Our recent move is a gift (of topics to write about) that keeps on giving. One month after having moved into our new home a few issues have not been resolved. There are keys missing, which means valuable items, and us of course, are not as secure as it/we should be. There are loose pavers which poses a falling risk, windows that needs cleaning and a few other issues that need fixing. Numerous emails and phone calls later our frustration levels were at its peak and yet another phone call was made to the property manager. Long story short, we weren’t going anywhere until I started quoting the Tenancy Act, reminding her of the landlord’s responsibilities and obligations under the law. As a result, half an hour later we started receiving phone calls from contractors…results at last.

It got me thinking how we are here, walking the earth and frankly, we are only tenants here. Our home is in another realm…we are merely passing through this world. Remember Philippians 3:20? For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, and John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.”

There is a landlord here who hates us and he will go out of his way to be as devious, as controlling and as sneaky as we let him. He will draw a line in the sand and promise us to stay on his side, if we will toe the line. Of course, every time you blink he moves the lines, or blurs it to the point where you end up with no territory while he has taken ground all along.

He is a landlord that over promises and under delivers every time. Sin looks so appealing, until it becomes time to pay up, and the price is steep, usually far more than you bargained for. Remember how he tried to trick Jesus?

In Matthew 4:8 -10 we see that Satan tries to tempt Jesus a third time:

“Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory [splendour, magnificence, and excellence] of them;  and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written and forever remains written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’

Jesus does not dispute that he has authority over all the kingdoms of the world, He comments on Who is worthy of our worship.

Over and over the Word warns us against the trickery of the enemy. See Ephesians 6:12 NIV “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” and 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” and James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Whether your doctrine and theology allow for it or not, the Word is very clear that we have an enemy that’s out for our blood and that those who serve him and his kingdom’s purpose are heading for destruction. That’s the truth and the reality is that many people are walking around, believing that they are powerless or that Jesus is coming back to fight the battle that he has authorised us to fight.

We have a landlord that has no agenda other than to rob, kill and destroy us, we have squatters in our land that need to be evicted and we have the angel armies of God ready to do battle with us. We need to know, understand and apply the eternal law of God. We need to know, not only our rights and privileges as sons of God but also our obligations and responsibilities. We need to understand that our responsibility as sons of God is to be an ekklesia, a law-making, governmental body of mature believers who understand our identity and authority in Christ Jesus. Our role is to enforce everything that Jesus dearly paid for on the cross, whether it’s healing, deliverance or provision.

The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters! Romans 8:19 (TPT)

All of creation is holding its breath…broken people are longing for someone or something they can’t even name, a broken world is yearning for the children of God to shine because of the glory of Jesus Christ all over them…children who will stand in the face of a natural disaster, a flood, a fire and speak to that thing and say “you will not pass by here” and be obeyed, like the storm obeyed Jesus, or sons who will say to a demon, a sickness or a disease “go, in Jesus’ name” and see deliverance 100% of the time. That is who we were created to be. That is the authority we are supposed to carry. All that being said, I want to say one more thing…RISE UP THE WARRIORS! Deal to the squatters. Quote the law to the landlord. Stand on your rights. Take up your responsibilities. Be who you were created to be!