Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines permission as 1: the act of permitting 2: formal consent.
Macmillan Dictionary defines permission as “the right to do something that is given to you by someone in authority.”
Permission is respect for the rights, property, and privacy of others. When we see a sign that says, “Stop Permission required beyond this point,” we stop and seek permission. Permission can be granted or denied.
The spiritual world operates on permission.
Your Free Will is the posted sign that demands permission be sought. God will not violate your will. Satan will not violate your will. You must surrender your will before your mind and heart can be influenced for good or for evil. You choose to permit your mind and heart to think and behave in good or evil ways.
God doesn’t make you sin. The devil doesn’t make you sin. You sin because you desire or lust after the things that please the flesh, the world, the devil, instead of the things that please God. (James 1:14)
The devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)
God permitted Adam to eat of every tree as He denied permission to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
David gave his son Absalom permission to return to Jerusalem after three years of exile for killing Amnon. David denied permission to enter his presence for two more years.
Jesus asks permission to enter your heart.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20)
Jesus can deny permission to enter heaven.
“And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23)
Permission has to be given by your spirit man to be Born Again.
God cannot and will not enter into an intimate relationship with you until you ask Him to do so.
The devil cannot enter into any relationship with you until you give him legal rights to do so.
The thoughts that we think turn into words that we speak. Those words carry life or death according to Proverbs 18:21.
God is the giver of all life.
Satan is the source of all death.
Our thoughts and words attract life or death. This is why Paul says we are to bring every thought into alignment to the mind of Christ. We have the mind of Christ through His written Word; the Bible. We have the mind of Christ through the Living Words quickened to our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
We believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior with our hearts. We confess Christ as our Lord and Savior with our mouths.
When you enter a bar, you indicate that you are there to drink. When you enter a church, you indicate that you are there to worship God. Your entry permits those in the bar or the church to encourage you to either drink or worship.
Permission is given by thoughts, feelings, attitudes, words, and behavior.
Who are you permitting?
Many times people say that they are suffering hardship and difficult times due to this or that. Part of that may be true. Part of all suffering is due to our own wrong choices.
David reaped many broken relationships; death of his sons, rape of his daughter, a plague for numbering Israel, and his son Adonijah seeking the throne unlawfully.
The difference between David and many of us today is: David acknowledged his sin and wrong choices as the cause of many of his hardships.
“David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die’” (2 Sam. 12:13). Psalm 51 is David’s in-depth confession of his sin.
God forgave David’s sin, but David had to reap the consequences of his sin. This is the Law of Divine Retribution.
Paul puts it this way in Galatians 6:7.
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
Our self-serving society justifies immoral, unethical, and illegal behavior in the name of tolerance. God still judges by His eternal Words.
God is ready to forgive as soon as we permit Him to do so. We do this by believing His promises in His Word and asking for forgiveness in His Name.
Satan is ready to load you down with guilt and shame for being a bad person. We encourage him to do so by believing his lies, thoughts, feelings, words, and behavior which attract self-destruction.
If we sow to the Spirit, the Law of Divine Retribution will bring us eternal life. If we sow to the flesh, we will reap eternal death. Eternal life dwells with God. Eternal death dwells with Satan.
Who do you wish to spend eternity with? Choose you this day who you will serve.
Think thoughts that please Christ. Feel feelings that please Christ. Speak words that please Christ. Behave in ways that please Christ.
Christ is returning soon, and He desires to say to you as His child, “Well done my good and faithful servant. Enter into the joys of your Lord.”