Keys are great at unlocking and opening doors in our life, but keys have another purpose also. Keys don’t just unlock doors to give you access to what’s behind them...they can also lock doors to keep what’s behind them from having access to you. In a prison, doors are locked to keep the ones inside from damaging the lives of others. Keys are used to lock those doors.
Locking something harmful up to keep it away from your life is just as valuable as unlocking something that is good for your life.
Matthew 16:19 “19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (forbid) on earth shall (past tense) have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose (permit) on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”
The same things that have been bound, locked and forbidden in heaven, are the same things you have the keys to bind, lock up and forbid here on earth.
Today we will look into some more very practical kingdom keys.
Keys that are used to lock things up that need to keep away.
These keys work together to prevent your life from going off the rails. Or if it already has, they can bring you back.Do you have relational issues with people...often? The problem with relational issues is that they lead to other issues that are much worse for our lives. Do you seem to have problems with lots of people? Do your relationships always seem to end badly? Is it always them, or could it be you? Either way, you have to deal with these issues for yourself. You can’t change other people.
So how are you supposed to deal with your own dysfunctional relationship issues and create unity with other people? You do that by dealing with the jealousy in your life. Jealousy needs to be locked up and kept away from your life.
Honor is the key to heal relational issues, because it locks up jealousy, and that leads to unity.
1 Peter 2:17 “17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”
Let’s look at a passage that shows what happened when people were jealous of Jesus.
Mark 6:1-6 “Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. 4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He
could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.”
The people in His hometown were offended by who Jesus was and who He claimed to be. Why would this bother them so much? Because they were jealous and wanted to know His secret for the miracles they had been hearing about. They said “We know who You are. You’re just a carpenter, we know your family history (unwed mother). Who do You think u are?”
When Jesus went back home, He was not honored by the people He grew up with. In fact, jealousy caused them to disrespect Him and miss seeing Him for who He really was...the Messiah.
That is why jealousy is such dangerous thing for us to allow to grow in our heart. Jealousy prevents honor...and so it prevents unity.
Up to that point in His ministry, Jesus was cleaning out hospitals everywhere He went, but not in His own hometown. Why?Did Jesus lose his power while He was there?
No, it’s because they were only able to receive from Him at the level at which they perceived Him.
Jealousy would not allow them to accept Him as anything but a regular carpenter, so a carpenter is all they got. If they could have looked past the carpenter, and accepted Him as the Messiah, they would have received the miracles that the Messiah had available for them.
They had been praying for God to send the Messiah for over 500 years, but when God did, their attitude of jealousy and dishonor wouldn’t allow them to receive Him.
It’s easy for us to talk about how blind they were and how they missed it completely, but do we do the same thing?
When we are praying for God to help us in our life, He shows up by sending a person to provide the answer you need.But in order to receive the answer you have to accept the messenger. You can’t access what God has for you, if you disrespect the person God sent to bring it to you.
Honor is the key that locks jealousy and opens up unity.
Romans 12:10 “10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
This verse falls under the heading of “Marks of a true Christian.”
In America, we have a problem. We do not live in a culture of honor. We live in a culture of dishonor and disrespect. Kids don’t respect parents because adults don’t respect police, teachers, presidents or any authority.
If you watch the news, you’ll see both sides of the political parties celebrating disrespect. Those who lead have set the tone. We celebrate an atmosphere of disrespect. We promote the worst behavior by honoring politicians and celebrities who promote a culture of disrespect.
The church has fallen into the trap and adopted the same culture.
Could that level of disrespect and dishonor be the reason we don’t see many miracles in America today. Can miracles exist in
an environment of jealousy, division and dishonor. According to what Jesus experienced, the answer is NO.
Honor and Unity are a foundational culture of the Kingdom.
We are called to go farther in our faith, and live life at a higher spiritual level. In order to understand the next level, we have to learn from someone who is already there. And that won’t happen if we dishonor them.
Here is an important KINGDOM Concept.What you honor moves towards you and creates Unity. What
you dishonor moves away from you and causes division.
This is a big deal inside of a marriage.If you don’t honor people and deal with the relational issues you have, those relational issues will lead to anxiety issues.
Do you have anxiety issues?
Philippians 4:6-7 “6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Verse 6 gives us the entire list of things that we can be anxious about...nothing. It says we are not supposed to be anxious about anything. But that is easier said than done isn’t it?
We have to shift our focus from the problem to the solution. It says we are to bring our requests to God in prayer. But did you see how we are supposed to bring them? With thanksgiving. As we bring our requests to God in prayer, we are to be thankful to Him for the answer He’s already paid for and provided for us.
Thanksgiving is the key that binds and locks anxiety.
When we follow that process did you notice what the result will be? The peace of God will guard your heart and mind. Do you want the peace of God guarding your heart and mind? If His peace is guarding your heart, what do you think it’s keeping watch over? It’s the alignment with His heart.
Thanksgiving is the key that locks anxiety and also unlocks peace.
The next couple of verses actually provide a list of things we can shift our focus to instead of continuing to focus on our negative anxious thoughts. You need to use them to align your spirit with the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
I knew someone who had a very difficult struggle with anxiety. It was debilitating to the point of not wanting to even leave home. Once they got ahold of these verses it changed their life.
The way they did it was by doing exactly what these verses say to do. They made a list of things in their life to be thankful for...things that were true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. Then they made copies of that list and put in places around their house so they could constantly be reminded to think on these things and be grateful.
It wasn’t overnight, but as they developed this habit of focusing on the right things the anxiety broke off of them.
If you are not thankful to God in order to deal with the anxiety issues they will lead to bitterness and anger issues.
Do you struggle with bitterness and anger issues?
Ephesians 4:31-32 “31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
Forgiveness is the key to lock up and bind bitterness and anger issues to keep them from destroying your life.
Here are just a few of the verses that tell us the dangers of withholding forgiveness when a relationship is damaged.
Matthew 6:14-15 “14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Jesus said this right after He taught us to pray. When He finished the prayer, it’s the only thing He went back and clarified further. It’s that important. Do you want God to forgive you? If so, then you’d better be in the forgiveness business yourself. Jesus says it again in Mark.
Mark 11:25 “25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Paul follows in the teaching of Jesus when he wrote the his letter to the Colossians.
Colossians 3:12-13 “12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
In verse 13 Paul says you must forgive, because God has forgiven you. But you say, Randall, you just don’t know what that person did to me. You’re right, I don’t. But let me ask you this. Did they physically whip and beat you nearly to death? Did they hang you on a cross to die? No? Well that’s what they did to Jesus and this was His response.
Luke 23:33-38 “33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesussaid, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what theydo.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
Does your situation compare to that? Does the terrible thing that person said about you or to you compare to that? Do you think Jesus will say to you, “Wow, I didn’t realize how hurtful it was for you when that person lied about you. I guess you don’t have to forgive them.” I don’t think so.
Matthew 18:21-22 “21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
That would be difficult enough, but then Jesus takes it farther.
Matthew 18:23-35 “23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the
servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him thedebt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Are you walking around asking God to forgive you of your sins, while still holding on to bitterness toward your neighbor, coworker or brother in Christ. Do you see the result of that?
Bitterness and anger will destroy your life...they need to be locked up. Forgiveness is the key that binds them.
Let’s review what we learned today about kingdom keys.
Honor is the key that binds jealousy and division. And it releases unity in your life.
Thanksgiving is the key that binds anxiety. And it releases peace in your life.
Forgiveness is the key that binds anger and bitterness. And it releases God’s forgiveness for you.
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