Daily Bread – July 30, 2021 (The Sixth Day – Genesis 1:24-31) Matthew 16:19 – And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on Earth will be loosed in Heaven. A key is a symbol of the power to unlock something, whether it is knowledge or the authority of the Kingdom of Heaven (Luke 11:52). There are a number of verses of Scripture which give us insight into the power of the Kingdom of Heaven – to lock things up and to also release them. We can begin with the authority of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, given to preach the Gospel. The Spirit of the Lord anoints us to open the prison doors for those who are bound (Luke 4:18, 10:19; Mark 16:17; Acts 26:18). There are angels in Heaven that are described as having the keys to chambers in hell, wherein demon spirits are imprisoned (Revelation 9:1, 20:1). In 3 Baruch 11:2 (a book of the Apocrypha), Michael the archangel was pictured as the one who holds the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus was given the key of David: to open so that none can shut, and to shut so that none could open (Isaiah 22:22; Revelation 3:7). Furthermore, the concept of authority contained within the keys of the Kingdom was further revealed when Jesus died and went down into hell. There He won back the power and authority Satan had gained over men when Adam rebelled against God (Genesis 2:17, 3:6-11). When Jesus arose from the dead, He came forth with the keys of Death and Hell (Revelation 1:18). Thus, Jesus through death destroyed Satan’s power of death; and He alone holds all the power that once belonged to Death and Hell (Hebrews 2:14; 2 Timothy 1:10; Colossians 2:15; Romans 5:12-15). Death and Hades could not hold Jesus in their grip; and now through the power in the Name of Jesus, Death and Hades cannot prevent us from the resurrection of the dead, either. In fact, we have passed from the power of spiritual death into the life of Christ (1 John 3:14; 2 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:14-15; 2 Corinthians 1:10). Jesus revealed to Peter and to the others how they now had access into the authority belonging to the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:18; Luke 10:19). The authority of the Kingdom of Heaven is superior to all natural and spiritual forces. Such authority ranges from what was shown through Elijah, who shut up Heaven it would not rain, to the authority given to Paul to release men from the power of Satan (Luke 4:25; James 5:17; Revelation 11:6; Acts 26:18). All power has been given to Jesus, both in Heaven and in Earth (Matthew 28:18). Every power and authority is subject to Him, and He has given this power and authority to His Church – the Church that is one with Him and is the fullness of Him that fills all things (John 17:21-23; Ephesians 1:21-23, 5:30; 1 Corinthians 12:12). The one who has the keys has been authorized with full authority (Isaiah 22:22). Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 7/30/2021
