Another belief in this area is that Christians are mini-gods and have creative power. Moses was as a god to Pharaoh in that he was God’s mouthpiece; but Moses had no right to choose his own words. He spoke as God directed him. Even Jesus only followed and obeyed the Father (John 5:19).
Today, Christ leads His church through the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and in earth is given to Me, go therefore and make disciples…” (Matt 28:18). If Jesus has all authority, it follows that there is no authority left for Satan or for us. The only authority we exercise as believers is by the will of God.
Some claim that by visualisation or confession we can create, but the blessings of God are of grace, not of works. For example, Abraham did not receive the Promised Land because he visualized it. God brought him to stand in the centre of the land to show him what He had already given him. He told Abraham to look to the east, west, etc and said all you can see I have given to you (Gen 15:18).
Abraham received the land as a gift, by grace, provided by God from before the foundation of the earth. We do not confess our own thoughts to create what we choose. We confess what God has done in us already. Paul said “we believe, therefore we speak” (2 Cor 4:13). We speak according to God’s gift of faith, which is received by grace. God gives us the faith first and we speak what He is doing.
Similarly, when God told Joshua, “wherever your foot treads I have given you”, it was because God had brought Joshua to the place that He had already given to Abraham and Israel (Josh 1:1-9). The key was not Joshua’s foot, but what God had already given. The boundaries were already marked. If Joshua stepped out of those boundaries his foot would not have helped him much!
If God has not done it, speaking or visualisation will not achieve anything of lasting value. This is occultism. This was Eve’s temptation, “You shall be like God.”. Occultism is an attempt to use God’s power apart from God’s grace. Visualising and self-encouragement are good in the sense of planning and then working towards those plans, but this has nothing to do with God’s power. They are just normal life principles that apply to everyone, Christian or not.
Using visualisation to manipulate the spiritual realm is Buddhism, not Christianity. Man and Satan can make their plans, but God is sovereign (Pr 16:9, 19:21). The gospel is a gospel of grace in what Christ has done through His merits. This is not to undermine faith, which “calls things that are not as though they were” (Rom 4:17). When we take away God’s sovereignty and place man at the fore it is not faith.
God sees all and knows all, even the thoughts of our hearts. Nothing is hidden from Him (Psalm 139). He does not need counsel for He has all knowledge and wisdom. God is omnipotent (has all power), omniscient (has all knowledge) and is omnipresent (is everywhere). This corrects teachings on the devil and human will. This is the first lesson of faith. As God is omnipotent, there can be no other power.
With the Ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. With Him is wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding. Behold, He breaks down and it cannot be built again: He shuts up a man and there can be no opening. (Job 12:12-14).
I know that, whatsoever God does it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, or anything taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before Him. (Ecc 3:14).
When Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom, He was speaking of the gospel message (Matt 16:19). He was not speaking of Peter’s personal authority. The Pharisees earlier had the keys, but tried to keep the kingdom locked up, meaning they changed the message of God into works and kept the truth away from others (Luke 11:52). Then they tried to force their way into the kingdom without repentance (Matt 3:7-9, Matt 11:12).
When Jesus said whatsoever the apostles loose on earth is loosed in heaven He was referring to the fruits of the gospel in the forgiveness of sins (Matt 16:20). It was not their personal authority, but the Lord working with them through His gift of faith in the gospel. When people are set free on earth by new birth it is evident that their name is written in heaven. Jesus was speaking of the operation of Christ in the New Covenant.
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