The Emmaus Walk with Jesus E-Book

Riaan Engelbrecht

• Herausgeber: Riaan Engelbrecht
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

There is a road we have to walk – it is our spiritual journey through life. It is our Emmaus walk where we become aware of God’s Presence and we become aware of God’s indwelling Spirit within us. The goal of our spiritual journey is to realise God is real, that God is alive and God has always been present with man just as Jesus was present with those who walked to Emmaus. Secondly, we then need to endure on this journey and overcome to the glory of the Lord.  The world is full of stories of Jesus, and the world is also full is lies and deception. We can only know the truth when we meet the Truth. This calls for a real relationship with the Lord, seeking Him and walking with Him daily in Spirit and truth.

Leseprobe

Emmaus Walk with Jesus

Discipleship, Volume 3

Riaan Engelbrecht

Published by Riaan Engelbrecht, 2021.

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

EMMAUS WALK WITH JESUS

First edition. January 19, 2021.

Copyright © 2021 Riaan Engelbrecht.

ISBN: 978-1393687016

Written by Riaan Engelbrecht.

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Also by the same author:

Perilous Times Series Volumes 1- 9

In Pursuit of God Series Volumes 1 -15

The Holy Spirit Series Volumes 1 - 3

The Disciple of God Series Volumes 1 - 5 (Vol 2 Part A and B)

Deliverance Volumes 1 – 3 (Vol 1 Part A and B)

Crossroads to Freedom Volumes 1-4

The Kingdom of God Series Volumes 1- 4

The Prophetic Series Volumes 1-5

Apologetics Series Volumes 1-7

Emmaus Walk with Jesus

Table of Contents

THE ROAD OF EMMAUS     

Walking in natural dominion and divine authority   

One Man and the New Creation     

Salvation: Calvinism vs Arminianism    

A disciple in pursuit of excellence     

A workman approved to God     

Set your love on Jesus – the name above all   

The Word that ‘feeds’ the thousands    

The divine breaking of the bread of heaven   

Carriers of His presence – part 1     

Carriers of His presence – part 2  

Vessels of His glory       

Jesus sheds His blood outside of the city

Who do you say I Am?  

Jesus proves to be the cure even for leprosy

Do not let go of God      

The wilderness, Gethsemane and a Judas   

The glorious truth of Jesus as our Aleph-Tav   

What does it mean to be a reborn disciple?

The road of Emmaus

THERE IS A ROAD WE have to walk – it is our spiritual journey through life. It is our Emmaus walk where we become aware of God’s Presence and we become aware of God’s indwelling Spirit within us.

It says in Luke 24: On the Road to Emmaus: 13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

The goal of our spiritual journey is to realise God is real, that God is alive and God has always been present with man just as Jesus was present with those who walked to Emmaus. Secondly, we then need to endure this journey and overcome to the glory of the Lord.  The world is full of stories of Jesus, and the world is also full is lies and deception. We can only know the truth when we meet the Truth. Sadly, because of the devil’s work, many remain spiritually blind to the truth of the Lord’s reality and existence, and that Jesus is not a fabrication or a fable.

This is indeed our greatest challenge in today’s society - the realisation of the reality of a living God and that God still sets the mark and standard regarding truth and holiness.

Yet, there remain so many people who keep journeying throughout life and never have their “Emmaus” encounter where their spiritual eyes open to the reality and truth of the Lord. They keep on journeying through life with their hearts heartened and their spiritual eyes closed to the reality of Jesus, rather than choosing the lie and deception of the devil.

On the road to Emmaus, the reality dawned upon the two travellers that indeed all that Jesus said was true, for He was also in their midst. Jesus is indeed the Son of God and He has risen from the grave. He is not a figment of our imagination, but he is the reality of our divine quest.

He is with us, even though so few truly recognise Him or even know Him. So many may know of Him, may have heard of Him, but their eyes have never opened and they have never come to that full realisation of His Presence. This is our spiritual walk – to know God, to know He is real, and to know His ways and truth.

For some, they have wonderful spiritual encounters and a reawakening to know and to recognise the Lord.

