We have been looking at words;
words of praise, words that define our reality. Next Rabqa will look @ words of faith.
Dictionary.com defines words as:a unit of language, consisting of one or
more spoken sounds or their written representation,
more spoken sounds or their written representation,
that functions as a principal carrier of meaning.
Greek has 2 main words for word: Logos & Rhema.
Rehma is the spoken word. So when Romans
10:17 says: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word [rhema] of
God” it is referring to the Rhema word, the spoken word.
Logos means logic. Theologically when used of Christ Strong’s defines it as: expressing the thoughts of the Father through the Spirit.
Logos means logic. Theologically when used of Christ Strong’s defines it as: expressing the thoughts of the Father through the Spirit.
(Philippians 2:16). “Holding forth the word [logos] of
life” or the logic of life ~ according to God. Or Luke 8:11 “The
seed is the word [logos] of God” ~ the logic of God as expressed in the thoughts of the Father through
the Spirit. When that
manifests in the flesh they are Christ.
The Hebrew for word is davar ~ order, particularly
spoken order or a spoken commandment.
When John says in his gospel In the beginning was the word he uses the Greek Logos ~ the logic of God but in Genesis 1:26 the Hebrew word is way-yō-mer ~ to utter; to command.
When John says in his gospel In the beginning was the word he uses the Greek Logos ~ the logic of God but in Genesis 1:26 the Hebrew word is way-yō-mer ~ to utter; to command.
So you see, when a
believer utters the Rhema of God he concurs with the Logos of God. This is why whingey whiney prayers are
useless. They do not concur with the
logos. That’s our flesh screaming
fleshly logic. God’s logic is not
concerned with our circumstances because whatever those circumstances are He
has already overcome everything that is in the world & of the world. John
16:33 What God wants us to do is to agree with His logos by speaking His
rhema. When we pray By His stripes we are healed Isaiah 53:5 we are agreeing with what
God has already said. As He is not a
liar [Numbers 23:19] then what He has spoken is Truth.
I am not going to deal
with the faith aspect of the confession of our words as Rabqa is doing that. What I want to look at is our authority for
doing so.
A lot of Christians add
this little rider to their prayers: If it is your will ~ as if we can’t know
the will of God. This is contrary to
scripture which plainly outlines any number of circumstances in which we know
without doubt the will of God. Take 2 Peter 3:9 for example.
The
Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient
toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
Plainly God does not wish
that anyone should perish! You can pray
confidently for loved ones salvation because this is the will of God for them!
Or Exodus 15:26: He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” What’s more, Jesus sealed that promise on the cross with His own body.
God is not a monster that He would send death & destruction on those whom He loved enough to sacrifice His very own son. Satan is the liar ~ & the father of lies. John 8:44 It is he who robs & murders & destroys. Do not attribute with your words the acts of the evil one to God the Father. Again & again scripture asserts that His hassad, His lovingkindness, His grace & mercy endure forever.
Or Exodus 15:26: He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” What’s more, Jesus sealed that promise on the cross with His own body.
Or what about 1 Thessalonians 5:18? It doesn’t get any plainer than this: In everything give thanks for this is the will of God.
God is not a monster that He would send death & destruction on those whom He loved enough to sacrifice His very own son. Satan is the liar ~ & the father of lies. John 8:44 It is he who robs & murders & destroys. Do not attribute with your words the acts of the evil one to God the Father. Again & again scripture asserts that His hassad, His lovingkindness, His grace & mercy endure forever.
Hosea 4:6 says:
My people are destroyed for lack
of knowledge…but John 8:32 asserts that the
truth will set you free.
The moment you come into agreement with the
Father that you are a sinner in need of a saviour, that you do indeed believe
that Jesus is Lord & the Father raised Him from death, through the spoken
word, immediately you are transferred
from satan’s kingdom of Darkness into God’s kingdom of Light.
We know that Light is constant. We know that there is no darkness in light. We know that we can’t travel faster than
light because to do so would be to be outside time. The science is complicated but it’s a fact.
You quite literally become a citizen of God’s kingdom & all the rights,
responsibilities & privileges of the kingdom become yours.
Citizens have rights & responsibilities, just
as we do in the natural. In Australia a
citizen has the right to vote, the right to a passport, to social benefits if
need be, to medical care & police protection. In God’s kingdom we are given power to
witness Acts 1:8, authority to cast out demons Mark 3:15, the right to come
boldly before the Throne of Grace Hebrews 4:16, authority to overcome all the
power of the enemy Luke 10:19… What’s more we are joined to the Lord in one
Spirit 1 Corinthians6;17; He is the head, we are the body.
In Matthew 28:18 Jesus says all authority is given to me in heaven & earth. If we are His
body we have exactly the same authority as He does. The head is not separate from the body. They are one & the same.
I am not saying we are little gods. I am saying our authority derives from our
head. Our head is Christ & all
authority has been given to Him. Thus if
the Head says lay hands on for healing we are perfectly within our right &
our designated authority to pray healing for anyone. What’s more, we will use
the logos of God to declare the rhema of God.
We will declare those things not yet seen because we believe the word of
God to be true. That is faith & faith is God’s logic.
But
we are more than just citizens of God’s kingdom; we are His dearly beloved
children:
John 1:12~13
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of
blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
The children of a
family get special privileges not accorded to outsiders ~ inside information,
privileges only accorded to those who belong.
Jesus made this abundantly clear when he said: "It is not good to take the children's bread
and throw it to the dogs.” Matt 15:26
One of the privileges
of a Kingdom child is the restoration of the dominion we lost in the Garden.
Genesis 1:28 gave Adam & Eve dominion over the earth. They ceded their dominion to satan. Christ took it back at the cross & now
those who are in Christ share in His victory.
The Hebrew word is
radah: to rule over, tread down, prevail against but the children have been
told: And the God of Peace will crush
satan under your feet shortly Romans 16:20
It is no good crying
& asking Why does God allow…? If His people have allowed because Jesus
said: “I tell you the
truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever
you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven” Matthew 18:18 Permitting & forbidding is done primarily through what
we allow to come out of our mouths. We exercise our dominion by what comes out
of our mouths. When we line our words up
with God’s we take dominion.
Lastly we are ambassadors 2 Cor 5:20. Ambassadors serve as representatives of their
country. The primary thing about citizenship is rights & responsibilities. The primary thing about family is
relationship but the primary thing about ambassadors is language. Words.
Ambassadors negotiate with other
countries through their words. When we
come out of the kingdom of Darkness into the kingdom of Light most of us have
to learn a new language; the language of the Kingdom of God. James 3 says the
tongue is like a rudder steering a great ship, a flame of fire that can set
entire forests alight, a world of wickedness ~ so much so that if we could
control our tongues we would be perfect.
Part of that new language is
learning new terms for things we may never have known before: walking in the
spirit; walking by Faith; Prayer of intercession; Tongues…. But the far greater
part of what we must learn is undoing old habits: grumbling becomes Do everything without complaining or arguing.
Phil 2:14 Arrogance & boastfulness must become humility because the Lord
resists the proud James 4:6. Gossip must cease; it is listed amongst the things
that will keep us out of the Kingdom. We learn to *pray always with every kind of
prayer* 1 Thess 5:17 & to rejoice always 1 Thess 5:16
He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.
There are six things which the
LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying
tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet
that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among
brothers.
We must be careful what we say because In the end…
… by your words you will be
justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew
12:36-37).
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