A system that you have been given the power to control and the authority to command. A system that has been ordered not to do anything until something is said, an announcement is made, or some type of command is given. A system where everything in this life hinges on the words that you speak, be they positive or be they negative. How amazing is that notion.
Do you remember the two-part revelation from our earlier discussion? The first part of the revelation showed that God had done his part by sending his word to us. The second part showed how we have failed to do our part by returning God’s word to him. It was God who said his word will not return to him void but it will accomplish all that he wants it to and it will do that for which he has sent it, but the problem has been and continues to be returning of God’s word to him.
Most of the time, we do not return God’s word to him. What we do return is some type of variation or adaptation of God’s word. And no, we are not speaking of translational or interpretational issues per se, as much as we are speaking about our lack of knowing exactly what God’s word actually says. We mentioned earlier how one change or alteration to God’s word will nullify it, making his word void. Once void, God’s word is unable to accomplish all that he wants it to and unable to do that for which he sent it. That’s because they are not really God’s word anymore, but for the sake of our understanding, we will continue to refer to them as such. You see, these words sound as if they have come from God and are constantly mistaken for the original, but they have been slightly altered making them void and counterfeit to the real thing.
For example, in the book of Genesis, we find Eve having a conversation with the serpent. In the conversation, she tells the serpent what God has said about the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden.
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die (Genesis 3:3).
Here is what God actually said.
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:17).
In this example, we see that Eve, in repeating to the serpent what God had said, added something to what was actually said by God. Eve tells the serpent that God said, that neither shall you touch of the tree in the midst of the garden, lest you die. This is not exactly what God said. It sounds close to what God said and it sounds as if it could have been something God may have said, but the bottom line is, it is not what God said. God’s prohibition only mentioned the eating of the fruit, not the touching of the fruit. And while we understand that the touching may eventually lead to the eating of the fruit, God never said what Eve said he said about the touching of the fruit. Eve slightly altered what God had said making what she said he said void and counterfeit to the real thing. We will not even venture into what the serpent did with God’s word when he talked about them dying; that will have to be a discussion for another time.
Now here is one of the many mysteries contained in the Bible that God has revealed to us. When we return God’s exact word to him, he is bound by his word. Yes, that is right; God is bound, limited, and restricted by his word. By that, we mean that God is obligated to act upon his word when it returns to him. Right now, we want to pause for just a minute for all of that to sink in. (The reader pauses for just a minute to ponder the last statement.)
Now that you have pondered that last statement, we want to make sure you understand what we have just said. Let us say it this way, all-powerful, omniscient, and sovereign God is bound by the words we return to him and is obligated to act upon them, provided they are his words. We understand some of you may have a hard time wrapping you mind around the notion that the words we speak has the authority and the power to bind and obligate God, but it is a fact. Look at it this way. God has obligated himself to honoring his word when and only when, his word is returned to him. If God were to violate or not honor his word, then he would be destroying his own character, his own credibility, and his own integrity. This is why God will always honor his word whenever it is returned to him.
Now for those of you who have had a light-bulb moment and your light is still shining bright, do not get too excited about what all of this could possibly mean. We should point out that when it comes to these types of things with God, there is always a qualifier. A qualifier is like the fine print of a contract. It is the part that we tend to miss even though it is usually right there in front of us. And while there are times when you may have to look specifically for one, usually it is as plain as the nose on your face. A qualifier is something that has the ability to restrict, limit, alter, or modify the meaning of something else. God usually requires us to do something before we can receive the things God has for us. So, for those of you who thought God had given us limitless authority and power to bind and obligate him just by speaking his word, we are sorry to inform you that this be not the case. Imagine that, there is something in the word of God that actually restricts, limits, alters, or modifies that authority and power that he has given us so that we have to use it according to his will. We just want to say how awesome that is.
For example, we know that salvation is available to everyone, but in order to get the free gift each of us must first confess with our mouth and each of us must have believe in our heart, then and only then, will we receive the gift of salvation. There is no other means and there is no other way by which we can obtain salvation except to follow the qualifier. Once we do what the qualifier says to do, we get what follows the qualifier.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9-10).
We see in this passage, the qualifier begins with the word if therefore, if you confess with your mouth and if you believe in your heart, then you will have salvation. You will find something similar when it comes to invoking the word of God. Do you remember that authority you have been giving to bind things in heaven? According to that passage, we have the authority to bind and loose things on earth and in heaven. The qualifier in this case is that you have to bind whatever you bind on earth first and then it will be bound in heaven. The same applies to what you loose. You have to loose it on earth before it will be loosed in heaven. We know that it sounds as if we are saying that you have free range to say whatever you want to and it will be done. To some degree that would be correct, but know that God will only honor his word when it is returned to him and no other word, no matter what is may say or may sound like.
You will find something similar when it comes to invoking the angels that have charge over us. In the passages found in Psalm 91, we find the qualifier beginning with the word because; therefore, because we have done the qualifier, he will place his angels in charge over us. If we do not do the qualifier, then we will not get the things after the qualifier.
Because you have said, I am in the hands of the Lord, the Most High is my safe resting-place; no evil will come on you, and no disease will come near your tent. For he will give you into the care of his angels to keep you wherever you go. In their hands they will keep you up, so that your foot may not be crushed against a stone (Psalm 91:9-12 BEV).
Because we have said we are in the hands of the Lord, who is our safe resting place, which is the qualifier in this case, we get what follows it. The passage says that no evil will come on us and no disease will come near our house (tent) because God will give us into the care of his angels to protect us wherever we go. The same types of qualifiers appear in many verses throughout the Bible. Many of you are familiar with James 4:7, where you can resist the devil and you are promised that he will flee from you. Many are unfamiliar with the qualifier for this passage. The passage tells you to do something first so that you can do something about the devil.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
You must first submit yourself to God and once you have submitted yourself to God, then you can resist the devil. And once you resist the devil, he will flee from you. Once you are submitted to God, you actually can tell the devil to leave and he will leave. This is not to say that he will not come back at a later date, but for the moment, he will leave as you have commanded him to because you have done the qualifier. But know that if you are not submitted to the Word then you are not submitted to God. And if you are not submitted to God, then the devil is not obligated to flee from you. This is how much authority you have with the words that you speak. You have the ability to stop him in his tracks in reference to him trying to impact or affect your life in a personal way. But first, you must submit yourself to God, which is the qualifier.
You must be very careful of Satan, for he is a deceiver. He will lead you on for years, making you think you are on the right path, then one day you will look up and find yourself in a place you do not want to be. So do not accept the garbage that Satan is putting down. The things that Satan brings to you will be a contradistinction to the word of God. This is why you have to know the word of God. If you do not know the word, Satan is cleaver enough to bring to you something that sounds so biblical that you would think it is in the Bible. This is why you must know the word of God so that when Satan comes with things, you can resist him. If you do not adhere to the qualifier first, then the devil does not have to flee from you. (to be continued).
Enjoy your blessings - KW
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