, I’m using the male gender only because we have sons. All is the same with girls. I know that because I am one.)

That teen may try to hide the grin on his face but you can bet it’s there.

Independence! Ah, yes—master of his own destiny—in control—call his own shots! For the teenager clutching car keys, it’s a new freedom—kind of a personal declaration of independence.

With the possession of keys comes power and authority. In the case of car keys, one has power and authority over a vehicle and command over the direction in which it will go.

When we come to faith in Jesus and become His followers, He gives us keys. It’s at the point of our realization and proclamation of who He is, that He hands over to us the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus asked His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?”  

Peter spoke right up and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:15-16 NKJV).

Peter nailed it—right answer!

When reading this dialogue, one can sense Jesus’ pleasure in Peter’s response. I’ve always loved what Jesus said next:

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 16:17 NKJV).

Did you catch that? The source of the revelation that Jesus is Lord, is God Himself. 

Rest assured, the Spirit of God, helps us come to a revelation understanding of the deity of Jesus. This is why, when we pray for lost loved ones, we should ask that Holy Spirit to deal with them on a spiritual level, helping them come to their own aha moment.

When Peter gave Jesus the right answer, the Lord made a proclamation. It is upon this belief, and confidence in the identity of Jesus as the Christ, that He builds His church. Jesus said “... on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:18b-19 NKJV).

If you’re in prison, a key will unlock a door and set you free. Early in Jesus’ ministry, He declared He had come to set free those who were bound (Luke 4:18). Any of us who are in bondage to sin, oppression, addiction, anger, loneliness, guilt, fear—the list can go on and on—are given the keys of God’s Kingdom when we’re born-again. The Bible describes the Kingdom of God as righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

 

Keys also give a person authority over something. When I buy a house, I’m given the key to the house. At that point the house is mine and I’m free to live in it, decorate it, entertain guests in it and do things I may not feel comfortable doing elsewhere, like sing out loud. 

When Jesus gives us the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, we have the capability to unlock a whole new dimension in our lives. We’re then qualified to be in His family and live in His Kingdom in Heaven. 

We don’t have to wait until we get to Heaven to use the keys though, because with them, we have access to abundant life on earth. The choice is ours. We can do the things that help us access God’s abundance or we can deprive ourselves of the freedom Jesus bought on the cross, and continue in bondage and oppression.

If the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, let’s just do it! Let’s make full use of the keys our Lord has given us. If our friend has freely given us the keys to his beach-front house, why would we pay to stay in a hotel two blocks away from the beach?!

Photo by Dominik Lange - from Upsplash

The best way to utilize all the wonderful doors we can open with the keys God put in our hands is to read and study His Word. Connecting with a good Bible teaching church is essential as well, in addition to communicating with God through prayer, both by talking and listening.

Those beach house keys may open the gate to the pool, the hot tub, the closet full of beach chairs, umbrellas and toys, the dune buggy, the grill and even the free passes to the putt-putt and nearby golf course! 
Our friend’s keys may give assess to a full, exciting beach experience. But if we don’t use them we miss out on so much we could have freely enjoyed.

The keys to the Kingdom are given to every follower of Christ Jesus, so we can access our best possible and exciting life experience. We’re free from the bad stuff and can open the doors to the good stuff.

When we believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, we need to open our hand to receive the keys of the Kingdom and live a life that is free indeed.

As we celebrate freedom in the next few days here in the U.S., let’s also celebrate the freedom we have as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Both of these freedoms were attained through blood sacrifice. One great thing about our freedom through Christ is that it continues on into Eternity! Let’s choose to be FREE!  

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1 NIV).

 

From what has Jesus set you free? Your comments are welcome.

©Connie Wohlford 2016

How do you face your enemy

How do you face your enemy? 

Do you face your enemy in anger, in fear, with boldness, with peace, with confusion, with intimidation? 

Let’s look at the shepherd, David, and his method of facing his enemy. Yes, this is the same David who eventually became the most beloved king of Israel.

But as a teenager, he faced a fierce enemy.

It all began one day when his father, Jesse, sent him to take food and check on his older brothers who were camped with the Hebrew army preparing to war with the Philistines, their greatest enemy.

As David approached the battlefield, he didn’t hear a battle going on, but instead heard a man shouting with a harsh, angry voice. The man was from the enemy ranks—a giant of a man. Not just extremely tall, he was muscular, fierce, violent looking, and wore rugged, heavy armor. His name was Goliath.  

Goliath had challenged the Jews, demanding they send a warrior to fight against him. The representative who won this two-man battle would bring victory for their own army on that day. Among the ranks of the Hebrews, all trembled with fear. No one would volunteer to fight Goliath.

As he reached his brothers, David heard Goliath again shout to the Israelites, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together” (1 Samuel 17:10).

When David realized what was taking place, anger rose up in him, to think that such a man was taunting the army of his God. After a bit of exchange with his brothers, David proclaimed: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? (1 Samuel 17:26b)”

 

David then went to King Saul and volunteered to fight Goliath. The king questioned David’s ability to step into such a battle.

But David confidently told the king, “’Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.’ Moreover David said, ‘The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine’” (1 Samuel 17:34-37).

David went out to battle the giant, Goliath. His trustworthy God gave him victory over this ominous enemy.

David had a history with God. God had helped him win over many other enemies before Goliath.

Do you have a history with God, your Creator? That is, do you have a relationship with Him and do you know how big and how capable He is? We establish a relationship with our Creator God through His Son, Jesus.

For those of us who have that relationship, let’s build our history with Him  by getting to know Him better through prayer and Bible study.

If you do not have a relationship with God, through Jesus, I invite you to do so right now, right here. Confess that Jesus is indeed the Son of God and ask Him to come into your heart. Get to know Him through reading the Bible.

What is your enemy today? Is it sickness, relationship issues, financial burdens, concerns for family members? −just naming a few possibilities.

Look that situation in the face and say, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the servant (me) of the living God? The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine (or whatever my situation)!”

Let’s confidently face our enemies as David faced Goliath, knowing our God is well able to work things out for our good.

Thank you for reading this post. I pray you will face your Goliath with confidence in the living God.

©Connie Wohlford 2016