Setting
The action takes place in the vast regions of your inner life; which was created to interact with principalities and powers in heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10). But something went horribly wrong, and all of humanity came tumbling down from its lofty heights.
Now the fight is to allow God to bring us back in line with his eternal purpose, after sending Jesus Christ on a rescue mission. To have access to this bold venture of God on our behalf, we must have an active faith. Ephesians 3:11-12:
“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”
The Plot
Our identity as humans was intended to be the image and likeness of Almighty God. Dominion over the earth was intended to be the responsibility of humans; ruling in a manner consistent with God’s authority.
Our identity, and authority, was taken away by sin. Then Satan committed the first act of “identity theft” by assuming the role of “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Adam and Eve, the first humans, were the first to fall. Then all humans afterwards are born into this fallen state. But still God considered there was something about humans that was worth paying a heavy price, to stage a rescue mission.
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believed (have faith) in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,”-.
The Plot Thickens
Instead of being victorious, mankind became a victim. In most cases, Satan became the lord of mankind. He could not do it by brute force, because fallen man is stronger than fallen Angels. Angels were not created in the image and likeness of God like humans were. Therefore Satan, and his demons, has to resort to deception and mind games to manipulate the will of humans. Satan gets away with this in spite of humans having free will, and the ability to believe as they choose. But humans, being separated from God by sin, are without their main source of fulfillment; which is spiritual. Satan seizes on this vulnerability by deceiving humans into believing lasting fulfillment can be obtained from the natural world; which Satan has under his influence. However, that is impossible since the need is spiritual. So, humans are destined go on a lonely hunt for earthly treasures to satisfy their hungry hearts.
Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth…
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
So mankind struggles on with the burden of sin, with Satan and time working against him.
Hebrews 2:8: “Thou (God, in the beginning) hast put all things in subjection under his (mankind’s) feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But NOW we see not yet all things put under him (because of sin).”
Hebrews 2:9: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels (as a man) for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
The Plot Unwinds, Or Does It Fizzle
Jesus came to restore godlike functionality to our inner life: our spirit, and its companion, the soul. He teaches us that God is a spirit (John 4:24), and since we were created in the image and likeness of God, we are spirits as well. Jesus tells us in the same verse that the acceptable way to worship God has changed from the Old Testament. He tells us we must worship God with our spirit, and in line with the truth of the written word of the New Testament; and we can receive. And he makes it clear, that in order for us to relate to God on this deep spiritual level, we must go through a spiritual rebirth.
John 3:7: Jesus said“Marvel not (don’t be surprised) that I said unto you, who must be born again.”
Jesus said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Matthew 8:16, “…they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick.”
But then he died.
Matthew 27:35: “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.”
At this point, many people no doubt believed Jesus was a failure. That he had died without amassing any wealth to leave to his mother, and her other children. He didn’t even have a place to lay his head. Some might even go so far to say that he should have stuck with carpentry. (Undoubtedly there are people in that camp today.)
Conclusion? THERE’S NOT ANY!
Matthew 28:5-7: “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead…”
Mark 16:15-16: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
John 8:51: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
Thus the carpenter has crafted for us a rich kingdom of God, coupled with the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16)!
2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
What You Must Do
[Highway to Heaven diagram; Enter God’s workshop sheet]
Setting
The action takes place in the vast regions of your inner life; which was created to interact with principalities and powers in heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10). But something went horribly wrong, and all of humanity came tumbling down from its lofty heights.
Now the fight is to allow God to bring us back in line with his eternal purpose, after sending Jesus Christ on a rescue mission. To have access to this bold venture of God on our behalf, we must have an active faith.
Ephesians 3:11-12
“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”
The Plot
Our identity as humans was intended to be the image and likeness of Almighty God. Dominion over the earth was intended to be the responsibility of humans; ruling in a manner consistent with God’s authority.
Our identity, and authority, was taken away by sin. Then Satan committed the first act of “identity theft” by assuming the role of “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Adam and Eve, the first humans, were the first to fall. Then all humans afterwards are born into this fallen state. But still God considered there was something about humans that was worth paying a heavy price, to stage a rescue mission.
John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believed (have faith) in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,”-.
The Plot Thickens
Instead of being victorious, mankind became a victim. In most cases, Satan became the lord of mankind. He could not do it by brute force, because fallen man is stronger than fallen Angels. Angels were not created in the image and likeness of God like humans were. Therefore Satan, and his demons, has to resort to deception and mind games to manipulate the will of humans. Satan gets away with this in spite of humans having free will, and the ability to believe as they choose. But humans, being separated from God by sin, are without their main source of fulfillment; which is spiritual. Satan seizes on this vulnerability by deceiving humans into believing lasting fulfillment can be obtained from the natural world; which Satan has under his influence. However, that is impossible since the need is spiritual. So, humans are destined go on a lonely hunt for earthly treasures to satisfy their hungry hearts.
Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21:
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth…
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
So mankind struggles on with the burden of sin, with Satan and time working against him.
Hebrews 2:8:
“Thou (God, in the beginning) hast put all things in subjection under his (mankind’s) feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But NOW we see not yet all things put under him (because of sin).”
Hebrews 2:9:
“ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels (as a man) for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”
The Plot Unwinds, Or Does It Fizzle
Jesus came to restore godlike functionality to our inner life: our spirit, and its companion, the soul. He teaches us that God is a spirit (John 4:24), and since we were created in the image and likeness of God, we are spirits as well. Jesus tells us in the same verse that the acceptable way to worship God has changed from the Old Testament. He tells us we must worship God with our spirit, and in line with the truth of the written word of the New Testament; and we can receive. And he makes it clear, that in order for us to relate to God on this deep spiritual level, we must go through a spiritual rebirth.
John 3:7:
“Marvel not (don’t be surprised) that I said unto you, who must be born again.”
Jesus said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Matthew 8:16, “…they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick.”
But then he died.
Matthew 27:35:
“And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.”
At this point, many people no doubt believed Jesus was a failure. That he had died without amassing any wealth to leave to his mother, and her other children. He didn’t even have a place to lay his head. Some might even go so far to say that he should have stuck with carpentry. (Undoubtedly there are people in that camp today.)
Conclusion? THERE’S NOT ANY!
Matthew 28:5-7:
“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead…”
Mark 16:15-16
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
John 8:51:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”
Thus the carpenter has crafted for us a rich kingdom of God, coupled with the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:16)!
2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
What You Must Do
[Highway to Heaven diagram; Enter God’s workshop sheet]