Binding and loosing revealed

I taught Matthew 16 for years, but always shied away from verse 19. The English translations cannot do justice to the Greek tenses, and I am no Greek scholar.

But the Lord recently prompted me to go back to it, and I am glad I did—it is life changing!

In Matthew 16:16, Peter declared that Jesus is, “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter [Greek petros], and on this rock [petra] I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19I 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 16:17-19 NIV).

Jesus is playing with words. Petros is masculine; petra feminine. Therefore, petra cannot mean Peter.  He means the revelation (a feminine word). Jesus will build his church, not on Peter, but on all those with the revelation of who Jesus is. (For a full discussion, see my book Authority.)

Therefore the promises in verse 19 are to us—the church. Now keys represent access and access means authority. What are we being given?

To unwrap verse 19, we have to get into grammar. Stay with me! Here is the Greek Interlinear:

Whatever you may have bound [Greek deo—in the subjunctive, aorist, active tense] upon the earth, it will have been bound [perfect, passive tense] in the heavens, and whatever you may have abolished [lyo—loose] upon the earth, it will have been abolished in the heavens.

Subjunctive? Aorist? Let’s try to get a handle on those tenses.

Our problem is we hardly use subjunctives in English. They express an unlikely or impossible wish: “If I were a rich man…”

Here, the subjunctive “were” carries the sense of “it-would-be-really-great-but-it’s-not-going-to-happen.” (Compare the more positive conditional tense: “If I was rich…” which implies possibility.)

Next, the aorist past tense expresses a one-time completed action. For example, we might say once to a problem, “I bind you,” knowing it was unlikely or impossible, but that is the end of our role.

What happens next is astonishing. Jesus goes on to say, “it will have been bound [perfect, passive tense] in the heavens.” The perfect past tense describes two ideas: (1) completed action and (2) continuing results.

Here (I believe) is what’s going on: We bind or loose something in his Name, and it’s a done deal in heaven. More than that. The effects in heaven are ongoing. We give a command, knowing it’s impossible on earth, and release a cascade of events in heaven. We bind an evil spirit, and the Holy Spirit is already onto it. We command healing and heaven has already sprung into action.

Isn’t this true of all Spirit-led ministry? We are called to the impossible. We do what we know we can’t as though we can. We take a step of faith, and trust the Lord with the cascade of ongoing results.

­­Believer, never be afraid to bind and loose in the Lord’s Name. You have the keys!

When Fasting is Futile

Are you being encouraged to fast? If so, make sure it’s for the right reasons.

The Puzzles

Jesus fasted, but never taught his disciples to. Why not? Jesus said to fast in secret, but later the church fasted together. Why? There’s no teaching on it in the epistles. Why not?

The Pithy Parables

When John the Baptist’s disciples asked Jesus, “How is it your disciples do not fast?” Jesus replied with three pithy parables (see Luke 5:33-39).

  1. How can the guest of the Bridegroom fast when he’s with them?
  2. You don’t tear a patch off a new garment and sew it on an old one.
  3. You don’t put new wine into old wineskins.

I suddenly saw these represented the three unique promises of the New Covenant.

First, it’s about relationship. We are reconnected to God the Father through Christ the Son.

Second, clothing in Scripture is a symbol of righteousness. We are deemed righteous in God’s sight by faith in the blood of Jesus and his resurrection.

Third, wine is a symbol of the Spirit. Under the New Covenant, we are privileged to be able receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

So why fast?

Therefore, there is no reason to fast to draw near to God. He is already near us, for Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20). How much nearer can he get?

There is no reason to fast to become more righteous. We are righteous by faith, not by fasting.

Thirdly, we don’t need to fast to receive the Spirit. He is promised if we ask (see Luke 11:13).

Fasting for these things betrays a lack of faith in God’s promises. So when should we fast? Only when the Holy Spirit tells you to! Otherwise, it’s futile. Click for the full story.

Do you come “for” or “with”?

