Five Phases In God’s Plan
We often hear about God allowing suffering but if we explore why God allows suffering, we see a five-phase plan from God that goes from a plan, promise, preparation to peril, and ultimately the pinnacle.
In a sermon by Pastor Mike Signorelli the V1 Church leader emphasizes that understanding God's sovereignty, the nature of spiritual warfare, and the importance of spiritual authority will help the believer navigate God’s plan for their life.
Phase 1 & 2 : God's Plan and Promise
The first phase Signorelli detailed is the plan. God, an eternal being, created everything with a plan. We see throughout scripture that God's plan for His creation is good. As he told Jeremiah his plans are for welfare and not for evil, to give a future and a hope. However, God's plan and promise come hand in hand.
In Genesis 12:1-3 we get insight into God's plan for Abram who would go on to become Abraham, the father of all nations. Abraham's covenant with God is an unbreakable agreement, highlighting God's consistency and the genetic lineage leading to Jesus. The second phase of God’s plan is His promise. God gives Abraham a promise in Genesis to make him a great nation. This promise created a relational dynamic between God and His creation who would have to rely on the promise keeper to fulfill God’s perfect plan. God’s unbreakable covenant with Abraham signifies God’s commitment to humanity, bridging the Old and New Testaments.
It is important to know that there are no promises without giants. If we study what God said to Eve in the garden we see God’s promise was about her bloodline crushing the serpent. That crushing symbolizes the ongoing spiritual battle that creation would have with a very real adversary. Eve didn't know how to warfare in the garden when the serpent came to tempt her but believers now understand the authority we have in Christ to overcome the enemy.
Many times, the devil uses those close to the believer to discourage them about God’s promises and deter them from His plan. Like Abraham was instructed to do, Christians may have to cut ties and offend some of their loved ones to please God. Abraham had to distance himself from his biological family to fulfill God's plan because they were not in line with God’s plan.
Pastor Mike encourages believers to prioritize spiritual family over biological family. Jesus echoed that same sentiment in scripture (Matthew 10:34-37). “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me,” Jesus explained.
In Matthew 19:29, Christ goes on to say that whoever has to walk away from family for his name's sake will receive a hundredfold and eternal life. Believers are challenged to disrupt secular environments for the sake of spreading the Gospel. Perhaps if Christians boldly share the Gospel with their families the lies of the enemy would not be so prevalent throughout so many households. May followers of Christ speak the truth loudly in the face of the enemy's lies.
“Some people are discipled more by Babylon than the kingdom of heaven,” Pastor Mike maintained.
When ridiculed by others about our faith in God it is ok to embrace that you are not of this world. Perhaps to them, you are out of your mind but a worldly mind is filled with depression and anxiety; and Christians are to have the mind of Christ.
Phase 3: Preparation
The third phase is preparation. It's the part of God’s plan where He prepares us to sustain the promises He made to His children. The best preparation comes from empowerment through the Holy Spirit. Christians receive authority through the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of God that enables us to confront spiritual challenges.
God’s presence will also help one’s discernment to know the difference between familiar spirits and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Scripture is what tests the legitimacy of spiritual gifts so if the Holy Spirit is empowering a believer it will align with how the apostles operated in The Spirit of God. If it’s a demonic entity, known as a familiar spirit, it will be contrary to the pure move of God. Recognizing the difference between God’s anointing and counterfeit offers is crucial for spiritual discernment and growth. That growth will lead you to be prepared.
The Holy Spirit will emphasize what is eternal whereas familiar spirits distract with what is temporal. God gives His children spiritual gifts to have access to the spiritual realm and can even use spiritual gifts to impact the natural.
Christians can access the supernatural realm just as angels interact with the natural realm. Daniel's story in Babylon illustrates that angels can perform physical acts on earth, such as closing lions' mouths. Other miraculous acts included rolling away the stone and releasing the apostles from prison (Act 12:6-11). Genesis 6:1-4 describes some demonic acts that infiltrated the earth through angelic beings.
Phase 4: Peril
The fourth phase, peril involves some of that evil warfare that is spurred on by demonic entities. These challenges come before reaching the promised land. God’s plan does include suffering and trials. Those trails lead to growth and which again leads to the fulfillment of His promises. Believers must embrace their journey through peril to reach their divine purpose.
A look at Abraham’s life shows a full picture of God’s plan, promise, preparation along with the peril that came with it. Abraham's call on His life and following God's direction led him to unknown paths. He had to become estranged from his family and then later on when trying to do things his way gave life to an offspring that up until this day; his descendants are warring against God’s plan.
There is a battle for God's promise to be fulfilled in one's life through demonic interference. Believers must embrace their spiritual DNA in Christ and fight against demonic influences. Jesus said: “I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you (Luke 10:19). To reclaim spiritual dominion one needs to understand the importance of spiritual authority and standing firm in the faith while proclaiming the truth in the face of opposition. In God's plan, Christians are to know their authority and call to action in spiritual warfare as Jesus taught us to break curses that provide true freedom.
Pastor Mike encouraged Christians to live out Micah 6:8 according to God's standards, not the world. The scripture says God requires His people to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.
Phase 5: Pinnacle
The final phase is when a Christian reaches the Pinnacle of God’s plan. That moment will be when Jesus comes back through the east gate and every knee will bow and tongue confess that He is God. We can hope in the final phase because of the anticipation of Jesus’s return. That assurance provides believers with hope and motivates us to live purposefully in the present.
The return of Jesus is the fulfillment of God's plan. As time goes on, we can see that we are closer to seeing that fulfillment of prophecy due to what is going on in Israel. Believers are to embrace their role in God's plan and prepare for Jesus' return. There is much importance in spiritual readiness so understanding the spiritual and historical context of current events will encourage that readiness.
Pastor Mike concluded his sermon by charging believers to boldly share the Gospel in these times. To embrace your spiritual DNA is to understand your role in God's plan. There is great significance in one's spiritual adoption. Embracing your dominion and authority in Christ will help you prepare for Jesus' return.
About the Author
Jeannie Ortega Law is a chart-topping singer, evangelist, media personality and author from New York City. She can be reached on social media: @JeannieOrtega or emailed at Info@JeannieO.com
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