P.O.A.

Many of you are in the position of managing aging parents' affairs.  P.O.A. is a critical component of accomplishing that task.  The Power of Attorney enables a person to act as if he/she is actually the person being represented.  If you have ever drafted one for yourself, then you have been advised to handle that document with extreme caution because of the power that it gives to the holder.  It is recognized anywhere as giving the holder ultimate control over the affairs of the designated person.  Right about now you are probably asking what has this got to do with me?  Everything as a believer.   

How often have you ended your prayers with "In the name of Jesus"?  Sometimes we do it out of habit because our prayer does not sound complete if we don't.  Sometimes we actually say it with passion because we believe it makes a difference.  After all, Jesus told us to pray in His name, right?  John 14:13-14 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it!  Have we ever really grasped what that means?  This week I suddenly began to compare the P.O.A. to what Jesus said and the realization of the true power that is mine to be had was overwhelming.  

When Jesus told us to ask in His name, He was literally saying, "I am giving you my power of attorney.  For all intents and purposes, anyone with whom you do business, you are acting for Me and as if it is indeed Me.  When someone looks at you, they will really be looking at Me.  When they have dealings with you they are in fact having dealings with me."  Understanding this concept means that we truly have P.O.A. which in the spiritual realm means that we now have Power of Authority.

Think about the last prayer that you uttered and ended with "In Jesus' Name".  How did you feel?  What happened in the spiritual realm as you closed your prayer with the traditional ending?  Did the dark side tremble because they were now in Jesus' presence?  I wonder.  Let's go back to the legal example again.   You had been given power of attorney by your dad to handle his affairs a few years ago and life had settled into a routine.  You have become accustomed to solving problems when needed and intervening as circumstances dictated.   Suddenly a new situation has arisen and you proceed to act as usual speaking to the pertinent parties.  However you have never dealt with them before and they refuse to cooperate.  You are puzzled because you have not run into this wall before.  What in the world?  Then it dawns on you.  You have to produce the P.O.A. before they will recognize that you have the authority required to transact this business.  You produce the document; they give you the respect and the authority.  The business is completed.  Wow.  The difference the P.O.A. makes.  

We must never underestimate what Christ has done for us.  He has given us so much authority on this earth in this earthly realm in His stead.  We have only to step into it.  It is happening all around us if we will just open our eyes to see it.  It began while He still walked on this earth and it continues to this very moment.  Sadly it dominates in persecuted third world countries.  Why would that be?  Why would the power of God be stronger in countries where He is suppressed?  Think about it.  Faith grew fastest right after His death when it was suppressed as well.  Have you ever been in a tug of war as a kid?  The harder the other side was pulling against you, you were pulling to keep from getting pulled into the mud pit.  But if there was no contest coming from the other side, then you did not have to exert any energy either.

What is happening in America today?  There is no contest for the enemy.  We have became passive and consequently he does not have to exert any effort here.  But in the rest of the world?  Souls are being won for Christ at an ever increasing rate, so persecutions are on the rise and so are miracles! Folks, we had better start exercising our P.O.A. here in America.  We have the same authority as any other believer but if we don't pull out that "piece of paper" and start exercising it, we will be ignored by the enemy who will be pushing his deception everywhere he can get way with it.  

Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!  I believe we all have the power to accomplish this today wherever we walk.  This is not the limited power of just a few individuals.  We have a choice to either walk in the power Christ gave us or not.  Will this happen every time we ask God to move?  No.  Is it always within God's will to move as we pray?  No.  Will we understand why?  No.  Should that stop us from praying and asking?  NO!  Does the enemy want us to stop because it does not happen?  YES!!!  There is an increasing move of God in the body of Christ in America.  Search it out.  Be a part of it.  Don't run from it.  Don't be afraid of it. Ask Him to show you His power.  Ask Him for revelation knowledge.  Open yourself to it.  Ask Him to make you a conduit - be a power conduit - be the key for the lightning bolt from heaven!

