It’s sacred… God’s reflection of wonder found in the freckles He made for you. It’s cherished… God’s thumbprint on your hands. It’s treasured… the Spirit’s life flowing out of you in the voice He saved for you. It’s favored… God’s destiny on your soul.

You are sacred in the eyes of Your loving Father.

“Because you are precious in My eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, and peoples in exchange for your life.” Isaiah 43:4

Your protection is high priority to Him. Your destiny is worth guarding. 

Running alongside me you challenge me into higher incline and faster acceleration… A new equilibrium kicks in… Level up. The Spirit in you possesses higher power… God takes you into greater dimensions as you let Him train with you.

The training of the Lord is kind. His affirmation empowering. He takes His scepter and He touches your shoulder… anoints you with His legacy of blessing.

“Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭13:24‬ ‭

Love is careful.

Intentional.

Gentle. 

Purposeful.

Do you use this verse as an excuse to beat your children?

What a waste of quality exertion you could be pouring upon your lover.

They would love a few more siblings… Don’t withhold lest they grow up an only child and hate you forever…

You see… the word “rod” has many forms, many shapes, and many uses. To the spouse, it carries one meaning and to the fish in the sea another. Ensuring the right Greek/Hebrew exegesis will ensure the fishing rod does not get misplaced in the bedroom. 

They will love you if you take them to catch a bass or two… even more when you train them on the correct reel and hook techniques.

“Jesus said, “Come follow after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

Fishers of men… it’s the soul Jesus came to save.

To guard.

To protect.

You violate the ethics of a Kingdom paradigm when you use sacred hands to harm another.

“They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭6:14‬

Peace is not found in a house of anarchy. In a house of brutality. In a house of dysfunction. 

King Solomon says, “Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21:19‬ ‭

The desert can be a refuge.

The Sons of Korah sang… “As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs. The Autumn rain also covers it with pools. ”
‭‭Psalm 84:6‬

What kind of valley do you live in?

A valley of living water or a valley of death?

Walk with Jesus and every valley become an oasis. 

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” 
‭‭Psalm 23:4‬ ‭

Jesus’ “rod” spoken of in the Psalms is a comfort because it bestows blessing and protection, not harm.

God is a protector not an attacker.

David describes the guardian presence of the Lord’s Spirit there with him as he dwelt in the valley where death and danger surrounded him, yet it didn’t affect him. Because He trusted in a higher valley… a higher sustenance… a higher mountain… a higher Kingdom. A Kingdom where God is the King and He protects His anointed. “Your rod Your staff, they comfort me…” David said. He experienced the preservation and protection of God’s rod being used to keep away evil. David knew the power of protection for God’s anointed. So much so that he would not even harm Saul, the very man trying to kill him… because Saul was still in his role as the King.

“But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” in 1 Samuel 26:9.

Kingdom warriors seek to preserve and protect God’s anointed, not destroy them.

Do you want to be a warrior?

Choose what kind of warrior you want to be.

There are 2 kinds of warriors: oppressors and protectors.

Oppressors fight to kill. Protectors fight to save. One could argue that the oppressor is not a warrior at all because of their intent to harm, which contradicts bravery altogether. Oppressors act without love and use control tactics to destroy. Protectors act in love and use freedom tactics to liberate. 

Know God and see the Father’s love.

See the Father’s love and learn how to be a Kingdom warrior.

I can see King David out in the pastures tending the sheep as a young boy before He was on the throne. He sharp eye and fearless instincts combined with his love for the sheep entrusted to him made him a protector. When the bears would come toward the sheep, David fought them off. When lions came for the sheep, David fought them off too. Nothing scared David… because He trusted in Yahweh, the One mightier than any bear or lion. Day and night, David tended those sheep faithfully to make sure they were protected. I believe that is just one of the many reasons why God chose him as King. 

“But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 1 Samuel 17:34-36

He is saturated in love for the flock. He is a warrior who protects the flock.

When you love, you protect.

God could trust Him to lead a nation who would need a King to protect them as a people and pour out the love of God.

“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.” Psalm 144:1

David experienced the training of the Lord. Discipline to war with courage and bravery, not laziness nor cowardice.

God’s training will make you brave.

Fearless.

Indestructable.

Ready for battles that can only be won with Him and for Him, so that His glory and reknown will be made known to all the people it impacts. We battle not for blood but for hearts to be brought into the redemption of new life and anointing forever.

God wants warriors for His Kingdom… warriors who will be protectors not oppressors.

“In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.” Isaiah 54:14

Warriors don’t inflict injury on another without cause. Warriors defend. Warriors protect. Warriors guard and shield. And because they do… they gain Heavenly protection from the Lord and His angels.

“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” Hebrews 1:14

Angels will minister to you when you minister for the Lord. 

Angels guard the Lord’s warriors.

God’s warriors rid out darkness.

