Last week I had reason to think about the power and effects of covenants and agreements we make with others. The following is a reflection of some of my thoughts on this. Covenants are powerful things and there are others who spiritually know a lot more than I do about them, but I wanted to increase your awareness of them. Many of us will be making big changes in our lives in the days ahead, some of us signing up for new businesses, properties, partnerships, friendships, commitments to organisations and community groups. We usually think of a covenant in a legal sense e.g. agree by lease, deed, or other legal contract. Then there is biblical covenant i.e. an agreement which brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people. The Jewish faith is based on the biblical covenants made with Abraham, Moses, and David. There are also I believe, 'informal' covenants we can enter into out of naivety e.g. pricking our thumbs as childhood friends and swearing to never be parted, or swearing to a friend or family member that we will look after them forever. There can be ungodly covenants that our ancestors have entered into, both natural, spiritual or demonic that stay on our bloodlines and affect the fullness of all that we are meant to receive from the Father. We enter into a type of covenant when we buy land, a house, get a loan from the bank, or go into partnership with someone else in a business. While not legally binding in the earthly sense, there are agreements we can enter into with others that can impact us. Recently I read a testimony of the author of a book I was reading where God had challenged her about the posts she was liking on Facebook. God had been speaking to her about agreements and told her that liking a Facebook post for the sake of letting the person know you've read the post, when it is not a post that is Godly, (it could be in attitude, gossip, pro abortion etc), it brings her into agreement with unrighteousness. She was basically giving her seal of approval to whatever the person had posted. Food for thought! Back in 2008 my husband and I bought into a business with the current business owner staying on board for 3 years. He was a nice enough guy but the profanity and cursing with the Lord's name was almost non stop. It was very difficult being around him. I really struggled with the decision of whether we should go into business with him, but after much prayer I had God's peace about it. I was of course considering the scriptures 'Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?' 2 Cor 6:14, and 'Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven'. Matt 18:19. When coming into agreement or covenant with a person such as this, everything in the natural tells you why would I bring myself into agreement with what looks like darkness? My answer to that is that God has principles and precepts for us to follow but ultimately in the end we must hear from the Lord. That business was a doorway to a huge amount of blessing for us. I have had shared with me another example a little bit similar but it also had manipulation and control attached to it and was basically holding a family hostage to their circumstances. On the face of it they could be free if they participated in an agreement, however they potentially could also bring themselves under the control of the other party from then on and possibly bring a curse upon their bloodline - or they could completely step away and trust God to bless them in other ways. Again a situation where the leading of the Lord is very much required. Coming into agreements and covenants must be accompanied by much prayer and wisdom, along with discernment of motives of both ourselves and the other party. Even with simple agreements such as a bank loan, we must seek the Lord for his leading in this. While we may easily afford it, it may still not be wise, and God may simply say no because He is aware of future things that we are not. There are of course those agreements we come into in conversations, when we often without thinking, agree with the darkness instead of the light. I am learning daily to be more and more intentional about what I agree with in conversations I have with others, and that my response is one of light, love and God's goodness. The Blood of Jesus breaks the power of unrighteous agreements when we repent. We can ask Him to bring His goodness out of any such agreements we have come under, and if necessary to rescue us out of them in His grace and mercy. I have a sense that God is calling us up higher and raising the bar with regard to our dealings with darkness, and encouraging us to respond as 'sons' of God and come out of agreement more than ever with the things of the world that have ensnared us.
3 Comments
Casey Philip
28/5/2020 11:31:55 am
Great post :)
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Fiona
28/5/2020 02:56:37 pm
Thanks Casey for the feedback xxx
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Grace
14/2/2021 11:02:45 pm
I love this post! I never thought of it that way.
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