“The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”  1 John 3:8

The Lord could have easily bound Satan when He arose from the dead but He allowed him to remain at large for the simple purpose of maturing the saints. He was sent to destroy the works of the devil and just as He was sent for this purpose, He has also sent the church to do the same. There is really nothing that can hit us that God has not allowed to come to pass. He does this to perfect the saints in suffering and to become as He was. These are light afflictions that are being stored on our account, so that we are being transformed through them.

“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

For the Lord to simply write on the clouds for all men to see, “Repent or go to hell,” that would be easy yet who would have obeyed Him from their hearts? The agnostics and the atheists could have all suddenly become aware that He indeed is present and watching us closely. This does not produce righteousness that converts the soul, it brings fear that binds them to legalism. God does not seek robots, and in all His ways, freedom is there because God seeks relationship not servitude or slavery. In all the gospels, Jesus sought freedom for all the captives, those who were bound by infirmities were healed, those who were possessed were set free and those who were blind and deaf and mute were given eyes, ears and tongue to see, hear and speak.

He did not bypass all of these sufferings because He came to give life, to set people free and in Him was life eternal that all were seeking to have but many of them were wanting of eyes to see in Him. This lack of proper discernment cost them their salvation in so much that the Jews or the people of God had been afflicted in every way for 2000 years for this rejection.

God’s authority and power on earth is complete. He has dominion over every bird in the sky, over every fish and sea living creatures in the ocean, over every tree and herbs in the field and over every stars and planets in the universe and over every person on earth but He has chosen to give that mandate through us! As unbelievable as this could happen, God has given us dominion over every creature on earth but not over other men. Dominion means supremacy, ascendancy, dominance, masterdom, preeminence, and sovereignty over the earth. In Genesis 1:28 we are told, “God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” This dominion mandate which God gave to Adam specified his territory, and his vision and mission for that territory (this is discussed more in depth in my book Dreaming with God email me and I will send the ebook free of charge). Jesus Christ likewise when He called the apostles told them, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven” (Luke 10:19-20). The Lord could not have been talking of literal serpents or scorpions here because immediately He said, “over all the powers of the enemy.” He was just describing the venomous impact and the deadly sting of the devil and his cohorts.

Power over sickness, oppression and the devil

Once there was a woman who was crying in pain, her face contorted by the agony that had befallen her. She already went to the best doctors in town and even for more than 12 years of seeking medical help she could not be healed. What was the problem? I have already spent the best medical help I could but my sickness did not left me. I am dying every day and it seems the next day could already be my funeral. A well meaning neighbor came to see her one time and bade her to go and see the Healer who has come to town. He was the best remedy, she thought. It could not be any other, for 12 years, this sickness has not left me. Because of this, she decided to go and see the company of the Healer, not the pharmacist or the doctor but the Healer who is preaching the Kingdom of God.

There was a commotion among the crowd. A deaf, a mute and a blind one has just been healed; another man who have withered hands and deformed feet stood up without anguish and pain anymore. Everyone crowded Him. The sweat, the heat of the scorching sun and the hands that seem to tear anyone near Him seems impossible to get near. She pressed harder. Still, unable to see the famous Master who is now being thronged by all the multitude seeking to touch Him, she pressed harder still and when she heard that the Master is about to go to a leader’s house, she groped and pushed hard with all her might and compelled the others to move aside. Then with one last minute, she tip-toed and caught the hem of His garment and fell aside, healed and delivered. Then the Master asked, who touched Me? It seems impossible to know and what a question, everyone was trying to touch you, said the disciples. But I know someone here had touched the hem of my garment, and all the thronging folks moved aside to see a woman kneeling before Him.

“And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” Mark 5:32-34

It is true that there are many today who are also sick and are seeking medical attention for their sickness and diseases. These are the hurting ones, for whom the Lord said, are in need of Physician. He came to give life and to give it abundantly, not a trickle of it but abundant life. Some having misunderstood this thought Jesus came to give them riches and honor. But this is a false teaching. He did not come to enrich the coffers of any ministry or person but to use His resources for the salvation, healing and deliverance of everyone from sin and corruption of their soul. As illustrated above, Jesus has the power to cast away sickness, oppression and the devil even without saying a word, when one has the faith to be healed.