For others, the stirring out of a spiritual slumber is mild and gradual. Either way, it is the Lord’s desire for all of us to awaken from our spiritual slumber to see and to know that the Lord is with us and His hand is outstretched for us to follow Him. 

It is the Lord’s desire that all mankind (John 3:16) invite Jesus into their hearts and allow Him to open their spiritual eyes to the beautiful truth of His unyielding love, grace and mercy.

We simply cannot keep on wandering throughout life with our eyes closed to the reality of the Lord, for then we miss out on the greatest adventures. And this is also the work of the devil – to keep our eyes so focused on the material, the natural and the tangible that we fail to see the reality of the eternal, the supernatural and the everlasting.

Our journey with God is one of discovery and excitement. It is a journey that will lead you from the ordinary to the extraordinary, from a world bedraggled by routine to a new life that is centred on a powerful relationship, where change and healing take place. The path that we must not wander is the Highway of Religion. Even though it also leads to salvation in Christ, the danger is that tradition and regulations could easily entrap us.

We must rather walk the road of blessed faith which comes from our relationship with the Lord. In this walk with the Spirit, we discover something unique, which is to boldly take a step of faith by seeking directly God’s presence through an intimate and dynamic relationship with the Lord. God is accessible and seeking a relationship with us. We must not merely follow God within the boundaries of legalistic religious laws.

When Jesus, the Son of God, sets us free, then we are free indeed. We all reach a spiritual crossroad in our lives, where we chose to follow the Lord to stick with the world. At the crossroads, we are faced with a choice that needs to be made by our free will. It calls for surrender, submission and loving yielding to a glorious God.

To follow the Lord requires perseverance, courage, and commitment. However, the road gets easier and the load lighter. It is a thrilling adventure.

In the eyes of our Lord, we have all been equipped with His power, strength and potential to rise above any problem, addiction, darkness, depression, sin, sickness, temptation, and any difficulty that brings destruction.

In Jeremiah 6:16 we are urged to seek the ancient ways of God. In Isaiah 46: 9 we are urged to remember the former things of old.

We can read this Scripture in context that the ancient of ways was before the birth of Christ, therefore the time of Abraham through the time of Moses and the establishment of the Judaic faith. The Lord has always been and will always be – He was there before man and before our religions and ideas. He will be there when all passes away and the New Jerusalem is established.

Isaiah 30: 15 For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength. But you would not, 16 And you said, No! We will speed [our own course] on horses! Therefore you will speed [in flight from your enemies]! You said, we will ride upon swift steeds [doing our own way]! Therefore will they who pursue you be swift, [so swift that] 17 One thousand of you will flee at the threat of one of them; at the threat of five you will flee till you are left like a beacon or a flagpole on the top of a mountain, and like a signal on a hill. 18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]! 19 O people who dwell in Zion at Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. 20 And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes will constantly behold your Teacher. 21 And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left.

And also ...

2 Samuel 22:31: New King James Version (NKJV): 31 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

Psalm 25: 4 Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. 5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.

There is a highway of the Lord, and those who follow this highway are those who truly walk in the Presence of the Lord.  Those who walk in His Presence, they shall indeed walk in His truth, wisdom, and life. On this highway of the redeemed, our lives will be moulded and shaped in His glory, and our character will be shaped and formed. For only the righteous can walk this road, for only those who truly seek to follow the Lord shall tread upon this path for they shall know the Deliverer of Israel and the Deliverer of mankind who delivers us from sin and bondage and darkness.

It says in Jeremiah 6 from verse 10: To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; they have no delight in it. 16 Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it. 17 Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’

NIV:  16 This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.  But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Compare to Jeremiah 31: 6 For there shall be a day when the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim shall cry out, Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God. 

We are called to walk the road of the Lord, and discover Him as the followers on the road to Emmaus discovered His glory. There is no other road to follow except the way of the Lord. Not all roads lead to Rome, but only the road as mapped out by the Lord. There are no other gods, but only one Lord. There is no other way except the way of Jesus.

If we want to follow Jesus, we follow His M.A.P. – mortification, abandonment and purification. Only when we lay down the self, yield ourselves to Him and allow Him to purify us will we truly know the Master. 

