Plan A

[1Jn 3:8; 2Pet 3:9]

My calling is to lead topical Bible studies. I may expound on the Renewal of the Mind, Kingdom of God, Prayer, or The Authority of the Believer all within a few weeks. Today, I want to mention a couple of basic things about God’s plan that tie many topics together. Our relationship with God and His plan is getting more exciting every day as we wrap up this journey called the church age.

The first time authority to govern the planet was given, Adam and Eve blew it. They sinned, basically by acting independently of God. Jesus came and showed us how this assignment is possible by following his lead, and realizing He is Lord of all.

In Him, we experience another realm with higher laws. We die to live, give to obtain, humble ourselves to be exalted…. These are the attitudes and mindsets of God’s kingdom that are to have influence over this earthly one. And to have true dominion over this world, our thought life must be conformed to the higher realm we represent.

Our assignment depends upon relationship. In other words, everything we are commanded to do is based on a present-tense relationship with God. Everything we do for God’s kingdom is based on our partnership, and reveals our divine relationship. This is so valuable to the Father. He passionately desires to share His rule with those He made in His image, who worship him by choice. Our assignment is simple: To follow our Master’s lead and “destroy the works of the devil” (1Jn 3:8).

1Jn 3:8b (ESV) … The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

This is the “already and not yet” tension of the NT that relates to the destruction of evil. The devil has been defeated, but he is still active in the world until the full consummation of the Kingdom of God.

This army of mankind meant to destroy the devil’s works already fell once, in Adam. Independence from God was at the root of Adam’s sin. He fell for the opportunity to “be like God.” The strange thing is that he already was like God. Through their own efforts of eating forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve tried to get what they already had as a gift of God.

In Christ, our partnership to rule was restored. And just as importantly, He provided us with a model that illustrated how our assignment can be successfully carried out – by being like Him. Christ-likeness is our true goal as believers who are carrying out our job to proclaim and display the Kingdom of God, which includes the Gospel.

The commission to “take back the planet” starts with prayer. Not a minimal prayer, like the prayer before a meal. This has to be actual prayer that illustrates partnership. If my prayer is exciting to me, it will excite my Father. He shows us His will, and invites us to come into fellowship with Him to ask for the specifics of that will. We get details, but not so much as to get distracted from the assignment to pray.

It is His will for us to pray His will, period.

It is foolish to assume that if something is God’s will, it will automatically be done. That idea is from satan, and is the cause of powerless praying. Those prayers become a Christian activity with no real purpose, other than to keep us busy. Thinking God’s will happens automatically is a misunderstanding of God’s sovereignty. He could force His will easily. He has chosen not to. Partnership co-laboring with us – is at the heart of His plan. And prayer is the principal part of our assignment.

Again, is His will always done? No! Consider 2 Peter 3:9.

2Pet 3:9 (ESV) –The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

It is His will that none perish – yet people perish every day. We have a role to fulfill in carrying out His will. And the measure of His will that actually gets carried out is in some measure attached to how well we represent His purposes on the earth. We have a role, an influence, a part in the overall plan. We are partners with the Creator.

When God tells us to pray, it is not just to involve us in random Christian folklore to make us feel useful. For that reason, prayer is the most underrated of all Christian activities. God is including us in the partnership, getting things done properly – His will released on the earth.

It is the essential part that connects His heart with the actual circumstances of humanity. It is in that place of “agreement” where the heart of God is with the heart of man. That is what releases the plan of God into the earth.

Prayer is the action part of our assignment. Prayer fortifies our present relationship and co-laboring partnership while accomplishing His plan.

God and his people working together to rule on the earth is a major theme throughout the Bible. God finds a person to act for Him or ask of Him, which involves Him in situations. Jesus told us to ask for His kingdom to come, His will to be done (see Mt 6:10).

Would the Lord waste our time asking for something that was going to happen anyway? He tells us to ask for our daily bread (see Mt 6:11). Yet, He knows our needs before we ask.

He instructs us to ask for laborers be sent into the harvest (see Mt 9:38). Doesn’t the Lord of the harvest want that more than we do?

Paul said, “Pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified” (2Thess 3:1). Wasn’t God already planning to distribute His word among the people?

We know these things are God’s will. Why, then, are we supposed to ask Him for something He already wants to do, if it’s not that our asking somehow releases Him to do it? Partnership and co-labor with the Father.

God bless you my friend,

— Dwight Hammond