1 Corinthians 14:26 says, “When you come together, everyone has a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.” Verse 31: “For you can all prophesy…”

But when we come together, we sing rehearsed songs, listen to a prepared message, and drink coffee. When do we participate?

If we come “for” the worship, the word, or the fellowship, we’re consumers. If we come “with” gifts for others, we’re servants.

The Bible tells us we are all unique with unique gifts so that we need each other and serve each other. God’s purpose can only be fulfilled when we are all using the gifts God has given. We come alive when we’re on purpose.

God gave the gifts of the Spirit because he needs them to build his church. Without them the church is disabled, unable to function as our Lord intends.

The Future

God loves his church, in whatever form or culture. But church culture also has seasons. I believe the attraction church model (lights, platform, music, big welcome) has done great service over a generation. Millions have come to Christ, but the Spirit is moving on.

It’s a trap to settle where the Spirit blessed before. Denominations are founded on yesterday’s move of God.

I see a future of smaller churches focusing on deeper relationships, repentance, accountability, and mission. Every member, no matter how new, should be on mission. Bonnke said, “The church is not a pleasure boat; it’s a life boat, with all hands on deck!”

So what’s your gift? What’s your role? Do you go to church ‘”for” something, or “with” something? It changes our whole paradigm.

Can anything limit God’s power?

He created the universe with simple commands.

God’s power is beyond understanding.

But when Jesus visited his hometown, he could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them (Mark 6:5)—his power constrained by unbelief.

When Paul was in Ephesus, the sons of a Jewish rabbi tried to cast out a demon, which trounced them. The story went viral, and, deeply convicted, the local believers confessed their evil deeds (Acts 19:18) and burned the scrolls they used for sorcery.

Notice the result. In this way, the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power (Acts 19:20). The power of God’s word grew! Which means it was constrained before. What constrained it? The local believers were using sorcery and witchcraft.

The trappings of evil

My wife and I have enjoyed the privilege of ministry in many countries, but everywhere we went we noticed the prevalence of compromise. In Argentina, many churches worshiped a black mary. In Brazil, people painted witchcraft symbols on street corners. Candles, flowers, or dead chickens clustered by every bridge or river crossing.

In India, sexually explicit carvings in lurid colours plastered Hindu temples with demonic faces—angry eyes, protruding tongues, and distorted features. It didn’t take us long to recognise the trappings of evil.

So when we arrived in New Zealand, we were horrified to meet them again. Apparently they were acceptable because it was local art. Today, sexually explicit totem poles oversee river crossings and bridges, wearing the same hideous faces you find in Hindu temples. The same images sprout on the hilltops.

In Scripture, the Israelite kings turned a blind eye to the high places and what went on under every spreading tree. It led to the nation’s downfall and exile.

Good art is godly art

Godly art honours the Lord, his people, and his creation. To accept demonic images under the banner of art not only glorifies the devil, it even limits the power of God.

If they don’t wish to repent, let the ungodly remain in their sin. But there is no place for these things in the house of God. And if we are brave enough to remove them, like Gideon, what power would we see then?

Five Lessons from Job

1) Are you being sifted?

Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus knew Peter would deny him. He also knew he would return, because he’d prayed for him. Peter’s denial was the devil’s plan; God’s was purification.

In Job chapter 1, God allows satan to sift Job. The devil thought he’d won, but God had a better plan. Weeping may last the night, but joy comes with the morning (Psalm 30:5).

Jesus knows we will fail. But he has prayed for our return. Our suffering may be just be sifting.

2) We’re not copied in

Job had no idea how much God esteemed him, nor what the Lord was up to. Job had done his best, and it didn’t work out.

“You’re killing me!” cries the sacrificial pawn. It doesn’t see four moves ahead. God wants us to trust him.

Even the mighty prophet Elisha didn’t know the Shunammite’s son had died. “She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why,” he said (see 2 Kings 4:27). We’re not usually copied in to heaven’s emails.