It’s time to understand who you are.

Learn how to love not fight.

“Each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable.” 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:4‬

Control your limbs. Protect your lineage. You are not an oppressor.

You are a life-giver.

You are a life-healer.

You are a rescuer.

There is no oppression in the Kingdom of God.

The oppressor seeks to squash you. The protector seeks to uplift you.

The oppressor walks with a rod in their hands. The protector walks with you in their hands.

God says He holds you in His hands… so no one can harm you. No one can claim you without His consent.

You belong to God. Thus, you gain the protection of His angels.

“For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order His angels to protect and guard you and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.” Luke 4:10

Jesus explains this to the devil who attempts to persuade Him into foregoing His own destiny and choose comfort. Jesus did not fear the devil’s tactics. Because He knows His scriptures. This scripture He wrote long before He came to earth, through David in Psalm 91:11. Because His Word stands for all time. He knows that God’s Word always outsmarts the devil. God’s Word is His own Word. He knows how to use it to His advantage. 

Orders. 

Given to angels.

To protect you.

God orders the angels to guard you.

So don’t fear any kind of threat from the enemy… You are safe forever.

angelic presence

surrounds you in love

because He chose you

because He knows you

as His own

angelic presence

abounds in your touch

because you know love Him

because you seek Him

as your King

a mighty warrior

is who He

made you to be

God is by nature, a protector and a coverer, not a harmer. The first sin ever committed sets a precedent for how sin is handled by God with humankind. Loving and nurturing. We find this incident in Genesis 3. Here, Adam and Eve eat the fruit from the forbidden tree of good and evil. This allows sin to enter the world. Thus, a pure and perfect Garden of Eden is contaminted forever. Changed and tainted. Cursed and polluted with a contagion that had never entered before.

What does God do about His perfect garden being ruined?

Does God beat Adam and Eve? No.

Does God kill Adam and Eve? No.

Does God put his hands on Adam and Eve to inflict pain and injury? No.

God takes care of Adam and Eve.

Yes, He takes care of them even though a mistake has just been committed. He And instead, kills a separate organism, innocent and sinless, in order to make clothes from this organism’s skin to put on Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21). This symbolizes Jesus’ own blood shed for the sins of humanity as the perfect human who lived and died in our spot. God does whatever He can do to ensure His treasured and sacred creation (Adam and Eve) are protected and preserved, despite the sin they committed. What kindness and grace…

God knew what He placed in the Garden: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He knew what Adam and Eve would do: touch it. He had it planned from the beginning: let them be exposed to sin. He knew what He would do about it: die for them.

God’s redemptive perfecting is this: sin and evil plays a role in our development and awareness of the universe we were birthed into.

God reveals Heaven through the knowledge of good and evil. God cannot have the Heaven He wants with us, unless we were first exposed to sin and evil. And can overcome it. And understand what good actually is. So that we can have the comprehension of what paradise actually is, because of the juxtaposition making it possible. This is the only way. When you understand the fallen world was allowed by God, you don’t have to punish yourself for it. God poured out all of His wrath on Jesus. God put us all here. There is nobody who lives outside of the world and is without sin. God says, “He who thinks he is without sin deceives himself and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 1:8

When we acknowledge the depravity of humankind as initiated by the fall and Jesus Christ’s atonement for that curse, we gain the eternal reflection of our perfection in His eyes.

“And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:23

In Genesis 3, the innocent animal slain heals the shame of Adam and Eve so that there is no shame at all. Because the one who has the power to put shame on Adam and Eve isn’t going to. Instead, God covers them with completion. The garment. The skin. The blood. His love… His grace.

The grace of God poured out on humanity day 1 of the fall. We did not have to wait until Jesus arrived to experience it. We see it here as God comes close to Adam and Eve. 

So how do we experience it? Through intimate relationship with God.

Adam and Eve experienced grace, because of the intimate relationship they had with Him. Grace is a privilege given to anyone who wants intimacy with Jesus. This grace ushers you into love. And love ushers you into betterment.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

When Jesus dies for humanity, this grace is displayed vividly and clearly rendering salvation by faith in the Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus died before the foundation of the world, even though according to the world timeline He had not yet come (1 Peter 1:20, Rev 13:8). But since God is outside of time, this sacrifice has already been made at this time so God acts in grace and preservation of His own character.

The same God who died on the cross is the same God here in Genesis with Adam and Eve… the God of love. The God who will not let any devil nor any sin keep Him from having a love relationship with us (Romans 8:38-39). The curse of the broken world will never separate you from God… because God loves you and He Himself died in your place, so that HE could clothe you in His righteousness, just as He did for Adam and Eve clothing them with the innocent animal’s skin. 

Heaven glimmers as the inheritance for God’s chosen people… His sacred creation.

