Can We Change God’s Mind?

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Hi J____,
Thank you for your question.
You ask about Christ’s statement that what we bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in heaven and what we loose on earth shall occur, having been loosed in heaven.

Mat 18:18 Verily, I am saying to you, Whatsoever you should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you should be loosing on the earth shall be those loose in heaven.
Mat 18:19 Again, verily, I am saying to you that, if ever two of you should be agreeing on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it is they should be requesting shall be coming to them from My Father Who is in the heavens.”

Mat 18:20 For where two or three are, gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (CLV)

“If ever two of you should be agreeing on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it is. they should be requesting shall be coming to them from My Father who is in the heavens” is not a statement which contradicts this verse of scripture:

Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, on earth also.(CLV.

Truth is never to be had without getting together “the sum of Thy Word” on any subject.

Psa 119:160 The sum of Your word is truth, And all of Your righteous ordinances are eonian. (CLV)

That “sum” on this subject of prayer includes this verse of God’s Word:

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

“If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us,” is just another way of saying that if we do not ask “according to his will,” he will not hear and answer. That is why we need to notice that Mat 18:18 uses the words “having been.”

Mat 18:18 Verily, I am saying to you, Whatsoever you should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you should be loosing on the earth shall be those loose in heaven.

So when Christ says in the next verse:

“If ever two of you should be agreeing on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it is. they should be requesting shall be coming to them from My Father who is in the heavens,”

He has not forgotten what He had just said about “having been” bound or loosed in heaven. In other words, what Christ is telling his disciples is that anything we bind or loose, if it is according to his will, if it is in line with the Lord’s prayer, which says “thy will be done as in heaven, so on earth; if our prayer is in line with God’s will then it will be given us.
Here is a verse which makes this super clear, for those who can receive it:

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.

In other words, every day of our lives has been written in heaven, long before we were ever born. Every need for which I have, or ever will, make petition to our Lord, was written in God’s book of Mike Vinson, before Mike Vinson was ever even conceived. Everything I bind or loose on earth “will have been” bound or loosed in heaven, by the plan and purpose of Jesus Christ and His Father, all “when as yet there was none of them.”
If you have not yet done so then be sure to read the paper on iswasandwillbe. com entitled After The Counsel of His Own Will. That paper covers this subject in depth and takes it’s title from Eph 1:11

Eph 1:11  In whom [ Christ] also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

The last verse you ask about is:
Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.
Two or three are the numbers used in scripture for witnessing to truth:

Deu 17:6  At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; [ but] at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
Deu 19:15  One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

The “two witnesses” of Rev 11 are not two men, they are rather a symbol of you and me if we remain faithful to and witness to the truth of God’s Word above all the false doctrines of the Babylonian, orthodox Christian religion we were all brought up in.
These words are more true today than ever before:

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

As a consequence of being hated of all men, these words are also more applicable today than on the day they were first uttered:

Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The scriptures tell us plainly that God does not dwell in temples made with mens hands:

Act 7:48  Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

So we should at least all be clear on where the Lord is NOT. But we should also be clear that  He is “where two or three are gathered together in my name.” The “In My name” part means in His doctrine. It does not require that God puts His name on every group of two or three people or more who gather under the name of God.
I hope this helps you to better understand that God’s promises are based upon the “sum of His Word,” be it binding and losing, be it petitions made to God, or be it coming together in His name. The only people who will “inherit the kingdom of God” are those who “do the will of My Father.”

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Isa 30:10  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

Do not allow the ministers of Babylon who “prophecy smooth things” to talk you into the doctrines of ‘greasy grace’ or the doctrine of ‘name it and claim it.’ Rather know the word of God and do what He says to do. When you do that then your petitions and your binding and loosing will be what has been written in Thy book.” If it is not “according to his will” then it was still “written in Thy book,” but rest assured, He will not “hear” a prayer that requests that He change what is already written in that book.

Dan 4:35  And all the inhabitants of the earth [ are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

Your brother in Christ,
Mike

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