Soldier of Christ Disciple Training Ministries
A ministry of Acts III Global Ministries – USA & Malawi – www.God.mw
Lesson 101 – The Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven – Part 1
What did Jesus mean? What Keys is He giving us? What do we as believers have the authority to bind and loose? We will begin with what it is NOT. It is not the ability to bind Satan. Many people today pray, “and we bind Satan in the name of Jesus.” We are never told to bind him. In fact, we will see just the opposite. We will always use Scripture to build a case.
James 4:7 “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” So James tells us that our weapon against the devil is to simply resist. In other words, when he tempts you to sin…DO NOT DO IT.
Ephesians 4:26-27 “BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.” Here Paul tells us that we can have human emotions, but do not them dwell in your mind so that your mind and heart become dark like night. Feelings are normal, but do not let them root and cause you to sin. Notice that God gives Cain the same advice:
Genesis 4:6-7 “Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” God’s advice to us has been the same for thousands of years, but we are still not handling the problem as the Lord directed.
1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around 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.” The Apostle Peter agrees…do not bind the devil…Resist him.
Jude 9 “But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” If the might Archangel Michael does not try and bind the devil why should we? All he said was, ‘the Lord rebuke you.’
Finally, the Apostle Paul tells us of our Spiritual Armor and its purposes in Ephesians 6:11-17. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Notice what Paul tells us:
1) The armor of God is so that we can stand firm against the devils attacks. We have to go through them, but God has given us the armor to protect us.
2) The armor is so that we can resist and stand firm.
3) Our shield of faith is to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the evil one.
So it should be clear now that we are not to bind the devil. God has him on a leash. He can go no farther than God allows him. He cannot come into our heart and attack us unless we leave the door open for him through some kind of sin. Do not let sin in. Repent of your bad thoughts and feelings and ask the Lord’s help.
So if the keys are not binding the devil, what are they? That’s in the next lesson.