The Earth Lease

The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. (Psalm 115:16)

Psalm 115 expresses the truth so beautifully. God owns the heavens, but He gave the earth to mankind. That is not poetic language; it is legal language. God delegated authority; He gave dominion. Genesis makes this clear. God told Adam to rule, subdue, and have dominion. He even brought the animals to Adam and allowed him to name them. Whatever Adam named them, that is what they were called. God did not override Adam’s authority. This shows how seriously God takes delegated dominion. That’s also why Satan is called the god of this world. Adam handed his authority over to Satan through his act of disobedience. Satan did not create authority; he stole it from mankind. When Jesus came, He restored authority to redeemed humanity. That is why Jesus said, “All authority is given unto me,” and then delegated it to believers. God works through human mouths on earth. He chose this system. Prayer is not about convincing God to change His mind. It’s about God finding those on earth who agree, so He can operate. When believers speak God’s Word in faith, Heaven gains legal access to move on earth.

God has given authority on earth to people. Your words matter because when believers declare words of faith in agreement with God, that’s how Heaven moves on earth.

Practical Application

Be mindful of the words you speak today. Ask yourself if your words show someone who recognizes their authority. Aim to replace one negative phrase today with a Scripture-based confession of faith.

Genesis 1:28; Psalm 8:6