This principle is true even in business or putting up organizations, to the degree that we believe we have the power to overcome and be successful, we will reach our destiny. Those who have made mistakes just need to know that their failures are not final but all of these are seeds for their success. Who could have thought that the Church would still survive after about 2000 years of its existence? Jesus foresaw our time and rejoiced in it. There is no power on earth or of hell that could prevail over the Church of Jesus Christ. Her bride will succeed and fulfill her destiny as He has called her; before the end will come, she will do and fulfill her mandate and commission on earth.

Power over nature’s fury

Last year, we have witnessed one of the most powerful typhoons that came to inundate and wreck havoc to this country. At first, it was just one typhoon, but in a matter of few days, just after “Ondoy” another one came up to pound the already battered country. When I thought all hope was gone, the Lord reminded me a song that we need to prophesy to the people. We did and the Lord delivered us from this horde of evil that seem to have been baked right from hell. In one of the most prophetic songs I have ever heard, Michael W. Smith’s Above All declares the majesty and power of God over the creation and dominion of man and all created beings.

God’s power is really above all authority, above all powers, above all kings, above all thrones and dominions-He truly is the epitome, the One above all things. If Jesus is then King above all, what is the question? This is the struggle of all believers during times of crisis and during trials. Can God be truly above all the storms that seem to surpass His glory in covering the brilliance of His majesty? As we have been praying about the incoming typhoon called Peping which is reputedly a supertyphoon category, the Lord spoke to me and said, “He is above all things, above all powers, above all created things.”

Even the power of the strongest typhoon is no match to the weightiest power and the enormous weapon of heaven that is at hand in every believer’s hand, prayer! We have been given access to the Highest authority of them all, we are the King’s children, and if children, can’t we not ask Him to stop even the forces of nature that want to swamp us over? Do we leave our fate to the reasoning of Climate Change alone? If we do, we are the most miserable of them all, for though this world perishes, God speaks that we are to live in the world that will not. We do that by living our lives everyday in the Kingdom of God. In His Kingdom, there is no lack and there is no climate change, because the Son of God, the Son of Glory gives light and powers all our being in His Kingdom,for by “Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16).

“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him.

And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.” Colossians 1:16-18

The King is above the storm

One thing that we need to understand is that no matter what happens on the earth, the earth is but a small speck of dust before the ocean of the Universe. Yet it is also a matter of great controversy that this small planet that we are in is the seat of clash between light and darkness between the powers of hell and the powers of heaven. Nature though it is truly created and functions as thus it must, in a delicate balance that it is, yet we must remember that it is fallen and cursed because of the sin of man (Romans 3:23; Romans 8:19-20; 1 Corinthians 15:22).

This is why Paul said that even nature cries for the manifestation of the sons of God because as we are redeemed and freed from the bondage of sin and death, even the creation will. Man is the greatest creation of God, it is made in His image, but because of sin, this marred the whole creation and when sin entered the world, it destroyed the harmony, balance and intricate functioning of a perfect environment that the Lord gave over man to rule. Because of this, we cannot expect nature to function as the perfect created things that God made them originally. Until man will be completely  redeemed and transformed into His image by being born again and living with Him in intimacy, nature will revolt of the sin that continue to mar the face of the earth.

We can call the anomalies that we observe on earth today as climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution and extinction, but in essence, all of these are still the consequence of our disobedience. Man’s pride is to do things apart from the Lord and we are reaping the consequences of our actions. Even so, we cannot allow corporations, companies and even governments to continue to allow the destruction of the earth on our watch. It is foolish to understand and simply watch things unfold without doing something to save the environment, clean up our cities, replant our bare hills and shaved mountains and dredge polluted waterways. Jesus is indeed practical, and if we abide by Him, the King above all powers, we too can be used to do much on the earth, to reclaim the land and proclaim the King over the lives of others too.