3) Job’s friends were wrong

They spent 33 chapters counselling him. The Lord rebuked them, “You have not spoken of me what is right.” They could have fed him, tended his wounds, or chased off his mockers. We don’t need sermons when we’re hurting. It’s in our trials, we discover our true friends.

4)      We wouldn’t get it anyway

When Job finally saw the Lord, he said, “Surely, I spoke of things . . . too wonderful for me to know” (Job 42:3). Suffering and healing are simply beyond our limited comprehension. The Lord, “has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 GNV). Chill out! He has a bigger brain than ours.

5)      Look what I did!

Job’s seven sons and three daughters partied big time. Afterwards, Job even offered sacrifices for them, in case they sinned. Wow. Could he have been tempted to glow at his perfect family, his rude health, and enormous wealth? All of us are at risk of sneaky “look-what-I’ve-done” hubris. MY family. MY business. MY investments. No, the Lord gave us all we have.

After the Lord allowed Job to be stripped to nothing, then rebuilt both his family and fortune, Job could only have said, “Look what the Lord has done.”

The 666 Delusion

Many seem afraid of the end times, of the mark of the beast, and the new world order. Is it happening now? Are you marked? Is the vaccine or chip implant the mark?

There is still much confusion among Christians, and that shouldn’t be—the devil is the god of fear and confusion. For those who love the Lord Jesus, there is no need to fear.

  1. The Lord is in control, working his purposes out.
  2. He’s got your back.

I am no theologian or Revelation expert, but that book gives us great reassurance in these last days, if we read it carefully.

What is the Great Tribulation?

Revelation 7:14 tells us. “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Who are they? The ‘great multitude that no one can count from every nation, tribe, people, and language’ in Revelation 7:9. These have already survived the Great Tribulation, which must refer to all the problems earlier in Revelation 6—wars, famines, plagues, and earthquakes— but NOT YET the terrible events in later chapters.

(Why does the Lord allow it? To bring the millions-beyond-counting into the Kingdom. It works!)

Therefore, the terrible events after this are NOT the Great Tribulation. They happen only after the opening of the seventh seal in Revelation 8:1, and they are far worse than the Great Tribulation in Revelation chapters 6 and 7.

Why is this important? Because of the mark.

The Mark of the Beast

The marking with the number of the beast, 666, mentioned in Revelation 13:18, happens in the middle of this second period, AFTER the seventh seal. It doesn’t happen now, and it doesn’t even happen during the Great Tribulation.

We also know this is AFTER the rapture, because in Revelation 14:6 we read that an angel has the eternal gospel to proclaim. Why?

The story of Cornelius in Acts 10 tells us angels don’t have the authority to proclaim the gospel. That’s our responsibility. While the church is on earth, angels cannot preach the gospel. But God so loves the world that even after we’re raptured, he commands the angel to preach, in the hope of saving the last few.

Therefore, the rapture must happen before this—either before or after the Great Tribulation.  So the beast cannot mark people now—not until after the rapture. So chill out, if Jesus is your Lord, you won’t be around!

God’s got your back

During the Great Tribulation of Revelation 6 & 7, God puts his own seal on 144,000, before the action (see Revelation 7:3-4), so that they would not be harmed at that time. Notice these are from all the tribes of Israel, so God is making special provision for these few. The angels in charge of the destruction could not harm them, once they had God’s seal.

But it gets better! If you are baptised in the Holy Spirit, you are already marked. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14).

I’ll say it again: the angels in charge of destruction cannot harm those with God’s seal.

So we don’t need to fear the beast’s number, 666. It is NOT the vaccine or any electronic tag or insert. It will NOT happen until after the Great Tribulation (which hasn’t happened yet—we’d know if it had!)

Furthermore, if you are filled with the Spirit, you are already marked, and your inheritance is guaranteed.

If you are not yet a Christian, may I implore you to humble yourself before the Lord, ask the Father to forgive your sins, and call on the name of Jesus, before it’s too late. Plead with him to fill you with his Spirit. God is faithful, and he will do it.