Sadly, we have abandoned the old paths where the good way is. We have forgotten the ancient of ways. We have forgotten our path. This is the path of the Lord. This is the only path that we should be walking and no other path.

There is no other path. This is the path of righteousness, of wisdom and of truth.

Jesus is the path. There is no other path. There is no other way. Want success? Follow the path. Want to be blessed? Follow the path. Want favour? Follow the path. But the path is one of sacrifice, dedication, loyalty, determination, and dying to the Self. It is not easy to follow this path. It is not easy to follow Jesus. For there will be persecution. There will be tough times. There will be many highs and lows. But we need to stay true to the path, thus stay true to the ways of the Lord Almighty.

John 10: The Good Shepherd and His Sheep:

1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. 7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

There is only one way – through Jesus. No other god, idol or system will do. There is only one way into life, and no other way will suffice to deliver and heal us. There is only one way unto life and hope, and that through the Blood of the Lord. Any other way leads to the devouring ways of Satan – he who comes to steal, destroy and kill.

And so the Lord says it is time again to ask and search and seek for the ancient path of the Lord. This means it is time to go back and find His Way, His Truth and His Wisdom above all.

The first-century believers were followers of what they called "the Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23). The Way is Jesus – not an idea about Jesus or involving Jesus, but Jesus Himself.

There is but one highway, which is the highway of the Redeemed and the Lord. There is after all only one Lord, one Spirit, one Truth, one Faith and one Hope. Yet I have seen in a vision so many byways running away from the Highway. And so the Lord reminds us that mankind has constantly built other byways of ‘truths’ and ‘ways’ and has travelled down these roads of spiritual apostasy and deception.

Many believers and churches have also built their own byways because they have not followed the Lord and adhered to His ancient truths and Ways. They have instead followed religion, their own philosophy, their own traditions and their own truths.

And so it still said today that many are preaching the Gospel, but is it the Gospel of Jesus, and what Jesus are we preaching these days?

These many byways lead away from the Highway where the Lord dwells. Only when we follow the Lord, and are obedient unto Him, and when we are submissive unto His will, can we walk on this road and find our way.  Yet, stubbornness, idolatry, self-centeredness, self-love, and many other factors have caused us to leave the Highway and follow down a different path.

1 Timothy 6: 9But those who crave to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish (useless, godless) and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction and miserable perishing. 10For the love of money is a root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute [mental] pangs. 11But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart.

Proverbs 21: 3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. 8The way of the guilty is exceedingly crooked, but as for the pure, his work is right and his conduct is straight. 21He who earnestly seeks after and craves righteousness, mercy, and loving-kindness will find life in addition to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) and honor.

So many think they are on the right path, but they are on a byway because they are following a religion or a denomination. Simply put, when you follow man and his ideals and his version of the truth and an interpretation which is a shadow of the reality of God, we then often leave the Highway and are tricked to wander other paths.

Jeremiah 18: 15 “Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, from the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway, 16 To make their land desolate and a perpetual hissing; Everyone who passes by it will be astonished and shake his head.”

How we have left the Highway of the Lord! And then we wonder why the Presence of the Lord is lacking in the midst of His people. Then we wonder why there is a lack of truth, a lack of wisdom, and a lack of character in the Churches. It is because we only walk in His ways when we truly follow Him, and not an idea or a programme involving Him.

For the Spirit of the Lord was sent so that we may be taught and empowered to walk in all Truth. The Spirit of the Lord is the definer of our moral fortitude, He is the teacher of Truth, He is the might and power and strength of our ways, He is the One who grounds us in love and He is the Breath that guides us in all knowledge to the glory of the Lord.

Matthew 4: 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.  21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

To be a disciple means we ‘follow’. We are not called to ‘follow’ any man or an idea or thought of Gospel or Truth if it in any way contradicts the teachings of the Lord as taught and upheld by the Holy Spirit.

We uphold the habit of teaching Pauline theology, meaning the teachings of Paul, but not at the expense of teaching what Jesus taught as the foundation of all. Paul’s teaching upholds the teachings of Jesus, but it doesn’t supplant it.