God guards His sacred creation. Heaven is guarded also. Kept pure and undefiled. Only what is drenched in Jesus’ blood and made perfect in Him will reside inside its walls. This was the same at the beginning also, following the fall of man when sin entered the Garden of Eden. Here we see God make a change in how people will interact with Him now considering sin can never enter the holy place where God exists. So the holy Garden of Eden is blocked with angels guarding it.

“So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3:24

God drives out sin.

At this point in the beginning of creation’s story, Adam and Eve are the first humans created and now since the Garden of Eden is defiled God opens the door to the rest of the world for them to now explore. More good and evil. More tests and trials. More temptations. More training. More life. It’s just like when Jesus began His ministry, the Spirit of God “drove Him into the wilderness” as Mark 1:12 says. When God says… now it’s time for the world to multiply, He allows it to take place in this environment where both good and evil are present. Because these two humans now have the contagion of sin. Even though Jesus Christ’s eternal sacrifice will cover them if they want to have that relationship with God, their tainted condition means they cannot stay in the perfect Garden. Humanity must play out on earth until God says its time for a New Garden to be birthed. Now their relationship will be through faith in the promised Messiah, or the “seed” of the woman that will deliver the people from sin (Jesus) spoken over them here in Genesis 3:15. 

This period of time on earth will birth God’s people, His sacred creation and give every living soul a chance to choose God or not choose God. This is His plan. This is how the fall of man actually generates the process of giving people the freedom to choose salvation or not. So it had to happen.

One day… Jesus is coming back to bring us into a new, perfect Garden. 

“Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14

What are God’s commandments? Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Jesus said, the second one is like it: love people.

Love is your admission into the Kingdom of God.

Love is what sent Jesus Christ into a broken earth to save His creation from sin forever. Love is where you are headed… Heaven. Where endless love is present. You will choose what you love.

Love flows first from the Spirit of God… to you…

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely… “And behold, I am coming quickly…” Revelation 22:17,22

God beckons you to enter into infinite love with Him.

God will welcome us into the New Heaven and New Earth at the Second Coming of Jesus, where we enter without any sin or blemish and carry the awareness of God’s goodness in light of darkness.

“He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.” Ephesians 5:27

Grace is, always has been, and always will be the gift God gives you in order to relate to Him in connection. 

Love will always be our response to the God who gives us the opportunity to be close to Him. There is no desire to reject Him or rebel against Him once you experience this amazing connection with God. This is why God does not have to rely on punishment as a magnetic method of pulling us close to Him. He knows that when He pursues us in love and we receive it, we will want Him in return.

Spiritual growth churns on this axis of love with God. You naturally grow when you are alive and breathing. Your spirit supernaturally grows, likewise, when your Spirit is alive through the rebirth of salvation making your spirit more mature everyday. More wise everyday. More

God does not need to condemn His creation. He knows how valuable it is. How valuable you are. So He speaks potential and He trains your strength to elevate higher. God is a good trainer. And His discipline is one of betterment through leading by example and giving you opportunities to excel and learn.

“No training seems pleasant at the time. In fact, it seems painful. But later on it produces a harvest of godliness and peace. It does this for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11

What painful experience would you wish away?

If you had not experienced it… you would not be the strong warrior that you are.

Your pathway… the golden pavement we’re training on running towards you. Your mission… the free weights that strengthened me from the repetition of intercession. Your Spirit… the pull-ups that pulled me up higher to Your perspective on the world you made for us to claim for Your namesake. We’re training in Your gym. Your love. Guarded by the angels who march beside us and go before us with You to save. Let God be your God… and become a warrior for the Kingdom of God.

Be thankful for every painful experience that rooted royalty in you.

Difficult situations, obstacles, new experiences, new seasons, conflicts, waiting, interceding, strengthening, serving, warring, ministry can all yield the discipline of the Lord training you. God does not need to belittle you nor harm you to train you. Life itself is the training. Life itself is the discipline of the Lord manifesting overtime. Life is only enhancing your beauty as His sacred creation.

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

God begins the work in you. 

God finishes the work in you.

God is the Creator of His goodness He fashioned in you.

A loving God does not abuse His own children nor His Bride.

He is perfect in love. With arms of healing, not killing.

Love is your strongest foundation.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1

Your love upholds us

in the heights

of Heaven

where rivers of life

and angelic skies

declare Your delight

in Your Bride

forever

Love is your essential for a healthy family. A healthy workplace. Healthy friendships. Healthy mindsets. Healthy pursuits. Love is the purest substance one can inhale. It’s vital to your thriving.

Your love, Lord… it is the cherry blossom tree we are tethered to where You are the vine and we are the branches. We grow from being connected to you… rooted in you… found in you… loved by You… lifted up by the angels to see Your beauty in the Heavenly places. Transformed by the glory of Your face renewing us into Your image… we look to You and we are invincible in you. Let Heaven come…

 

“For He will command His angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.”

Psalm 91:11