She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:21-23)

God is always with us, but to experience His constant presence is another thing entirely. An encounter with God is a specific moment when He intervenes in our lives. Jesus came at the appointed time and intervened in the areas of mankind’s deepest needs.

If you want God to change your life, you must change your attitude towards His Word. You must not only study God’s Word, but allow it to change your life. The Word has the ability to give hope, silencing fear and doubt. It is not just God’s idea; it is also the solution. When you examine the scriptures, the Holy Spirit will examine you. If you want to encounter God, you need to encounter His Holy Spirit in the Word. He, in turn, will point you towards Jesus. Christianity is about reality because God is a reality.

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” (Haggai 2:6-9)

When you encounter God, four things will happen:
1. The revelation of God will change your life.
“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:12-14)

Abraham knew God. When God told him to sacrifice his only son, he knew the Lord would provide. His faith in the goodness of God was counted to him as righteousness. We can only have such faith when we have a revelation of who God really is.

2. You will receive supernatural faith amidst difficult circumstances.
Moses’ life finally changed at his lowest point, after he had spent 40 years in the wilderness taking care of his father-in-law’s goats.
Similarly, God appeared to Joshua as he faced the impossibly fortified wall of Jericho, as commander of Israel’s army.

3. You will receive a divine commission.
When Saul encountered the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, he was called to be the apostle for the gentiles, and he changed the world forever. Saul the Persecutor became Paul the Apostle.

4. You will have a personal breakthrough.
That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:21- 28)

Jacob became Israel after his encounter with God. Jacob never let go of God until God blessed him. When you interact and engage with God, you must wrestle with His Word until you have a breakthrough.

Faith must replace doubt. Do not worship from afar; press into close encounters with God. When we do, breakthrough will change everything. Jacob became Israel, going from a cheater to the namesake of God’s chosen nation.

This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the LORD Almighty.” (Haggai 2:6-9)

When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of
the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple. (1 Kings 8:10-11)

When our hearts are right with God, He promised to shake the heavens and the Earth, the sea and the dry land.
God will shake all nations and your house and fill it with His glory.
What is impossible will become possible.
Gold and silver are the Lord’s. Prosperity is of no issue when your agenda is building His house.
There will be no holes in your pocket.
The glory of your present house will be greater than the former house.
Peace will abound in everything you touch.
You need to step out of your past.
Have the passion to go beyond boundaries.
Walk in the revelation of God’s purpose; there is always something more He wants to do in your mind and heart.
Do not let age slow you down. We have not arrived yet; this just the beginning.
New, unimaginable things will be birthed in your life.
Passion will move you to see everything differently – yourself, the world and the Church.
Use all this energy to launch yourself into the things of God.
In His presence is energy that will shake you into a new realm of possibility.

… and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the
dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 1:19-20)

God’s power in our lives is the same mighty strength that raised Christ from the dead.

… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

What God starts with you, He will bring it to completion. What a great assurance!

God Calls Israel His Son.

• When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lift a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them. (Hosea 11:1-4)

The True Nature of God the Father.

• Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 15:11-32)

Your Father will never leave nor forsake you. The above parable clearly illustrates the unconditional love of God.

• Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

The love of money is the root of all evil. Let money serve you, not the other way around. Don’t be the prodigal son or daughter.
The Benefit of Trusting God Your Father:

• Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. (Psalm 37:1-9)

There is no need to be envious of one other. Concentrate on your God-given talents, and believe in God to bless you, for you will prosper according to your faith.

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call m blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. (Luke 1:45-56)
What is Mary’s generation?

It is a generation of men and women chosen by God to receive His blessing, and in return, they bless others.
In verse 48, Mary prophesied that all generations would call her blessed. Believe in a God of possibility. Believe that He can do things through you and in you in spite of our weakness.

• … the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:26-27)

Know that Christ in you is a mystery. He is at work in each of us, but we can easily get hurt or disappointed because the Church is not perfect, and neither are our brothers and sisters. We are all works in progress. We need to grow in the Lord Jesus Christ, as shown in the following highlighted portions of Scripture.

• My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you … (Galatians 4:19)
• Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13)

God is constantly working in us to perfect us, and He has promised to help us.
Mary had something that has blessed far more than one generation. She had Jesus. She rejoiced because she left behind something that would last. She left behind a legacy. We too must leave a legacy, for the Holy Spirit lives in us.
Mary rejoiced because she had hope. We all have hope in Christ Jesus. God can use ordinary people like Mary, and like you. It does not matter what we have or do not have, only a lack of God’s blessing can oppress believers.
God cannot help prideful people. Humble yourself. Be a blessing to others. Have faith.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

• And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:1-2, 6)

Expectancy is the mother of testimony.