And this is what has been happening over the last 2000 years. Mankind, especially in the Church, has come up with “new” ideas and thoughts and ideologies and gospels, but with the Lord nothing is new, but everything has already been established and settled in heaven. There is no other truth or any other magical mystery to be uncovered.

The revelations of the Lord and the discernment of the Spirit of the Lord are to understand what has already been and what has always been from the ancient days until all eternity. This is our road to Emmaus.

Yet we create byways of “new” thoughts and teachings, thinking we are clever and rich in our knowledge. We are in fact creating a different truth, a different Gospel and we are leading people away from the true Highway of the Lord.

Isaiah 55:8: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.

Indeed, mankind has in its own wisdom and in folly pursued the path of becoming a self-god and has followed his own thoughts and own path to walk. We see this very often in the churches, where our interpretations of the truth have been preached and taught high and low, but in the end, only leads people astray and away from the Lord. We should always heed the warning of Jesus in Revelation 22:  18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

We can never add anything or take away anything in regard to the Truth, for the Lord is the Truth. There is no room for interpretation, and if we do, we do so at our own folly and danger. So the Lord speaks of Jeremiah 6 that it is time again we must seek the True Path and Way.

If we do not walk in and on His path, then we should take of the following: 1 Samuel 15:23: Amplified Bible (AMP): 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim (household good luck images). Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.

For those who stay not on the path of God, they walk in rebellion, and rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft. Woe indeed to those who stay not on the path of God. As we see throughout all the Scriptures, God says we must come to Him to be guided and to be led in all things.

Revelation 3: 17For you say, I am rich; I have prospered and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  18Therefore I counsel you to purchase from Me gold refined and tested by fire, that you may be [truly] wealthy, and white clothes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nudity from being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, that you may see. 19Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].

Isaiah 55: 1WAIT and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing].  2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].  3Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David.

We find throughout the Old Testament where the Lord admonishes Israel for not following Him and His ways. For the people of Israel, it had become a habit to fall into rebellion, serving the gods of Assyria and Baal. God would however often punish the people by causing drought and famine because agriculture was and is still today the backbone of living in Israel.

Jeremiah 7: 20Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, My anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place, on man and beast, on the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; it will burn and not be quenched.  21Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat the flesh [if you will. It will avail you nothing].  22For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices.  23But this thing I did command them: Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God and you will be My people; and walk in the whole way that I command you, that it may be well with you. 24But they would not listen to and obey Me or bend their ear [to Me], but followed the counsels and the stubborn promptings of their own evil hearts and minds, and they turned their backs and went in reverse instead of forward.  25Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them daily, early and late. 26Yet the people would not listen to and obey Me or bend their ears [to Me], but stiffened their necks and behaved worse than their fathers.  27Speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to and obey you; also call to them, but they will not answer you.  28Yet you shall say to them, This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or receive instruction and correction and warning; truth and faithfulness have perished and have completely vanished from their mouths.

It says in Galatians that God cannot be mocked and that we reap what we sow. We cannot fool God by following our own ways and following our own path. The Lord knows our ways, where we wander, our motivations and our intent.

Jeremiah 17: 9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.12 A glorious high throne from the beginning Is the place of our sanctuary.13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You shall be ashamed. “Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, The fountain of living waters.”

Psalm 139: 1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

Indeed, it says in "Deuteronomy 10:12: [ The Essence of the Law ] “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

And for us to walk in His ways means repentance and turning back from our ways and returning to God’s ways.

Jeremiah 18:11: Now therefore say to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Return now each one from his evil way; reform your [accustomed] ways and make your [individual] actions good and right.

And what are such evil ways? God still has His right and wrong ways. God is still a Lord of Holiness, Truth, Righteousness and Justice. We cannot toy with God or with sin.

Proverbs 30: 7 “Two things I ask of you, LORD; do not refuse me before I die:

8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

The Lord indeed wishes to bless us and prosper us, but only if we rely on Him, seek Him, trust Him, follow Him and give ourselves as a living sacrifice. Deuteronomy 28:9: “The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways.” And also "Deuteronomy 5:33: You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.”

