Keys to the Kingdom

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. —Matthew 16:19

If you have keys to your home, you have authority in your home. If you give the keys to someone else, you also give them authority. Would you give the keys to your home to someone you didn’t trust? Jesus gives the keys to His kingdom to those who acknowledge Him as Lord of the kingdom and submit to His Lordship within the kingdom.

You can’t just casually wander into Jesus’ kingdom, either. You may enlist in an army. You might join an organization. You are hired as an employee. But as a child of God—a citizen of His Kingdom, you must be born (John 3). As a matter of fact, He compared it to the process of birth! It is not something to be taken lightly, and it requires earnest commitment (Philippians 3:14).

But praise to God, once we are born again as citizens of His kingdom, we have power over all oppression operating outside His kingdom. We have protection from everything the powers of darkness would try to array against us!

By Your Spirit, Lord, birth me into Your Kingdom.
I long to be Your child and a loyal, eternal
citizen of the Kingdom of heaven. Amen.