God speaks and works through generations, and it is in His desire to transfer His blessings from one generation to another. The scriptures below provide clear instruction from God on this matter, and if follow His instructions, we will be counted as righteous.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build …

In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?” tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the LORD sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us that will be our righteousness.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-10, 20-25)

We are called to demonstrate the goodness of God to our children and the younger generation. Every word that proceeds out of your mouth should reflect the goodness, truth and faithfulness God has made known to you through your experiences with Him. There are countless things to be grateful for on a daily basis. May our lives be testimonies of His goodness.

Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. (Deuteronomy 32:7)

We must make the presence of God our magnificent obsession in all interactions with others.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:22-24)

God does not want His Spirit to remain concealed within us; rather, He entrusts His Spirit to us so that we may become responsible men and women who worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

God is looking for true worshipers who are willing to glorify Him with their giftedness. True worshipers always review the truth about themselves, knowing their sinful nature and thanking God for everything in their lives. They know their existence is the result of God’s grace.

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. (Psalm 51:5-6)

Human nature is self-centered.

In our daily lives, we think of and care little about the next generation. But God’s Word reveals that He is a generational God. The Jews call Him the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Therefore, we need to be like our Father, thinking generationally in all that we do. Consider the Church, in which many generations are represented within one body. We need to relay the grace of God in our personal lives to others so that they may know Him and proclaim His goodness after we are gone.

My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds. (Psalm 78:1-7)

The verses above command us to teach our children of the goodness of God.

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. (2 Timothy 1:5)

How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts! (Psalm 92:5)

Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb. (Psalm 110:3)

 

Three principles to remember:

1. Create an environment of respect, love and acceptance.

Do not become swayed by your own ideas and preferences, but maintain the Word of God and live by the Spirit. As we become the older generation, we need to inspire the young through our example of faith and obedience, not merely by imposing our ideas.

What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. (2 Timothy 1:13-14)

2. Exemplify an authentic spiritual experience.

We must approach today’s youth in a way that is sensitive to their lives. Young people are passionate, always looking for unique and exciting experiences. Therefore, we need to show them how to authentically experience God. Only through personal experiences can we know God and believe Him. Without an authentic encounter with Him, we will start out living in the Spirit but end trapped by the flesh.

Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? (Galatians 3:3-5)

3. Challenge yourself for a greater cause.

When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” (1 Samuel 17:28-29)

Scripture tells us that David, who was anointed, had a greater cause in mind than his brothers. He was so confident in the Lord that he was able to slay the giant. However, his own brother did not recognize the greater cause in his life. We need to be careful not to focus on our personal problems and fears, but to be sensitive to the calling of the younger generation. Eliab was more focused on his standing with the other soldiers than on the strength of his brother David.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:31-40)

We find in the above verses the need to remain sensitive to the needs of others rather than ourselves, for such is the Kingdom of God. This walk is all about taking care of the people God places in your path, maintaining a heart of compassion. The more Christ-focused we become, they more naturally and joyfully we will serve others.

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them” … (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

Remember your Lord God in the days of your youth before it is too late.

 

Revival

He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight. The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John? Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it.” (Luke 16:15-16)

The above scriptures talk about revival. Revival takes place in the Church, starting with individual to families in marriage and to children, and the process continues.

 

Reformation

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Matthew 28:19-20 tells us that we should make disciples from all tribes and nations. This is a call for reformation. Reformation takes place outside the Church.

Re-populate, subdue, have dominion, reform, establish systems, become the army of God.

The Church is the macro view of a family, and family is the center of the Hebrew culture. One of the Ten Commandments is, “honor your mother and father.”

The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army. One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you.” (Numbers 1:1-4)

In Numbers 2, the tents of men were built to focus on the tent of God. Each tent had its own flags or banners reflecting the calling of their dynasty. This was their mission statement, and when it all came together, the nation portrayed God’s great plan.

The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard. The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.” (Numbers 1:52-53)

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.”

So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family. (Numbers 2:1-2, 34)

So, in order to fulfill God’s mandate, families in the revival stage need to nurture their generations to the reformation stage. We need to encourage our children to excel in areas such as politics, economics, law, education, history, science, media, arts, philosophy, music and sports.

Believers need to break out from activities within their churches into community involvement to influence society and their places of influence. The threat to dominion on Earth is always the multiplication process, that is, the reproduction process.

For this reason, Satan’s primary goal is to destroy marriages. He is only interested in stopping God’s generational blessings.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God. (Genesis 17:1-8)

In Genesis 17, Abram was called Abraham, father of all nations. Why did God choose Abraham?

Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him. (Genesis 18:18-19)

Abraham obeyed God even to the point of sacrificing his only son; this is why God blessed him and chose him. We need to follow Abraham’s example of faith and set our children on the right path while continually trusting the Lord in order to experience the blessings of our God.

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” (Genesis 22:8, 15-18)

God said that we “will take possession of the cities of [our] enemies,” which means that we will take possession in every area of the earth. That is how powerful the promise is, but it all starts with the family unit. It is that simple.

