In what ways can we ensure our actions align with God's will in heaven? Binding and Loosing: Living in Heaven’s Yes and No “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:18) Why This Matters The Lord grants His people authority that mirrors heaven’s verdicts. Our daily choices should echo what God already decrees above. Alignment happens when earth’s actions harmonize with heaven’s will. Four Everyday Practices That Keep Us Aligned • Saturate Your Mind with Scripture – Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Regular reading, memorizing, and meditating anchor decisions in revealed truth. – When a choice is unclear, measure it against the whole counsel of God. • Cultivate Continual, Faith-Filled Prayer – John 15:7: “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” – Prayer aligns desires with the heart of Christ before any binding or loosing is spoken. – Pray both “Show me” and “Shape me” so motives match heaven’s priorities. • Obey Promptly and Completely – James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” – Partial obedience clouds spiritual authority; full obedience reinforces it. – Small acts—apologies, generosity, purity—train the soul to echo heaven quickly. • Walk by the Spirit, Not the Flesh – Galatians 5:16-17: the Spirit and flesh conflict; only Spirit-led steps agree with God. – Ask, “Which choice produces the Spirit’s fruit—love, joy, peace…?” – Reject impulses that stir envy, strife, or sensuality; these cannot carry heaven’s approval. Guardrails for Discernment • Humility: God “opposes the proud” (1 Peter 5:5). Pride cannot bind or loose righteously. • Wise Counsel: “Plans succeed through many counselors” (Proverbs 15:22). • Observable Fruit: Choices that align with heaven produce righteousness and peace (Hebrews 12:11). Practical Expressions of Binding and Loosing • Bind unforgiveness by choosing to forgive, mirroring heaven’s mercy (Ephesians 4:32). • Bind deceptive thoughts by declaring truth, replacing lies with Scripture (2 Corinthians 10:5). • Loose generosity by releasing resources for kingdom work (2 Corinthians 9:7-8). • Loose encouragement by speaking life, echoing the Lord’s affirming voice (1 Thessalonians 5:11). • Bind habitual sin by decisive repentance; loose obedience through Spirit-empowered habits (Romans 8:13). Living It Out When Scripture fills the mind, prayer guides the heart, obedience steers the will, and the Spirit energizes conduct, earth’s choices resonate with heaven’s decrees. In that harmony, whatever we bind or loose carries the weight and witness of God’s own authority. |
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