Healing - A Corporate Matter

Have you ever thought about yourself as a corporation?  Sound ridiculous?  Consider this.  We are composed of three parts - Spirit, Soul and Body.  Each of these interacts with the others resulting in our actions, thoughts, words. Sometimes one facet overrules the other two.  Sometimes they work in unison.  Sometimes it is two against one.  Are you smiling yet?  Here are a few scenarios for you:

• You have been faithfully dieting, watching every little morsel that goes into your mouth.  Your spirit knows that you are taking care of the temple of Holy Spirit and not giving in to self indulgence.  Your soul (mind, will, emotions) knows that this healthier lifestyle will have many positive benefits.  Your body experiences an increase in energy, better sleep and a feeling of well-being.  You are invited to a friend's farewell party and suddenly temptations are overwhelming you.  The battle begins!  Whether your physical desire for the taste of those sweets and snacks wins over your spirit and soul is the big question.
• You have been experiencing a really tough season both in ministry and in your profession.  You know you are tapped out, stretched to the max, but recognize this is a season.  Your spirit as been checking in with Holy Spirit and so far you have had a green light on your choices.  Your soul has been consistently evaluating those choices and mentally you are OK with them.  Your body is hanging in there in spite of the demands on it.  Unexpectedly a new opportunity is placed in front of you.  Your soul is excited about what this will be like.  Your body is quietly saying, "Enough is enough" while your spirit is silent waiting for you to check in with Holy Spirit.  The battle is on....

These are only meant to give you an idea of the conflict with the corporate body of you.  There is also the corporate body of Christ - just a much larger entity of individual parts united for a single purpose.  However, this week the focus is on ourselves as small corporate bodies made up of our three major components.  

Consider what happens in any organization when its major factions are in disagreement.  Work is not completed, at least not efficiently and effectively.  Discord is rampant and there is usually peripheral damage.  If we are truly trying to walk in the divine will of our Lord, then we are ready to surrender all three parts of us to His direction and His purposes.  That is easier said than done for many of us.  It becomes more difficult as the enemy seeks to "divide and conquer" when it comes to us as individuals.

Healing is a major activity for believers.  No I am not talking just about physical healing.  I am referencing emotional, mental, relational among others.  As soon as we accept Christ as our savior, we begin the process of giving Him access to our broken selves for repair.  Usually He starts with our broken hearts, and works from there.  It is a step by step process that is never completed - at least not until we join Him in eternity.  It is a continual process of re-adjustment.  Once one aspect of us changes, it throws the rest into a new alignment.  Sometimes that shift is really great and sometimes it is very painful.  Responding quickly and making the necessary adjustments is critical to our overall health and well-being, physical, spiritual and emotional/mental.  

If you have ever had an adjustment by a chiropractor then you understand this principle clearly.  It is not uncommon when a chiropractor first starts working with a patient that multiple visits are needed because the body is shifting into a new alignment from how it has been functioning for years.  As the muscles become acclimated to this new posture, less external adjustments are required. Our triune corporate being is no different.  When we are first saved, our spirit is reborn as a new creation.  It has blossomed into life now influencing the other two parts.  Whoa!  Talk about a shift!  Just imagine being able to hear the voices of the body and soul as the spirit  begins exerting influence over them.  

Things start to settle down but then our walk gets deeper and more intense as each of these three facets attempts to "run the show".  We know which one is supposed to be in charge.  Paul describes very plainly the struggle that ensues.  Romans 7:15 I don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate.  It is a never ending internal battle.  However there is victory in Christ.  The more seasoned we become in our walk, the more we understand how to handle this battle which ultimately is the Lord's anyway.  The longer we walk the more clearly we understand our own battlefields.  Mine are different than yours, and yours are different than your friend's.  We each must daily, work out our own salvation.  Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.  

Reflect back on the concept of alignment.  Continually the body and soul will be working to be in proper alignment with the spirit because being out of alignment causes internal discord.  However, it is up to us which direction the changes take.  Will body and soul try to influence spirit and result in decisions creating more distance between them and the regenerated spirit or more unity?  True healing of any type whether physical, emotional or mental will not manifest until alignment has occurred.    When we witness someone struggling with a physical illness or emotional distress, do not make an assumption.  Rather intercede for them for the battle that is waging.  There are external forces that will constantly seek to push a "believer" out of alignment in the hope that they will fall away out of despair.  However, if you are feeling a sense of misalignment then immediately submit yourself to the great Physician and ask for revelation knowledge as to what your next steps are in bringing accord back into your corporate being.  Pray His Word, pray His promises and continue pushing forward.  Pray according to His will and He will answer you.  His heart is to have your corporate being in perfect alignment too.

Submission or Cooperation?

