Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Deeper Teaching By Kenton Cheek

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

–Matthew 16:13-19

     Jesus Christ is at the center of our faith.  When He asked His disciples who they thought He was, Peter’s confession did not come by human invention.  This revelation did not have its origin in the thoughts or imaginations of mankind.  The reality of the Son of Man as the Son of God and the truth of His teachings came by divine inspiration to the heart and mind of Peter.  It is not Peter himself the Church would be founded upon, but this divine reality of Jesus and His teachings which forms the bedrock foundation.

     The keys of the kingdom of heaven are the teachings of Jesus with Himself at the center of that love and message.  Every faithful follower of the Lord Jesus is entrusted with these keys.  The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”[1]  Every member of the Lord’s Church is a minister and as we faithfully declare the Good News of Jesus Christ, we turn the keys of the kingdom of heaven in people’s lives and open the door for them that leads to new life and freedom. We know from Matthew 18:18, Acts 1:8, 2:4 and the experience of Saul becoming Paul that Holy Spirit power and kingdom authority are extended to not only the original apostles, but every born again follower of Jesus.

     Each of us as sons and daughters of the Most High God are anointed by the Holy Spirit as prophets and prophetesses, priests and priestesses, kings and queens.  This means that we have the ability function in the authority of the King of Kings through the giftings, power and passion of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus set the perfect example for us of life and godliness.   Notice that He did not do any miracles until after the Holy Spirit came upon Him at His baptism.  All throughout His ministry, He did everything by the authority of the Father in the power of the Spirit and leads us to do the same.  Every born again believer is in the priesthood and has His authority available.  We must use it to stand firm against the enemy of our souls.

     All of us struggle with doubts at different times in our lives.  The disciples were no different.  It wasn’t just Thomas who struggled with this.  Phillip told Jesus in John 14 that if He showed them the Father, that would be enough for them.  Jesus replied,

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.[2]

From this passage we learn of the oneness of God the Son and God the Father and when Jesus speaks of going to the Father it is because God the Holy Spirit was about to be poured out upon the believers.  We are commanded, commissioned, empowered and equipped to exercise our priesthood authority and use the keys of the kingdom of heaven for the good of others.  The Triune God is Three in One and in Him we live and move and have our being.  As we keep in step with the Spirit, the desires of our hearts will be set upon the priorities of the Father and therefore, as we ask anything of Him in accordance with His will, it shall be done.  He will grant us the desires of our hearts as those desires align with His.  Sometimes those answers to prayer will come in unexpected ways. 

     Unfortunately, the circumstances of life have a way of dragging us down and often we end up walking around in defeat.  When we understand more about who we are in Christ, it changes the way we view ourselves and those around us.  From the Word of God, we understand that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus and that the victory has already been won by Him, we simply need to walk in it.[3]  When Yahweh instructed the Israelites to march around Jericho, He told them through Joshua that He had already given them the city before the walls even fell.[4]  Trust and obey and see God work in your life.

     We are empowered to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”[5]  This involves turning away from sinful sources and seeking the Savior’s guidance from the Scriptures illuminated by the Spirit.  We have been given authority in Jesus’ Name to loose the blessings of heaven by living according to His Word and bind the works of evil by speaking truth to the lies of the enemy.  Rather than get dragged down, we must allow Jesus to lift our heads up and fix our eyes upon Him who is the Author and Perfector of our faith.  As we are about our Heavenly Father’s business, those who accept the message of freedom in Jesus will be loosed from the bonds of sin, but those who reject it will remain bound in their unbelief.

     Discovering our true identity in Jesus is vital if we are to go from survival mode to thriving in the abundance of the Promised Land.  Zion, the Kingdom of Heaven, is being built upon the Earth wherever the sons and daughters of God are walking in faith and victory.  As we use those priesthood keys of authority and truth in sharing the love and message of Jesus with others, His Kingdom expands and His Light pushes back the darkness.  One day the darkness of doubt, depression, disease, decay, and death will be destroyed and all of that heartbreak will be eclipsed in the light of His glory.  We will reign with Him in the peace and harmony of His celestial Kingdom where joy shall never end.

Majesty, worship his majesty
Unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise
Majesty, kingdom authority
Flow from his throne, unto his own, his anthem raise

So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King

Majesty, worship his majesty
Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings
So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King

–Jack Hayford

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

 –Matthew 6:9-15

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[1] II Timothy 2:15

[2] John 14:10-14

[3] Romans 8:31-39

[4] Joshua 5

[5] II Corinthians 10:5