The Book of Deuteronomy, during which Moses looks back over the people’s sojourning through the wilderness, places great emphasis on obedience, fearing the Lord and submission. Deuteronomy 8:2 and verse 6: And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.

The people of Israel could after all only enter the Promised Land if they followed God’s way. Of course, rebellion and stubbornness caused them to wander the wilderness for forty years. The same principle applies today. If we don’t follow God’s way, meaning His Truth and Order, we will wander life – even as believers – never entering in God’s greater rest and purpose for our life.

We need to seek God, ask for the ancient paths and follow in it.

There is a difference between a believer and a follower. It is time not to just believe, but to follow, to do, to obey and to submit. 

Colossians 26-:7: As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

It is time again for us to worship the Ancient One – the true and only one, He who is the father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He, the Great I Am, who is the Covenant Maker and He who is the truth, the life and the way of all things.

There is one Lord, and His Truth shall always prevail, but if we truly want to know God, we need to meet Him and we need to come to Him on His terms, not ours, and we need to let go of our human nature to embrace the greatness of His divinity. Then we will begin to grasp who He is, His ways, His Truth and His almighty nature.

He is I AM – BEFORE all, He was and still is and will always be. And this is our challenge – to know I AM. 

Let us keep true to the road of the Lord, so we may know Him more intimately and so that we may continue to walk in His footsteps. Let us remain vigilant not to forget the ways of our Lord and let us not be slack in being true to such ways.

Walking in natural dominion and divine authority

THE COMING OF JESUS to earth and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to dwell with man is of great significance for it connects to "Genesis 1: 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

According to this Scripture, the Creator (take note the word Us is used for God is the Trinity), defined the boundaries of man’s rule. God as the Trinity thus gave man the earth to rule legally. There was thus an agreement between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So we need to understand the legal authority to dominate, therefore to look after and to sustain earth was given to mankind only. Mankind thus became the legal stewards of the earth domain. It must also be remembered that man is a spirit with a physical body; therefore, only spirits with physical bodies can legally function in the earth realm. Any spirit without a body is therefore illegally operating on earth.

It must also be noted that God gave mankind authority to rule on earth. But it must be noted, this is within the natural realm. The domain of the earth was given to man to rule and reign. Mankind was therefore called to govern the earth, and mankind has done this ‘legally’ through governments, kingdoms, empires and so on, by adopting all kinds of political ideologies and by setting up laws, regulations, rules and constitutions.

Yet all dominion still belongs to God and no other. It says in “1 Peter 5:11: To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” And also “Colossians 2: 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” We also read in “Revelation 1: To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Again, it should be noted man is not god. Man has been given authority, thus does not have divine authority. God has created all, and all things of creation are subject to Him alone. Yet we are called to exercise such authority in the natural realm by being good stewards. The devil wanted to deceive Adam and Eve to believe they were gods, as so he tempted them to eat from the forbidden tree. Because of their rebellion, they were cast out of their immediate dominion (the Garden of Eden), yet the earth with its land, sky and sea still is under the legal authority of man.

Satan was cast out of heaven where he resided because he wanted to rule the dominion of that part of heaven. He has since then set up his counterfeit kingdom, influencing and harassing mankind. Yet he does not have dominion on earth or in the natural sky or the natural waters. Only unto mankind has such authority been granted. To gain access to influence the earth and thereby corrupt God’s creation, including man (God’s masterpiece) he has influenced the legal stewards – man - to exercise his dirty work and by legal authority implement the devil’s plan, schemes and agendas.

Satan is described as the ruler of this world, not because of granted divine legal right, but simply because he has been given such right by mankind. And mankind has given him legal right all so freely, and thus mankind has because of the devil’s influence corrupted the earth domain, including the seas and the air. Just think of how mankind has destroyed the climate, the environment and ultimately each other through wars, conflict and violence.

Man has free will. How this relates to God’s Sovereignty has been debated fervently for a long time, but the reality is God did not create robots but people with a will, intellect and emotions. We think, we feel, we make choices and we have been given plenty of freedom to determine the course of our lives. Some will of course say our actions have already been predestined and while nothing we do may surprise God or catch Him off guard, the Scriptures is clear that God has given man authority. Thus, God has given man responsibility, which implies being accountable for choices, actions and behaviour according to free will.

