(Gen 1:26 NIV) Then God (Elohim, the Creator God) said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
This morning we continue our “Re-Energizing Your Prayer Life” series recap. I just want to highlight a few of the key principles taught in this series. One of the key aspects of prayer is the fact that we are humans, born in this earth, and that we are here to exercise rule, dominion, and authority over it. Please read our text for today. Man was created in the image and likeness of God and man is supposed to rule (notice the words “Let them rule”) in the earth. Let me attempt to explain this somewhat complex topic briefly:
1. God gave man (human kind) the legal right and authority to operate in the earth.
2. Man became the legal steward of the earth domain.
3. Man is a spirit, he possesses a soul, and he lives within a physical body (an earth suit). Man’s physical body is his connection to the earth realm.
4. God is so committed to what He established that when He wanted to freely operate in the earth He submitted Himself to His own law and He came as a man, with an earth suit (a body). God, who is a Spirit, came to the earth and lived within a physical body.
5. Both God and satan actively seek the agreement and cooperation of humans. For either one (God or satan) to operate in our lives we must cooperate with them.
6. Spirits external to physical bodies don’t have the legal right to operate in the earth realm. This is why satan and his demons actively seek to possess humans. Many have consciously or subconsciously welcomed evil spirits to possess their bodies. God, on the other hand, freely offers to occupy every human who accepts Jesus as Lord. When we are Born-Again God’s precious Holy Spirit takes up residence inside us.
You may be thinking, “What does this have to do with prayer?” Actually, it has a great deal to do with it. When you understand the legal right you have as a human in the earth, coupled with the awesome ability to be influenced by the Holy Spirit Himself (who is living in you as a believer), you can then start to tap into the power of prayer. When you get this revelation you will WANT to pray, because you understand that as much as you need God, He also needs You. The Father is looking for people to pray, in the earth, to agree with His will, so that He can perform what He desires to do in the earth realm. Now, I will never say that God can’t do whatever He wants to do without prayer, but from what we can see in scripture, it sure seems like He chooses to perform His will with the cooperation of humans. This is a major aspect of prayer.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. God is counting on you to pray.
2. Prayer is a human agreeing with God’s plans and purposes, in order for heaven’s will to be accomplished in the earth.
3. Prayer is earthly license for heavenly interference.
4. Prayer is man exercising his legal authority in the earth in order to invoke heaven’s influence on the planet.
5. Prayer is the creation getting the Creator involved in any given situation.
Closing Confession: Father, thank You for this understanding. I now see that I have both a right and a responsibility to pray. My right to pray enables me to come boldly before Your throne in order to receive the grace to help in the time of need. My responsibility to pray puts a burden on me to intercede for those situations I am made aware of and the ones I am facing personally. Prayer is both a precious privilege and a serious responsibility. The more I learn about prayer, the more I will pray and the more effective my prayers will be. This series has been a blessing to me and I have truly re-energized my prayer life. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
