ARCI – 2019 Dec 8: Divine Protocols. Love vs Submission / Respect / Honor. Man & Woman image of Authority & Power??

ARCI – Dec 8

Divine Protocols

Love & Submission / Respect

• Man commanded to love…but finds it a challenge
• Women commanded to respect…but finds it a challenge
• But it is relatively easy for a woman to love & man to respect
• >> The Lord therefore gives us the protocol to make marriage relationships work

Context: We as the Bride of Christ

Crossing our Jordan into our promised land also has its protocols

• Purification & sanctification
• The Ark of the Lord went first
• …leading up to breaking things hindering ones destiny
• >> Waters being cut of from Adam – Dead Sea…Joshua 3:16
• Dealing with foundational issues from where the curse started (town of Adam) leading to sin and death (Dead Sea)

Jesus as my Lord & Savior

• Usually jump over the Lord part & more exited about the savior part

Savior part of Jesus according to >> Luke 4:18 – 19

• The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and has anointed me
• … preach Good News to the poor – anyone without Christ is poor / deficient
• … to proclaim freedom to the captives – anyone in sin is its captive
• KJ – Adds heal the broken hearted – Sin wounds us deeply and breaks our heart
• … recovery of sight to the blind – when sin is removed we are able to see the goodness of God
• … to release the oppressed – Once we know our position in Christ we can break off oppression – COMBAT
• …Proclaim the year of the Lords Favour .. bringing people into the favour of God as the righteousness of God in Christ

But the Lord part is often overlooked or ignored

>> But they work together

• Told to first submit to God, then resist the devil ..then he shall flee…James 4:7
• Whatever we put in God’s hands, He prospers >> giving it life and life in abundance / fullest
• Requires pleasing faith & obedience >> Humility
• Aspects of fear of the Lord >> the beginning of wisdom for everything in life
• >> (Search for fear of the Lord and see the many blessings attached to it)

The protocol in walking in the Lord’s favor / blessings

• Submission / Fear of the Lord / Prioritizing God as first in all things
• That is actually in deed being someones Lord
• Seek first His Kingdom & His Righteousness & all other things shall be added
• >> for His Name sake, so that His name will not be dishonored & not to share His glory with another…Isaiah 48:11
• God is a Jealous God, His name is Jealous …Exodus 34:14…(2 Corinthians 11:2)
• >> As a man would be jealous of his wife >> we are the Bride of Christ
• >> As mother hen jealous of her chicks >> He covers us under His feathers, we find refuge under his wings…Psalm 91:4

We are made in the image and likeness of God

• Let us make man in our image & after our likeness …Genesis 1:26

All power & authority has been given to Christ …Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 1:21

• And we can partake in it as the Righteousness of God in Christ…2 Corinthians 5:21

The we = Man & Woman = Image & likeness of God

• Man is the image of Authority
• Woman is the image of Power

Authority makes power legitimate / whole / acceptable

• Authority being … Influence on perceived legitimacy
• Power without authority can lead to anarchy
• Authority is there to bring order to power

Power makes authority respected

• Power being… the ability to control & influence
• Authority without power may lead to perceived weakness
• …power is need to enforce authority

Police

• Lifts his hand to stop a truck & it stops
• >> Using the authority given by the Government represented by the badge
• >> Backed by power to enforce that authority e.g. a gun

But power has to submit to authority

• Abraham
• >> had the authority to go up and offer his son as a sacrifice
• >> Isaac, possibly stronger (more powerful)  than his father…submitted to the authority

Answered a very interesting question on >> Love vs submission / respect

Ephesians 5 >> First, Wives commanded to submit, then Husbands commanded to love

• With authority, man is commanded to love
• …otherwise he will misuse authority
• With power, woman is commanded to respect / submit / honor
• … otherwise she will misuse power
• … with the ability to drive a man out of the house, preferring to go live in the corner of the roof or making living in the desert desirable… Proverbs 21:9 & 19
• >> Love brings authority under control
• … Love described for us in 1 Corinthians 13…love is
• >> Submission / respect  / honor brings power under control

Different sides of the same coin …made to work together in unity

Protocol : submission comes before love??

• Power has to humble itself before authority to gain legitimacy / honor

Being the Proverbs 31 bride of Christ >> respect, humility & submission

• >> unlocks the fullness of the love of God in us & for us
• Submission / Respect / Honor unlocks the fullness of love in the authority figure??

>> Christ — the Love of God ( for God so loved the world that He gave…) — was given to us as a seed

• He has to be cultivated and nurtured in us to bear fruit
• Submission / Respect / Fear of the Lord is the environment required to make love grow & bear fruit
• The fruits of love is the fruit of the spirit of God??…Galatians 5:22-23
• >> love manifests as joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self control
• (…noting that fruit is put in singular …not fruits???)
• …i.e. Love = fruit of the Spirit
• Work our our salvation (bring it out into manifestation ) with fear and trembling …Philippians 2:12

Prayer

May God create in us a clean heart & renew a right spirit within us 

• A spirit of humility, obedience & faith
• That recognizes Christ Jesus not only as our Savior
• But also enable us to submit to Him as our Lord
• Giving Him power & authority to rule & reign in all aspects of our lives
• …birthing in us His life and bringing it out of us in abundance 

AMEN!