Genesis 1 comes with a lot of responsibility – to have dominion over the earth – but mankind has used such authority to rather destroy than build up. Sure, mankind has advanced according to engineering, science and technology, but a man without God remains morally corrupt and its values are many times based on selfish desires and needs. With responsibility comes accountability, and we need to always be aware that mankind will be held accountable for the authority granted.

The devil has certainly found a legal right to operate and to influence earth, because he has found a willing assistant in the form of fallen man. Genesis 6 also clearly displays that God has not given up dominion or control. Never. God still controls ALL dominions (Colossians 1), meaning He is the ultimate King and ruler of heaven, earth and even the lake of fire. Everything that can be seen as a territory, spiritually or physically is under the headship and lordship of God. And so He chose, not man, to bring the flood on the earth to cleanse the dominion. If the devil can control a person, he can take that person with him to the lake of fire and he uses the person to exercise his bidding and fulfil his devious plans and schemes.

So let us understand Jesus as the Son of God came to the earth to demonstrate his authority in both the heavenlies and on the earth domain. Yes, He is the Son of God and all dominion belongs unto God, but the reality is that even though He is God Himself that He was also man. Thus as man, He also walked in the natural authority as granted to man according to Genesis 1. Yet Jesus never used such legal authority to set up His rule on earth, meaning building a kingdom or empire, for He outlined the blueprint for the yet-to-be-birthed church: a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2) of believers of flesh and blood who has natural dominion authority on earth who are now divinely connected to God through the rebirth of the Spirit (John 3). Such a priesthood is not of the earth yet from the earth (John 17:16, John 15:19).

It says in “Matthew 16: 18 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. 19 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.” Jesus GAVE Peter “the keys of the kingdom of heaven”, just as God gave dominion to Adam and Eve, thus to mankind to rule the earthly dominion. A key was a badge of authority (Luke 11:52), and then, as now, it was used to open doors, and this case spiritual doors.

In John 10 we read: 17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

All authority rests with God, not with man. Jesus laid down His life voluntarily, and in the same way, God voluntarily gave mankind dominion over the earth and then the church the authority in the heavenlies.

Jesus gave Peter and the apostles authority to establish the kingdom on earth, but this can only be done by walking in authority in the spiritual realm. Jesus is above all dominion, so when we abide in Jesus, we abide in His authority and dominion and therefore have the authority to negate the influences of the kingdom of darkness that operates in the earthly and heavenly realm (Ephesians 6).

We certainly cannot destroy satan’s spiritual dominion (for this reason we are called to wrestle with such authority and powers according to Ephesians 6), but we can counter his lies, deceptions and influences on earth by exercising our natural and spiritual authority as granted by God. For unto God belongs all dominion.

Jesus came as a man to demonstrate that firstly we have earthly authority but in Christ also have spiritual authority. The primary task of the Church is the fulfilment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28) so that we can establish His Kingdom on earth (through earthly and spiritual authority).

As part of our earthly dominion, Genesis 1 says that we must be “fruitful and multiply” to fill the earth and subdue it. Now we read in John 15 the following: “5 “I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who stay united with me, and I with them, are the ones who bear much fruit; because apart from me you can’t do a thing.”

It also says the following (Complete Jewish Bible):

Matthew 3:8 If you have really turned from your sins to God, produce fruit that will prove it!

Matthew 3:10 Already the axe is at the root of the trees, ready to strike; every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown in the fire!

Matthew 7:17 Likewise, every healthy tree produces good fruit, but a poor tree produces bad fruit.

Matthew 12:33 “If you make a tree good, its fruit will be good; and if you make a tree bad, its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

Matthew 21:43 Therefore, I tell you that the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to the kind of people that will produce its fruit!”

John 15:16 You did not choose me, I chose you; and I have commissioned you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last; so that whatever you ask from the Father in my name he may give you.

John 12:24 Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless a grain of wheat that falls to the ground dies, it stays just a grain; but if it dies, it produces a big harvest.