In the beginning when God created Adam and Eve, he told them to take dominion over the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:26). They had great liberty as they walked in unhindered fellowship with God. Only one restriction had been placed upon them – that they not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17). God wanted his creation to know only good – not good and evil. He wanted Adam and Even to live from the Tree of Life. They were first of all spiritual beings made in God’s image made alive by the very breathe of God Himself, but they also were physical beings living in a human body.

Satan came with his temptation and tricked Adam and Eve into rebelling against God and disobeying Him (Genesis 3:1-6). Everything changed. Adam and Eve knew fear, shame and guilt for the first time. When they heard God’s voice, they ran FROM Him, not TO Him. But God sought them and clothed them by slaying an innocent animal. Adam and his descendants now brought forth children in their own image – not the original image of God. How could man ever recover what he had lost?

From the beginning God had a plan. That plan was his Son Jesus Christ who would come to the earth as a baby, born through a human mother but from the very seed of God the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:4-7; Hebrews 2:14-15). Because Jesus had no sin, he was able to pay the full price to purchase all mankind back from slavery to Satan (2 Corinthians 5:21). Someone had to pay the full wages of sin which is death. On the cross when Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” It really was finished. After three days when Jesus Christ came forth from the grave, He was victorious over death, hell and the grave (Revelation 1:18). He triumphed completely over Satan and all his evil forces (1 John 3:8b). Jesus freed men and women from the bondage of the law Romans 7:1-6), the world (Galatians 6:14), from self (Romans 6:1-7), from sin (Romans 6:7) and from Satan (1 Peter 3:22; 1 John 4:4). This was God’s wonderful plan of redemption for all of us. (Colossians 1:12-13)

What we often do not understand is that God’s plan for man does not happen automatically. Every person must individually trust this salvation for themselves (John 3:36). Then each one must enforce the victory of Christ in his own life (James 4:7). The enemy does not give up easily (Matthew 11:12). He will not give up ground unless we force him to. We have been given authority over him, but unless we, by faith, recover all that has been stolen, he continues to be a usurper and “squatter,” even in the lives of true believers (Luke 10:17-19).

Vision Life Ministries exists to help people recover their freedom and their destiny. Jesus has provided the avenue that we all might be made completely whole – body, soul and spirit. To learn more about your spiritual destiny, read SHADOW BOXING, PORTALS TO CLEANSING and SHAME by Henry Malone. The ministry also holds Freedom and Fullness Seminars to help people find freedom as well as trainings to equip those who want to help others find freedom and wholeness.