Five Chapters of a Devotional Teaching Book: Jesus Teaching on Free Will, Kingdom Authority
By Minister Christopher Robert Holder
Testimony of God Ministries Inc.
Dated November 26, 2025
- Scripture
- Commentary
- Reflection Questions
- Prayer
- Declaration
What Jesus Taught Peter and the Apostles: Free Will, Kingdom- Authority
Chapter One: The Revelation to Peter
Matthew 16:17–20 (KJV)
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
At this divine moment, Jesus taught Peter something beyond time, space, and matter. Peter, though on earth, was communicating directly with heaven—the Father Himself had revealed the truth to him. Jesus confirmed that Peter had received heavenly authority:
- The keys of the kingdom signify divine authorization.
- Binding and loosing on earth are simultaneously ratified in heaven.
To iterate, Jesus reveals to Peter that his confession—that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God—did not come by human reasoning but by divine revelation from the Father. Jesus shows that spiritual understanding comes from heaven to earth, and at that very moment Peter was in communion with the Father while standing on earth.
The teaching of Jesus continues:
- The “rock” upon which the church is built is divine revelation of Christ, not human opinion.
- The “keys of the kingdom” symbolize divine authority granted to humanity in Christ.
- The “binding and loosing” shows that actions carried out on earth in faith and revelation are confirmed in heaven.
Reflection Questions
- How does this passage show the connection between heaven and earth?
- What does it mean for you personally to walk in the authority of “the keys of the kingdom”?
Thus, the teaching is clear: Heaven is present in humanity on earth now. God entrusted humanity with heavenly authority that surpasses all powers.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, open the eyes of my spirit to receive divine revelation as Peter did. Teach me to walk in the authority of Your kingdom and to bring heaven’s reality into my daily life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Declaration
I declare that I walk in the authority of heaven on earth. What I bind on earth is bound in heaven, and what I loose on earth is loosed in heaven.
Chapter Two: Authority Above All
This authority is described by Paul:
Ephesians 1:20–21 (KJV)
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Believers in Christ are partakers of this authority. The choice to walk in it belongs to each individual, because God gave humanity free will.
To iterate, the authority Jesus gave is not earthly or temporary but heavenly and eternal. It is far above every power, dominion, and name. Believers are joined to Christ in this authority through faith.
This shows that the kingdom of heaven is not far away—it is present in the believer. Humanity, through Christ, is entrusted with the highest authority in both this world and the world to come.
Reflection Questions
- In what ways can you exercise Christ’s authority in your daily life?
- Why is it important to know that the believer’s authority is “far above” all powers?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for raising me up with You and seating me in heavenly places. Help me to live daily with confidence in the kingdom-authority You have given me. Amen.
Declaration
I declare that I am seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above all principalities, powers, and dominions. No name or authority is greater than the name o authority of Jesus in my life.
Chapter Three: Free Will and Salvation
Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples affirm this principle:
Mark 16:15–16 (KJV)
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Here, salvation or damnation rests on personal free will:
- To believe and be baptized is a free choice.
- To disbelieve and reject salvation is also a free choice.
No external force compels either decision.
To iterate, Jesus lays before humanity the divine principle of free will. Salvation is not forced—it is received by belief. Damnation is not imposed—it is the result of unbelief. The choice belongs to each person.
Faith and baptism of the Spirit can demonstrate outward expressions of the inward choice to accept Christ. Likewise, rejection is also a choice. In both cases, free will is the governing principle.
Reflection Questions
- Why does Jesus connect belief and baptism to salvation?
- How does free will magnify the love of God in salvation?
Prayer
Father, thank You for giving me the freedom to choose life in Christ. Strengthen my will to always believe, obey, and follow You with my whole heart. Amen.
Declaration
I declare that I have chosen life in Christ. I believe, I am baptized and I am saved. No force can turn me away from the free gift of salvation that I have received.
Chapter Four: Is God Responsible for Damnation?
A question arises: How can anyone say that God is responsible for damnation, since it is free will?
The truth is, damnation is self-inflicted, for God has set in motion an irreversible divine principle: sowing and reaping.
Galatians 6:7 (KJV)
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Each person reaps the consequence of their own choices. Belief yields salvation; unbelief yields condemnation. God only upholds the principle of free will that He Himself established.
To iterate, God is just and cannot be mocked. Every choice is a seed, and every seed brings forth a harvest. To believe in Christ is to sow life eternal. To reject Him is to sow condemnation. Thus, damnation is self-inflicted, not God-inflicted.
Reflection Questions
- How does the principle of sowing and reaping apply to daily decisions beyond salvation?
- In what ways can you ensure that you are sowing to the Holy Spirit and not to the flesh?
Prayer
Lord, help me sow seeds of faith, love, and obedience daily. Keep me from the deception of thinking that my choices do not matter. I choose to sow to the Holy Spirit and not to the flesh. Amen.
Declaration
I declare that I am sowing seeds of righteousness. My harvest shall be eternal life and blessing, not destruction.
Chapter Five: The Divine Principle of Free Will
The eternal principle is this: God created humanity with free will so that love, faith, and obedience may be genuine. True worship is not coerced but freely given. Every action is a seed, and every seed produces a harvest in due time.
Therefore, the responsibility rests with humanity, not with God, for the outcome of salvation or damnation.
God created humanity with free will so that obedience, worship, and love would be genuine. Forced submission is not love. True love must be freely given, and true faith must be freely chosen.
Therefore, salvation is open to all, but it must be received by choice. Condemnation is not God’s punishment but the consequence of rejecting God’s “free gift.”
Deuteronomy 30:19 (KJV)
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Reflection Questions
- Why is free will be essential to God’s plan for humanity?
- How does Deuteronomy 30:19 connect with Jesus’ teaching in Mark 16:16?
- What choice will you make daily to walk in the authority of heaven on earth?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I choose life today. I choose blessing. I choose Christ. Help me to walk faithfully in the authority of heaven on earth. Amen.
Declaration
I declare that I have chosen life in Christ. My seed and my generation shall live. I walk in the blessings of heaven on earth, now and forever.