You have the housekeys of heaven
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule … 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule!” … And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
(Genesis 1:26-31)
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 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. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell] will not overcome it. 19 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.”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 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. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell] will not overcome it. 19 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 16:16-19)
Think about your housekey. It enables you to enter your home. You can give it to one of your friends to use but, without it, nobody can enter your property. They are locked out of whatever treasures may lie within.
When the Lord created Adam and Eve in Genesis 1, he gave them the housekeys of heaven. He commissioned them to rule the earth for him and to reflect his glory in all they did as the earthly members of his heavenly household. As we have seen this week, they quickly lost those keys through their rebellion against God, but Jesus came into the world to redeem the spoiled human race back to God. He came to give us back the housekeys of heaven.
That’s the context behind the amazing promise that the Lord Jesus made to Peter in Matthew 16. As soon as Peter confessed that Jesus was the Son of God, the promised Saviour, who would defeat the devil and restore humanity back to God’s plan, Jesus declared to him with great excitement: You’ve got the housekeys of heaven, Peter! Whatever you lock and unlock on the earth through your prayers will be locked and unlocked for you in heaven!
When the Lord created Adam and Eve in Genesis 1, he gave them the housekeys of heaven. He commissioned them to rule the earth for him and to reflect his glory in all they did as the earthly members of his heavenly household. As we have seen this week, they quickly lost those keys through their rebellion against God, but Jesus came into the world to redeem the spoiled human race back to God. He came to give us back the housekeys of heaven.
That’s the context behind the amazing promise that the Lord Jesus made to Peter in Matthew 16. As soon as Peter confessed that Jesus was the Son of God, the promised Saviour, who would defeat the devil and restore humanity back to God’s plan, Jesus declared to him with great excitement: You’ve got the housekeys of heaven, Peter! Whatever you lock and unlock on the earth through your prayers will be locked and unlocked for you in heaven!
1) Take a moment to reflect honestly. How much are you living in the good of what Jesus promised Peter?
2) What do you sense the Holy Spirit stirring you to lock or bind today in heaven through your earthly prayers? What do you see happening around you that you know you need to put a halt to right now in Jesus’ name?
3) What do you sense the Holy Spirit stirring you to unlock or loose today on earth through your prayers to heaven? What things do you see around you that you can transform by God’s power through your Kingdom prayers?
2) What do you sense the Holy Spirit stirring you to lock or bind today in heaven through your earthly prayers? What do you see happening around you that you know you need to put a halt to right now in Jesus’ name?
3) What do you sense the Holy Spirit stirring you to unlock or loose today on earth through your prayers to heaven? What things do you see around you that you can transform by God’s power through your Kingdom prayers?
Father God, I haven’t heard too much teaching about this truth, but I believe it. I am excited that you have given me the housekeys of heaven through my faith in your Son Jesus. I thank you that whatever I lock and unlock on earth through my prayers has been locked and unlocked for me in heaven. I thank you that I can now rule with you. Amen.
If you have time, consider carrying on your conversation with God using one of our helpful Prayer Pathways.
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.