The cry of creation is getting louder. It has only one desire. The desire is for believers to awaken to the fullness of an understanding of their identity. We are the sons and daughters of God!
This scenario is played out in Romans 8 like a great drama with the universe as the backdrop. The players include saints, creation, Holy Spirit and the main star is Jesus Christ Himself. The plot is intense intercession displayed by all the players. The script is unidentifiable at times, as groanings are being made so deep that interpretation is lacking.
Why would such an event be taking place? What is all the fuss about? What is the big deal? Isn’t it normal for things to continue as they are? Aren’t times supposed to get worse?
This great drama of the ages was already on stage as Paul wrote the letter to the Roman church in the 1st century. The intercession was intensifying. Jesus had risen victorious over death, hell and the grave. Heaven and earth were joining as one mighty chorus to cry out for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. Thousands were being saved. Many were walking in power modeling the risen Savior. It was the brightest ray of hope since the fall of the first parents who had lost a measure of their authority over the earth. Briars had begun to grow and curses and famine had become normal. Like a giant dark cloud the days became darker as evil forces took up residence above the earth. The prince of the air was jubilant in his reign over territory that once was touched by the blessing and glory of God. However, the changing of the guards had taken place at Calvary and creation awakened with new excitement. It was time… time for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God.
Creation understands that when the Sons and Daughters of God take their rightful place that things will change. Creation also knows that when we grasp such a truth with simple understanding of who we are, there comes power and the release of inheritance.
Understanding who we are awakens thoughts of royalty. We begin to learn the ways of royalty.Scripture speaks of how Samuel began to teach Israel the ways of royalty (see I Samuel 10:25 NKJV). He explained to the nation how to live in a kingdom of royalty before the golden years of David and Solomon. David was still in the mountains tending sheep while Samuel was writing down the ways of royalty for the people to follow. It was going to be a different protocol. It was a prophetic act of Samuel to prepare the people. God is preparing and calling us to walk the ways of royalty as sons and daughters. We belong to a kingdom and we are the King’s kids.
Speaking of greatness in the kingdom of God, Jesus boldly proclaimed that we must enter as children. I bet that statement made creation jolt. Matthew 18:4 states that this approach of being child-like makes us the greatest in the kingdom. The reason it makes us the greatest is because it puts us in the posture to receive from the Father. What we receive is not based on our works but it’s about who we are – His children. Creation understands that there are no limits to the power and possibilities of sons. When revealed sons and daughters of God understand this relationship, the ways of heaven come to earth.
Creation can envision restoration of all things that were ever taken from the children of God. With the eye of a dove it looks straight ahead. It will not turn to the right or to the left, but groans with a vision of complete restoration. It looks ahead with this resolve. Evil or the results of evil cannot sidetrack her. Creation understands that there is nothing that can stop this restoration process except ignorance. Ignorance of who we are in God’s family slows the progress of all creation. It hinders the kingdom of God from advancing on the earth. Yet, upon a single revelation of this truth lightning bolts of power proceed from the very throne room of God in Heaven. Angels get excited and creation dances.
This is one of the most exciting dramas of all time. The players are intense and passionate. It unfolds in a scenario of simple truth but has the ability to turn the world upside down. It causes deserts to bloom. It causes mountains to become plains and marsh lands to dry up. It causes cities to be restored to their redemptive nature and nations to be saved. Above all, it causes the knowledge of the glory of the Lord to fill the earth.
This great drama of restoration is not just some little Christmas play to make our hearts warm and give us fuzzy feelings. It is not even a tear-jerker. The groan is deeper than tears. This is bigger than the imagination can imagine. It is bigger than the thoughts of the most intimate follower of God. It is more real than the most colorful dream ever dreamed and greater than man’s greatest vision.
Creation is crying out for change while we are often buffeted by simple trials. Creation is caught up in vision of restoration while we allow ourselves to stumble over simple triumphs of evil around us. Harps have been hung upon the willow tree while we have wallowed in the effects of bondage. There have been times of blindness upon our eyes like scales while we have sung about how well we can see. It is well time we awaken to see that the things we don’t see are more real than the things we do see. The supernatural realm around us is more real than the natural world we live in. Much of the natural will perish while the things presently unseen will be eternal. Like Elisha’s servant, may we pray for our eyes to be opened to see what is actually unfolding around us (see II Kings 6:17). Most of this drama of the ages cannot be seen with the natural eye. However, we will behold with amazement the results of it all.
Nations are in uproar and we stand by seemingly helpless. It is our finest moment. We were born for such a time as this. Darkness begins to fall upon the earth, even great darkness comes like storm clouds. Yet, the good news is the glory of God rises upon us, beckoning us to arise and shine (see Isaiah 60). We are to ask for the nations as an inheritance (see Psalms 2).
Jesus demonstrated every realm of restoration. He calmed the storms. I am sure that creation loved this. I like it when He calms me. He took authority over the created order. He multiplied matter when He multiplied the bread and fish. He healed the sick. He took authority over disease and sickness. He raised the dead. He cast out demons. He modeled lordship over the natural realm, the spiritual realm, the physical realm, and even death. He was demonstrating a new day of restoration. He was taking back what had been taken from the first Adam. As the second Adam, He was exercising every right forfeited by the first Adam. Everything Jesus did for 33 years, He did as a man. We sometimes want to think He did it as God and the result of this kind of thinking is failure to live up to the life He modeled for man. In our thinking, we feel we are limited to model Him because He performed as God. He chose to do everything as a man thereby setting a new kind of normal for the earth.
We have been trained for warfare. We are to forcefully advance the kingdom of God. We have the Word, the Name of Jesus, and the blood as our weapons. Through praise we send the enemy to flight. There are seasons of intense war. However, there are also seasons to rest as sons and daughters of the King. Even the warfare seasons are more fruitful if approached as sons and daughters. Sons and daughters of God have an unlimited inheritance now and for eternity. There is no reason to save all the inheritance for the next life. As sons and daughters we need to posture ourselves before the Lord as children and receive. Being in His presence will empower us and equip us to go forth with all we need.
In the Vietnam war, which many Americans see as the most useless war we ever fought, there was slow progress. It has been reported that for every enemy taken there was an average of 50,000 bullets used. That is an astounding ratio. Are we doing much better in the spiritual battle of our times? Our God will give us wisdom as a gift so that we can know our seasons. If we don’t walk in this wisdom we may have the same results as the Vietnam bullet ratio. His wisdom will show us when to forcefully advance in authority and when to humble ourselves in the position of sons and daughters to simply receive what war could never acquire.
Get ready earth! Creation groans louder. May the darkest places rejoice the most. The earth was formless, void and dark in the first verses of Genesis. The Spirit of God moved upon the earth and we still stand in amazement at what happened. The Spirit moved in that drama of the ages and the earth was restored. Now, joined by the Saints and Jesus Christ Himself, let all creation join in the loudest groanings ever uttered for the restoration of all things. With this restoration Jesus will no longer be retained in the heavens, but will come in great power and glory (see Acts 3:21). We say…. yes to His yes and Amen to His Amen!
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