For all of us that are parents (or who have had responsibility for children) we know all too well what the expressions "kicking and screaming the whole way" or "with heels dug in" or "dragging their feet" mean.  Ultimately the task or objective is accomplished but with incredible reluctance on the part of the second party.   The experience is difficult, frustrating and exhausting for the parent that is desperately trying to get "just a little cooperation please!" Contrast that with a situation in which the child is eager to do whatever is being asked because they are excited about the outcome.  Their excitement is contagious and infects everyone around them.  It is as if the moment of achievement cannot arrive quickly enough.  Joy abounds and everyone is engaged in a positive way.  How similar is this to our daily walk with our Lord?

Submission/surrender are frequently spoken words when we are discussing our walk and how we live out our faith.  Yet I wonder how often we really consider our heart condition in that act.  Are we like the recalcitrant child who understands that the adult is in control and no matter what the child wants, ultimately the adult wins?  Oh and by the way, "adult person", child will make sure that you know they are not happy about what you are doing.  Think about the conversations that you hear when eavesdropping on believers' discussions of how life is going.  Begrudging cooperation is very distant from willing surrender.  We have all heard the difference and sadly we have most likely all voiced it at one time or another. 

Examples:  "I know God is in control, but I also know what reality is and right now my reality stinks!"  "The facts are the facts and right now, the facts are telling me that I don't know how I will make it through this chaotic crisis."  "I just don't understand why everybody else has it made and I have to struggle so."  "I am just going to have to settle for where I am and this is as good as it gets."  Any of these sound familiar?

God never promised us a rose garden.  In fact we are actually promised the opposite.  We know that trials and tribulations are part of our life when we accept Christ as our Savior and are born again.  Yet there are hundreds of other promises in the Word of God that we can and should stand on.  The key to how well we walk this life out though is our fundamental belief and attitude.  The key is simple: do we willingly and lovingly submit or do we begrudgingly cooperate?

Jesus gave us a parable about 2 sons whose father asked them to work for him in his vineyard.  Matthew 21:28-31  "But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' The son answered, 'No, I won't go,' but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, 'You go,' and he said, 'Yes, sir, I will.' But he didn't go.  Which of the two was obeying his father?" They replied, "The first, of course." Then Jesus explained his meaning: "I assure you, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.  The first son thought about what his father was asking and realized he was wrong.  He willingly went and did the work asked of him.  The second son said what he knew his father wanted to hear, but then went about doing what he wanted.  He exhibited an attitude of cooperation but his heart was not in alignment with his words.

When we fully surrender to the will of God it is usually with the conviction born of repentance and the knowledge that it is the love of God Himself that has rescued us.  We fully comprehend that there is nothing that we can do or have done that makes us righteous in the sight of God except the blood of Jesus. Through our total surrender and acceptance of the love of God we are able to move past where we are and into another world entirely - for all of eternity.  Yes, we will live out our lives here on earth but that is so transitory we dare not focus on it.  Yet there are far too many people in our lives whose entire attention is on the here and now - what can be seen, felt and logically understood.  They will acknowledge the power of God but it is as if they have a chip on their shoulders, anger just simmering below the surface, reminiscent of that child who is already plotting how to get what they want in spite of their parents' best efforts to "deny them".

Which heart honors the Lord?  Again reflect upon the willful strong-headed child who cooperates with mom and dad but does so kicking and screaming versus the child who lovingly looks into the eyes of the parents, takes their hands and goes where asked.  Which heart delights the parents?  It is a question of the perspective of intent.  Is our intent to do what is in our self interest or to do what delights the One who loves us most?  If we view everything that happens through the lenses of self interest, we will undoubtedly be unhappy when God takes us someplace that makes no sense in our narrow, tunnel visioned world.  However when we view everything through the heart of our Lord, with joy we will take His hand, saying, "I trust You.  Let's go!"  Does this mean we will always be happy?  No, happiness is correlated to our circumstances.   Joy however is directly related to our relationship with the Lord and our trusting Him in all circumstances. 

As I conclude this posting, a song by Selah has come on (not selected by me but by Him!).  The song is titled "All of Me" and it is about surrender.  "Take my life and make it yours, Lord.  Fill me with your love.  You are all I need.  I surrender all of me."  My Lord, my Lover God, I surrender all of me with a joyful and willing heart.  My life is yours and I give it to you with celebration and abandonment.  I love you more than anyone or anything in my life!