Do you have YOUR keys?

You have the keys, why aren’t you using them? That’s what the Lord told me this morning during prayer. I almost got up off the floor and shouted! I know, I know!  I need to stop having these reactions when the Lord says stuff to me but it always first shocks and then amazes me.  Not because He spoke but because often times, it is things that are so simple but are life changing. We are living in a season of uncovering. The enemy has blinded the world, the church, us… so much so, that we are missing so much that God has laid out for us in the Word. My uncle used to drill 2 Corinthians 4:4 into my head. “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (KJV) He used to make sure that we noticed the small “g” in god in the first line. That’s the devil! If the enemy can keep us blinded and ignorant to the things that he is conducting in the world, we will go along with them and stay lost. But God is calling on us to see and stop the devil in his tracks. God wants us to know today that He has equipped us for this journey, if only we will use the keys and weapons that He has given us.

In Matthew 16, Jesus teaches us a great lesson about what we have been given. He asks the disciples “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (v13)They respond and He asks “But who do you say I am?” (v15) Peter answers and says “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”(v. 16) Jesus answers and gives us a powerful weapon that many of us are not using in our daily lives.  “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.  And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” (Matt. 16: 17-19 NLT) Do you see that we have been given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven? We have the power to forbid things from happening on earth and it will be forbidden in heaven and permit things here on earth that will be permitted in heaven. In other words, you don’t have to stand for the devil’s foolishness! If we are called by the name of Jesus, we can bind up sickness, confusion, lack and it will be forbidden in heaven. We can loose good health, peace, prosperity and everything in heaven will back us up. You have the keys, why aren’t you using them?

I had every intention of ending here because that was deep enough but God kept going. He sent me to Revelation. The book of Revelation is a powerful prophecy and there is so much that can be pulled from it. Often times, you don’t hear Revelation taught in church because of how deep and powerful the message is. However, the prologue of the book even tells us that God blesses those who read the book to the church and those who listen and obey.   I was already a little hesitant because this word was already different from my normal. But God challenged me to tell you that it’s time out for giving our power over to the devil because of ignorance when he has already been defeated. Look at Revelation 1. John was in worship when Jesus appeared before him and told him to write down everything that he witnessed. In verse 18, Jesus says, “I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.” Wait a minute, so if Jesus holds the keys to death and the grave and we carry His name and are His, the enemy can’t threaten us with death and defeat right?  Well, if we know that Jesus is alive and holds the keys of death and the grave, why are we still allowing the enemy to kill our spirits? Why do we still own lack and sickness? Why do we still settle for a dead existence? We serve a LIVING God! You have the keys why aren’t you using them?

I don’t know about you but I’m ready to live. I don’t want to struggle with things that God has already given me the power to overcome. I want to use the keys of Kingdom living that He has given me. What good is it to have a brand new car in your driveway, and you have the keys but you leave them hanging in your kitchen. But then you wonder why you can’t get the car to go. We have been given the keys to this life and Christ holds the keys to death. Doesn’t that cover everything? Jesus can open doors that no man can close and close doors that no man can open.  That’s a lot of power, y’all! No more living in fear, doubt, depression, and lack. Open up your Word and start unlocking some doors! You have the keys…time to start driving!