Divine Fiat.

"Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light." -Genesis 1:3


Here we see the beginning of God's action in regards to His plan for the world. Beginning. Start point. Time zero. God's plan for His creation begins with what St. Augustine called a "Divine Fiat" or "Divine Imperative". With one powerful word, God brings into be that which was not. He follows this imperative with five more


  “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” -Genesis 1:6
  “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear” -Genesis 1:9
  “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth” -Genesis 1:14-15
  “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.” -Genesis 1:20
  “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind” Genesis 1:24 


Divine Fiat. What power! With one strength filled word, God brings into being that which was not. We even see this concept of Divine Fiat in the New Testament with Christ. Look at John 11. Jesus's friend Lazarus has died. He is in the tomb. Christ goes to the door of the tomb and speaks Divine Fiat, Divine Imperative, “Lazarus, come forth.” (John 11:43) Christ stands at the gaping hole of death itself and calls life into Lazarus with one command. One Divine Imperative. Look at  Mark 4. Christ and His disciples are on the lake of Gennasaret, when all of the sudden, "There arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up." (Mark 4:37) The amazing thing is that all this time, Jesus is sleeping in the stern of the boat. Well, the disciples wake Him up, and He stands on the stern and cries out over the raging water, "Hush, be still." (Mark 4:39) Christ looks over chaos and calls peace into being. Look to Mark 5. Jesus is walking down the streets of Jerusalem on His way to heal someones daughter, when He is touched by a woman with an issue of blood. He turns to her and says,"Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction." (Mark 5:34) Christ looked over the pale body of a hurting body and spoke healing into her life. Divine Fiat, Divine Imperative.Look to Mark 2. Jesus is the synagogue of Capernaum teaching, when a crippled man is let down through the roof by his friends. Jesus looks to the man and says, "Son, your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:5) Christ looks over the afflicted soul of a sinner and speaks forgiveness. There are so many instances. On your own time look at passages like, Mark 3:5, Mark 5:8, Mark 5:41, Mark 7:29, Mark 7:34, Luke 5:13, Luke 5:20, Luke 7:14, John 4:53, John 5:8. Over and over and over we see Christ speaking being into nothingness. Divine Fiat, Divine Imperative. Let me finish by asking you one question. Do you need a Divine Fiat? Do you need Christ to speak life into your heart from the tomb door? Do you need Christ to speak peace into your heart from the ship's stern? Do you need Christ to speak forgiveness into your heart front the synagogue floor? What is the Divine Imperative you need? Listen. His voice crys from the cross, "It is finished!" (John 19:30) The Divine Fiat of all Fiats, The Divine Imperative of all Imperatives. Through the cross Christ has opened the way for you to have access to this power of Imperative. You may be healed!!! Let me close with this, "Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled cleanfrom an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." -(Hebrews 10:19-22) Draw near to the power of Divine Fiat!