“‘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.’ Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.” Matthew 16:19-20
As we have seen, the kingdom of heaven is literal though not physical. The keys to the kingdom of heaven here–while figurative and not physical–were also literal in the sense that there was a mystery to be unlocked in the human mind and heart. And the worldly teachers of the law in Israel were responsible, at that time, for continuing to lock the truth further away [Luke 11:52].
Holy-Spirit-taught understanding was crucial to Peter and humankind regaining the knowledge of God that had been lost in sin [John 14:26], and the fear of the Lord was essential to accessing God’s rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge [Isaiah 33:6].
This understanding comes with some spiritual authority–that is control. Peter was the first to learn that he would be able to forgive or refuse forgiveness of the sins of his fellow humankind. It is God’s power through prayer to deal with the evils that would come against the disciples’ ministry [Matthew 18:15-20], and it would accompany the infilling of the Holy Spirit breathed into their spiritually restored lives [John 20:22-23].
However, this spiritual authority comes with responsibility as well, so that we do not sit in haughty judgment on others while we ourselves are also still sinful [Romans 3:23]. Scripture is very clear that if we do not forgive other people their sins, neither will God forgive us [Matthew 6:15; Mark 11:26]. But it is also clear that what we ask for must be in the name of Jesus–not just tagging His name to our wishes, but effectually us learning to know what is contained within Jesus’ name–that is God’s will for the salvation of all people–and to ask in accordance with His will alone [Matthew 18:19-20 & 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 14:13 & 15:7; Luke 11:9].
This ability to bind on earth as it is in heaven [Matthew 6:10] was given for the express purpose of building up the assembly of believers and preventing Satan’s spiritual forces from defeating Christ’s growing body in the process. It is Christ’s headship of all we say and do as a body. It is His sovereignty carrying out His will through us.
As we are being remade into Christ’s image, we, like Him, receive these keys to spiritual authority. But our finite keys in earthly ministry, even being used rightly to the glory and honor of God, in no way compare to the eternally sovereign key–singular–given to our Savior, the Son of God, Jesus Christ [Isaiah 22:22]. While we can bind and loose the spiritual forces at work against us, He can permanently open and shut doors that no one else–either human, angelic, demonic or Satan himself–has the power to effect [Revelation 3:7]. Jesus alone is All-Powerful, All-Knowing, All-Wise, All-Good and All-Authority.
Yet all He asks of us is to simply knock, and He will open the door to the kingdom of heaven for us [Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9].
Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to produce spiritual understanding in you? Do you study God’s Word and consider the world through the lens of the fear of the Lord? Are you praying for those who come against you with a burden to see their salvation?
KCS
Generation Heroes 