The Appropriation

In law and government, appropriation - "to make one's own", is the act of setting apart something for its application to a particular usage. In the kingdom of God, God supplies all our needs. It is His good pleasure to do so. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” His supply is unlimited and readily available to be given to His children.

In the kingdom of God there are two ways in which His people walk;either after the flesh or after the Spirit. You cannot do both simultaneously. There are two ways, therefore, that one may receive the blessings of God; either by the flesh or by the Spirit. Likewise, you cannot do both simultaneously.

When God created the natural realm in which we live, He spoke laws into creation that apply to all mankind. An example of this is a law regarding sowing and reaping. Luke 6:18 says "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you pour out it shall be measured to you again." Men of the world have long understood that if they give then they receive in return. Many in the body of Christ have tried to use this law and have had little success because their hearts were not right. Their motivation was to gain blessings instead of being a blessing. God looks upon the heart, and He will withhold or delays blessings for His children to protect them from being destroyed by unrighteousness. There is, however, a way around this.

There is another law regarding faith. God honors faith. If you truly believe something, it can and will manifest. Man discovered that belief in something works if your thinking is in accord with your belief. Proverbs 23:7 says " For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." Change your thinking and you can change your circumstances. Science calls this neuroplasticity. Plasticity is the capacity to be shaped, molded, or altered. Neuroplasticity, then, is the ability for the brain to adapt or change over time, by creating new neurons and building new networks. Neuroplasticity means that it is possible to change dysfunctional patterns of thinking and behavior and to develop new mindsets, new memories, new skills, and new abilities. A technique used to change your mindset is positive affirmation. You repeat positive thoughts and continually focus on them until your mind comes into agreement and you start thinking and believing differently.

The Law of Attraction is based on neuroplasticity. The Law of Attraction is a philosophical and spiritual concept that suggests that like attracts like, meaning your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs can shape your reality. It is the belief that by focusing on positive or negative thoughts, you can bring corresponding experiences into your life. Simply stated, the Law of Attraction is man's way of tapping into God's law regarding faith and by faith producing whatever you desire.

The church has tapped into this thinking in the "word of faith" movement. The Word of Faith movement is a branch of Protestant charismatic christianity. It emphasizes the belief that individuals can achieve power, health, and financial prosperity through faith. A key aspect of this movement is the practice of "positive confession," where believers speak affirmations of biblical promises to manifest their desires. Many "faith" teachers have had great success in their ministries teaching these principles. Many miracles have occurred, and many have been swept away by following these teachings to produce what they believe is the will of God. What the church does not understand is that these techniques are works of the flesh. One cannot operate in this manner apart from using their own strength and leaning to their own understanding, thereby exercising the carnal mind and strengthening self. You cannot walk on the way that leads to life and come to know the Lord if you put any confidence in the flesh. The way that leads to life requires denying self, taking up your cross daily, and following Jesus.

"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Luke 16:13) The Greek word for mammon is mamōnas, which denotes material wealth in such a way that it is treated as a personal power competing with devotion to God. Understanding that the Word of Faith movement is not of God, despite its success and being based on the word of God, gives revelation to what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity." It is possible to honor the Lord with your lips, yet have your heart far from Him. It is possible to do miracles in His name, yet not know Him.

One of the scriptures the word of faith people love to use is Mark 11:23: "For truly I say to you, That whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be you removed, and be you cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he says." On its own, this scripture makes quite a case to believe and declare until the mountain is moved and the desires manifest. But to fully understand what Jesus was saying, we need to look at the verse before and the verse after verse 23.

"And Jesus answering said to them, Have faith in God. For truly I say to you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be you removed, and be you cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he says. Therefore I say to you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them."

Have faith in God. This says it all. Faith in God is born out of a right relationship with God. A right relationship with God is developed out of surrender to the will of God. It comes from walking in His ways, walking after the Spirit, and rejecting all that is of self. Faith in God is being obedient to Him, trusting Him with all your heart, depending upon Him in and for all things, waiting upon Him, seeking to know Him, and allowing Him to be your Lord, Master, and King. Faith in God overcomes the world in us and delivers us from the carnal mind and the influence of the flesh. Faith in God will bring forth a separation between our old nature and a new nature birthed in us. Faith in God will bring us to be restored to what we were created to be: the image of God. We can be brought to enter into His rest and cease from our own works. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)

That whosoever shall say unto this mountain. There is only one area that Jesus gave us carte blanche authority to speak and declare things in His name and that is in reference to taking authority over the demonic realm. "Behold, I give to you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19) In all other accounts of the righteous speaking in the name of Jesus, it was by unction of the Holy Spirit, not by fleshly declaration.

For example, when Peter and John went to the Temple and entered at the Beautiful Gate, a lame man seeking financial help asked them for an offering. "Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." The people witnessing this miracle were amazed, but Peter sought to give explanation. "He answered unto the people, You men of Israel, why marvel you at this? or why look you so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” (Acts 3:6-8,12)

Peter did not tell the man about manifesting wealth by faith and he did not say that this man was healed by anything other than the power of God. Peter was, as we should be, a vessel through whom the Holy Spirit flowed. Jesus left us an example that we should follow. He was the example of having faith in the Father and being led by the Holy Spirit. "Then answered Jesus and said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever he does, these also do the Son likewise." (John 5:19)

Therefore I say to you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." When you pray. Prayer is the foundation of our relationship with God. We cannot relate to Him, get to know Him, develop ears to hear what the Spirit says, be led by the Spirit, or be transformed into His image apart from prayer. Prayer is how we come into the presence of God. Our heavenly Father is good and desires what is best for us. "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:12) He invites us to ask the Father for our desires. "Up until now have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:24) "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6) Nowhere in the word of God do the writers declare you should do anything in your own strength and understanding. Quite the opposite. Put no confidence in the flesh.

Believe that you receive them, and you shall have them. The only way we can truly believe is to know that the petition put before God is of His will. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." (I John 5:14-15) If we ask according to His will, His answer is yes. But we must understand that He does not say when the blessing will come. God wants us to trust Him, seek Him, and wait on Him, knowing that this is all working together for our good. The word speaks of continually asking, not out of a lack of faith, but out of persistence which demonstrates faith.

"And he said to them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give you. I say to you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs. And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:5-13)

This "prayer of importunity", this continual knocking, is pleasing to the Father. It shows forth faith when you persist. Do not give up if you believe that what you are seeking is of the will of God. It is very much like Jacob wrestling with the Lord. The struggle went on all night. "And he (the Lord)said, Let me go, for the day breaks. And he (Jacob) said, I will not let you go, except you bless me." (Genesis 32:26)

There are requests that we make that are not of the will of God. God will never say yes to such requests, for they are not in your best interest. "You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts." (James 4:3) Our hearts should never desire that which is not of His will. All that is not of His will is that which must be overcome in us. One who is in right relationship with God will embrace God's ways and all He allows in our lives, having confidence that though we may not understand His purpose in any given circumstance, we know the outcome will be good.

Appropriating God's blessings goes beyond making requests according to His will. If our confidence is in Him and not in the flesh, He will bless us beyond what we can imagine. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." (Ephesians 3:20) "But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

"Then Peter began to say to him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed you. And Jesus answered and said, truly I say to you, There is no man that has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." (Mark 10:28-30)

Beloved, have faith in God and put no confidence in the flesh.