Devotional: Children of Men

Children of Men

Every believer has been given an assignment to use our authority in Christ. If only we could understand this! Let's look at a phenomenal passage of scripture that illustrates God's design for earthly authority: "May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's; but the earth He has given to the children of men" (Psalm 115:15-16).

God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, has given the "children of men" authority to rule and reign in the earth. But unfortunately most of us either don't realize this privilege or we are simply not taking advantage of it! When God created mankind He said, "Let us make man in Our image, according to our likeness; let them have dominion... on the earth" (Genesis 1:26). We are made in the likeness of God, yet in a dirt body. Genesis 2:7 says, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." The BREATH of life created our spirit. A LIVING BEING is a soul, or we could say a breathing creature with a conscious mind, able to speak. When we put the two together, man is actually a "SPEAKING SPIRIT" in a dirt (or earthly) body. This is mankind. This is not "animal" kind because animals cannot speak. This was the first man and all others who followed can be referred to as the "children of man."

And God has given the earth to the children of men. Unfortunately, because of the fall of Adam, we know the term "children of men" does not always refer to born-again Christians. The "children of men" would refer to any human, or we could say any breathing person contained in a body. God has given the earth to the children of men, those who live in a body. Therefore, the state of the earth is dependent upon the "children of men" and the dominion they use (or don't use) on the earth.

I realize this is causing us to think, but stay with me for a moment. Let's think about two other scriptures in light of what we are saying here. Jesus said, "...Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:8-10). He said, "Our Father in Heaven..." Therefore, we could paraphrase it this way: Our Father, who is NOT on the earth...

In other words, although God knows the things we have need of, He has given dominion (authority) to the children of men ON EARTH and Jesus said, for that reason, we should pray to our Father in heaven asking Him to establish us here on earth just as He would have things done in heaven. The implication is that if we don't ask (use our authority) then although God knows what is needed, it won't be done.

I know that rocks some of our theology, but we are not accurately using the authority we have been given in Christ. Here's another scripture: "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven (Matthew 18:18-19).

God is in heaven. We are on the earth. He is the King. We are His children. He has given us authority to bind and loose things on the earth and then says He will honor it in heaven! That is the picture of our authority! And not only that, but in a kingdom, the one who has authority is called the king. So when the Word says that God is the KING of kings, it is saying He is the KING of us, the kings of the earth -- the ones in authority. The earth is our kingdom for He has given us authority, reign and dominion over it! And Paul stated that as such we are to "...reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17b). Hallelujah!

So be encouraged today that you have authority on the earth, and all the more that your authority is through Christ Jesus our Lord. So use it! Don't let the devil beat you up. He doesn't have a dirt body. He was a spirit-being cast out of heaven to the earth. The only way he can have any say on this earth, is if he finds a body to use (which is why he was able to deceive Eve). Genesis says God made all the creatures in the earth OF the earth. Satan found a "dirt body" in the form of a snake. But you don't have to give him access to your dirt body! Don't let him use you or abuse you! Instead, YOU use your God-given earth suit and all the authority that goes with it to bring glory to God!