 

God made the same promise to Jacob:

There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:13-15)

 

The same promise was also made to Peter:

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17)

In Christ, we have been given power and authority, and nothing can prevent us from fulfilling God’s promise. It is our destiny to possess the gates.

In the Old Testament, God revealed His plan over the lives of three patriarchs. We see in Scripture a pattern of God working across three generations. We are His first born; our God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – a generational God. We must think generationally, as it is the only way we can fulfill God’s promise and ultimate will.

“Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’” (Exodus 4:22-23)

Genesis 1:27-28 is a cultural covenant as well as a mandate. Every book in the Bible talks about managing the earth and the kings. It is all about stewardship, stewarding the earth. God said that we should be the light and salt of the world. Therefore, our ministry is not reserved for Sunday; on Monday, we should concentrate on how to take dominion in the earth. The Church has to get involved in community engagement, and we need to make an impact in the marketplace. Let us review the cultural mandates described in the six steps:

Marriage: This is the basic foundation for all culture and civilization. Children: We are called to have many children, raising up the next generation. Multiply: We are called to multiple or reproduce, and then consecrate our children and teach them to become holy. This occurs in a generational context. Replenish: We need to fill the earth by excelling in every work field in order to establish God’s dominion.

Subdue: We must take back the Earth from the enemy and take control.

Dominion: We are called to have influence in society.

 

Learn more about the book! 

 

We are all similar. No matter where we all come from, the only difference is our cultural background. It is very important that we understand our purpose. Let us examine the original covenant God made with men when we were created, as it is the starting point for everything we do in our lives and for the understanding of the rest of the Bible.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1: 27-28)

It is very clear that man and woman reflect the image of God. It actually takes both to reflect the image of God, as verse 28 says, “Be fruitful and increase in number.” There could be no multiplying or increase if man and woman did not become one flesh. In other words, unless man and woman become one flesh, the covenant of God could not be fulfilled. The mandate is to fill the earth, to subdue it and to rule over it.

 

First Step

Marriage is the foundation of realizing God’s covenant with men. Marriage is also the foundation of all cultures and civilizations in this world. Any country or church is only as healthy as its marriages. When Adam was alone, the Bible does not record the devil tempting him. By himself, Adam was harmless and of no threat to Satan. It was when Eve came into the picture that the devil came to destroy their relationship with God.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘you must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:1-7)

The devil is crafty, and he knew exactly what he was doing and is still doing in the lives of people. In verses 5 and 6, he created doubt in the minds of men by asking a single question. He then fed the eyes and created a desire in the heart, setting a clear pattern for temptation.

Divorce rates are peaking in many countries, especially in the United States. When families are destroyed, the country is gradually destroyed, and so are its churches and institutions. Satan destroys marriages so that mankind cannot reflect the image of God. To destroy God’s domain on Earth, Satan targets marriages.

 

Second Step

In Genesis 1:28, God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, or increase. The meaning is very simple: We need to have as many children as possible, both biological children for the married, and spiritual children, which are the secondary meaning to the mandate. Paul never had children, but Timothy was his spiritual son. It is important that we do not disconnect ourselves from the next generation. This life is not about you; it is about your children. We need to get away from the individualistic mindset and adjust our minds to the covenant relationship, which God established with man.

 

Third Step

“Be fruitful and multiply” or “increase” also means that we must teach our children to get married and reproduce to have more children. Our teaching or preaching is sometimes all about the individual blessing, but we need to have a generational mindset. When Moses asked God to reveal Himself in the burning bush, as to what he should say about the God he now represented, God said, “Say to the Israelites ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’”

Our God is a generational God. The Father is the first generation, His Son, Jesus, is the second, and now, you and I are the third generation. Jesus said that we can do greater things than Him. That is God’s greater purpose. Our destinies cannot come true through our churches or families if we do not disciple our children. We need to cultivate a nest that can bring forth the next Billy Grahams and great presidents or prime ministers.

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. (Exodus 3:13-15)

 

Fourth Step

“Replenish” or “fill” the Earth. We need our children to be the best in every field to which they are called. The Great Commission is not only about the fivefold ministry; it is about excelling in every field – scientist, businessman, artist, and so on. How can we replenish the earth with only pastors? We need to engage the earth – only then can we establish God’s dominion. Encourage your children in their gifting to be the best in their field.

 

Fifth Step

“Subdue the earth.” Our children should put on the armor of God in order to subdue the earth. When God is with us, we can take control of the earth. He has given us the mandate, the authority and the blessing to do so. The armor of God is His righteousness and holiness as described in Ephesians 6.

 

Sixth Step

Having dominion also means having influence over everything on Earth. Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. He who serves will lead. According to Christ’s principles, when you serve people with sincerity, they will likely want you to become their leader in society. Joseph, Daniel and many more people in the Bible have illustrated this process. They were given total dominion and authority over their countries even though they were in a foreign land. It is a process; we need to be the greatest force on the earth.

 

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