If you want to study further, I recommend my book, The Seven Seals of the Holy Spirit.

How to understand the Bible

Cleopas and his friend couldn’t

They walked with Jesus for half a day, but didn’t recognize him. After all, he was dead. Jesus even explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Despite their hearts burning within them, they still didn’t understand.

Over the evening meal, Jesus gave thanks, broke bread, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened (Luke 24:31). It WAS him! He must have risen from the dead. They were so excited, they abandoned their dinner and rushed back to tell the disciples in Jerusalem.

While they were still talking, Jesus appeared again and confirmed the reality of his resurrection by eating their fish supper! What do we read next? Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45).

A necessary sequence of events

When we read a ‘then’, ask what the ‘then’ is for—a necessary sequence of events. When they thought he was dead, they didn’t recognize him or understand the Scriptures.

Only when their eyes were opened could they see the resurrected Jesus. And only when they KNEW he lived could he open their minds.

We cannot understand Scripture until we KNOW Jesus has risen from the dead. First, we must know he’s real. Then we must know he’s alive. Then, and only then, will the Bible make sense to us. Not only that, but our hearts too will burn as we discover Jesus in its pages.

That’s why the Scriptures are a closed book to unbelievers and such a joy to those who love Jesus.

Share the Gospel

I feel an increasing urgency to share Jesus. Time is short. Some years ago, a pastor in Havana, Cuba, invited me and a Honduran evangelist to dinner. In their culture, many have servants. When their maid brought our first course, the evangelist asked her, “What’s your name?”

“Maria.”

“Maria, do you know Jesus?”

“No.”

“Would you like to?”

“Yes.”

And he led her in a prayer of salvation. Then she served the dinner.

How to have a secure heart

Psalm 112 speaks of a man whose heart is secure. “He will have no fear of bad news.” The reason may surprise you, for there’s a test. Will you pass?

Our world is plagued with bad news—violence, war, famine, lockdowns, and bankruptcy. It’s hard not to be dragged down with disappointment, worry, or fear. Fear is faith in a bad outcome.

There are two keys to a secure heart.

1) Fear the Lord

The Psalm begins, Blessed is the man who fears the Lord. In other words, faith in a good outcome. Locked down? God’s got it. Not healed yet? God’s got it. Lost income? God’s got it! Bad news? God’s got it.

God is good—he knows what he’s doing, and he’s in control. Whatever the disaster, God has a bigger plan. I’ve read the last chapter, and we win!

2) The not-so-strange test

Who is the one with a secure heart? Psalm 118 goes on. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely. . . He will have no fear of bad news. . . His heart is secure, he will have no fear.

Why?

Generosity endures forever—it’s treasure in heaven. Jesus said (Luke 12:32-34),“Do not be afraid, little flock. . . Sell your possessions and give to the poor. . . [laying up] treasure in heaven . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Secure!

When we’re rich (and most of us are), our wealth can become our security. Generosity breaks the stranglehold of Mammon. When we’re generous, we’re trusting the Supplier, not the supply.

How lightly do you hold your “stuff”? How secure is your heart?

What will 2021 look like?

Ilona Panych, Unsplash

No one but the Lord and his servants, the prophets, could have foreseen 2020. What will 2021 bring? Will it be more of the same? Or worse?

I believe the darkness will get darker, but the light will therefore shine brighter. 

People will be more confused, seeking answers. Those who’ve been distracted by life’s pleasures, wealth, or worries will stop and listen.

There’ll also be an increase in the move of the supernatural that will even attract sceptics. This is what I believe the Lord is saying:

“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness (Isaiah 42:6-7).

The opportunities to share the gospel will multiply. Let us be bold!  Let us resolve to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified, with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power so that people’s faith may not rest on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.

I pray the Lord brings you divine appointments, stirs your courage, and equips you will his supernatural power beyond anything you’ve experienced so that 2021 will be a year of harvest for the Kingdom of God.

With many blessings,

John Fergusson