In today’s Word for Wednesday post, I want to consider the untapped power that’s rendering Christians no different from the world of unbelievers.
First, for us not to utilize all that Christ died to give us is an offense to the Cross. To reverse this offense, we need to learn the truth then act on the knowledge of truth. Without acting on truth, we have mere head knowledge which is useless as it benefits no one.
If I learn God loves me, but I never act on that knowledge, it’s no different than a reservoir of water without any outlet. In the natural, such a reservoir becomes stagnant and an incubator for many kinds of bacteria and parasites. In the spiritual, stagnant Christians can be a reservoir the enemy of God infiltrates. While a truly born-again Christian cannot be possessed by the enemy, a Christian can be a source of attachment for the enemy. The enemy is subtle, seeking to infiltrate Believers and the Church with lies and deceptions rendering us in effective as individual Christians and as the Church. The lies of the enemy are carefully crafted with enough truth or reason to make them believable, then deception is in place. When a person is deceived, they don’t know they are because the very nature of deception means the victim is unaware. Could this be you?
In addition to deception, ignorance is another source of impotency for Christians and the Church. I am amazed at the numbers of people, Christians included, who have many questions about what they believe, who don’t make the effort to find the answers to their questions. They are content to live in ignorance–such contentment can also be the works of the devil. No one would consciously choose to live their life on the basis of a known lie, or willingly remain ignorant. Again, where do you stand in light of these thoughts?
If your prayers are consistent with God’s revealed will, and they continue to go unanswered, I propose it’s because you are not properly aware of who you are in Christ. Jesus made it clear, He had all authority which He imputed to Believers. Christians have access to all of Christ’s authority. But if we are not fully convinced of this truth, and/or we don’t wield the authority properly, we are ineffective and look no different from the world of unbelievers. Considering the condition of our culture today, I sadly believe the majority of Christians are ineffective. This is a matter I’ve been intentionally seeking to more fully grasp so I can be more effective, and to help others do likewise.
One of the lessons that has helped me is understanding we are in a battle–a very real, ruthless, and diabolical battle. The enemy is a cut-throat, violent combatant. While he cannot kill the new eternal life Christians have by faith in Christ, he can kill the impact we have for our own lives and the world at large. We need to understand we are in a fight for the lives of our earthly influence and experience. God wants us to use all the authority of Christ to have His Kingdom will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. In response to the enemy, this means we have to become violent in our decrees and declarations, speaking what God has revealed with all the authority of Christ. When we get angry enough (full aware of the scope of the battle), we will stand in utter authority and see our payers answered.
Read and meditate on 1 John 5:14-15, along with the truth of this post, and fan the barely burning embers of owning the authority Christ has given you into a roaring fire. Take hold of your authority in Christ, and do the works for the Kingdom He’s asking you to do. Jesus’ first earthly disciples were mostly uneducated, simple men of meager means, who through learning and applying what they learned became prominent leaders of the faith. You may be called to a public ministry, or a private life of intercession. Either way, you have authority for your prayers consistent with God’s will to be answered, and to help others learn and apply God’s truth to their lives. When we see more Christians operating in the authority Christ’s given us, we will see major cultural shifts for the benefit of many, and all for the glory of God, Amen.
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