Regardless of circumstances that are coming, I have resolved to do all that I can do in my powers and connections to help and build any communities that I adopt, any group or church I work with because it is my vision that on the earth, the Lord looks upon His Body not bodies.  It is also this resolution that pushes me to do all that I can to help and warn others so that they may have light and be proactive in doing things for the King is coming for a chaste Bride and Body. All the sufferings that we are going through now, no matter how painful they are, no matter how much anguish and sufferings has strucked us will not measure to the pain and sufferings that Jesus has gone through so that in the end, all the earth and the universe will be redeemed. God’s power is extended upon everyone willing to walk in unprecedented humility and love for His creation for whom He died to redeem them.

He is above all creation

Because the Lord created all things both in heaven and on earth whether visible or invisible, whether “whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities,” God made all things for one thing and that is for His Son. Three times the Lord mentioned while in the process of creating the earth, that it is good; but on the last day, He called it “very good”(Genesis 1:31). This is to tell us that nature was not designed to hurt or destroy any living things nor was it designed to take the lives of man. This too tells us that indeed the Lord has made the creation to be enjoyed by the people of the earth for themselves because He gave them authority over the earth saying,  “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (Genesis 1:28 KJV). What then are we supposed to do in the coming disasters that shall struck the earth as was prophesied? There is no escape in what is coming and it is true that great “tribulations” or sufferings are still to come despite the cry of many of “peace and safety.” But one thing that the Lord has spoken to me, if we walk with Him, if we draw close with Him, our lives will be built on the mighty fortress of His Rock that not even the storms of the earth is able to destroy. Let us continue to put our hopes in the Savior who alone can save us in what is coming because “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God”( Acts 14:22).

All trials that are coming upon this world is just a means through which our lives can be driven more into His bosom and Kingdom. Let us return to the Bishop and Apostle of our souls, let us call upon His name that He would have mercy and deflect the path of the typhoons dissipating them into the sea. For with God there is nothing impossible. In one blow, in one command on that fateful day when He and His disciples were surrounded by the tempest, Peace be still He declared and the creation obeyed. Until now, amazed as they were, most people are still questioning if God can really stop a typhoon of the magnitude of “Ondoy” or “Peping” yet the Word clearly tells us, Jesus is far above all authorities and dominions of the earth, not even the hordes of hell can withstand a single person who walks with the Lord. Is “Ondoy” or “Peping” greater than God? As our studies in Astronomy tells us, the earth is but a speck of dust and when one looks above, the Universe seems to be an ocean of vastness, yet the Lord tells us that even the Universe is like atom in His hands. Do we then contradict the Lord’s facts and observations? Or do we believe His observation over ours? Thus, Peter consoles us, castaway your burdens to God,

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.

Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:6-11

It is true that satan wants to accomplish as much destruction through these “natural events” and have men simply “leave it by fate” what happens to them but we have been called to live in the highest realms of all, to wheather the storms of this world, which represents the confusion  that the enemy wants to cloud our vision. Yet the greatest promise to live by is to live by faith because through faith we can access His grace and His grace is enough to counter the powers of hell or nature. Paul advises us to believe that He is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion” (Ephesians 1:21) and seated at the right hand of the Father. The “hand” in the Scriptures often represents the rule of power and God does have power and does have say on earth! Nothing hits us, which He does not allow, but they do happen whenever we forget to ask Him to intervene.

“The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; But the earth He has given to the sons of men” Psalm 115:16

Because the Lord has given the earth to man’s dominion, He can only intervene whenever we ask Him to. This is the reason we need to have faith and to daily come boldly to His throne of grace so that we may receive His help upon us. God’s grace reigns supreme over nature or the wickedness of man or the hordes of hell. Let us not fear but stand boldly in prayer against all that is coming. Let it sound in every house top that Jesus is Lord and King over the storm and flood!