Why Are We Not Seeing The Full Power Of God?
Many people blame lack of faith but the Bible tells us we only need faith the size of a mustard seed. So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea', and it would obey you" (Luke 17:6, NKJV). Why then are we not seeing the full power of God in our lives and others lives. The Lord showed me that one of the reasons He can not fully manifest His power is because of unbelief. Unbelief in your life prevents Jesus from being able to effectively work in your life and may tie the hands of God. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matthew 13: 57-58, NKJV). There are many forms of unbelief, one of which can be in the form of doubt or scepticism in God's word and promises because of the trials and tribulations you are walking through, and it may seem impossible to believe you will receive all that is promised. Another form of unbelief can come in the belief that you are not personally worthy of the love of Jesus, so cannot receive all He has for you. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33, NKJV). This scripture actually means we first need to see ourselves as righteous before any of the blessings can be added unto us. Many either see themselves as righteous in their own strength due to good works (which is pride), or they see themselves as unworthy, always full of self-doubt and condemnation. Some may even operate from time to time in both of these. God wants us to see ourselves and our righteousness through the eyes of Christ, then we become Christ-like. We are a spirit-being with a body. Our spirit which is 'us' is righteous and born-again. We need to see ourselves as spirit-beings, not fleshly beings. Our own fleshly righteousness according to the scriptures are as filthy as rags. We must see that only through the putting on of the righteousness of Christ that we become worthy. There is a fine line between humility and unworthiness. God wants us to be humble but not worthless! When there is self rejection we fear ridicule and condemnation so continue to strive for perfection. If perfection is not obtained we speak curses of condemnation over ourselves over and over again bring in the spirit of self destruction. Self destruction is the act or process of destroying oneself and sets us up for the spirit of infirmity. Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man (Matthew 15:11, NKJV). Before we can break this spirit of ourself self worth needs to be restored by knowing 'who you are in Christ'. In my case I needed to know in my heart that I was a daughter of God. I had always known it in my head, but when this knowledge sank into my heart and I knew I was a beloved daughter and I was healed of 'lack of self worth'.Too many Christians focus on becoming 'Christ-like', and fail to see that they are already Christ-like. God tells us to be 'us' and let Him do the transforming. He allows trials and tribulations to redefine us. We need to see ourselves as righteous, and through the eyes of Jesus. When we see ourselves as righteous, we will no longer see ourselves as unworthy. As we put on the righteousness of Christ and believe that we can only be worthy through this righteousness God will do amazing work within us, which results in the healing of our self-worth. Righteousness is not earned, it is a God-given gift. The flesh will bow down to this when you understand the power of the righteousness of Christ. Your flesh needs to die daily but the righteousness of Christ does this, not us. How? Declaration of who you are in Christ. If you declare each day who you are there will be change and transformation of how you see yourself. If you still struggle with the things of the world, don't focus on this and see yourself as fleshly. Instead declare yourself as righteous. Walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh!
Prophetic act and prayer......... * Put on the robe of righteousness and declare:- "Dear God I repent for pride, self rejection, self destruction, and lack of self worth. I have cursed myself over and over because of the self belief that I am not good enough. Put a guard over my mouth Lord and help me watch what I speak. I break the curse of self destruction over my life, spirit, soul and body. I repent for not seeing myself as You see me, a woman/man of God worthy of all Your grace and love. I (name) am made in the image of Father God. This is perfection in the highest. As an ambassador of Christ I put on the robe of righteousness. I will see myself through the eyes of Jesus. I have on the righteousness of Christ. My flesh will bow down to the righteousness of Christ. The righteousness of Christ will 'not' bow down to my flesh. I choose to speak blessing over myself and declare I am worthy, I am beautiful, I am a son/daughter of God, I am righteous, I am a woman/man of God, I have the heart of God and the mind of Christ and I am loved by God, my family, my friends and most of all, myself! Lord Jesus enable my spirit so I can walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. I will be transformed by the renewing of my mind. I will put off the old man and put on the new. I command all spirits of rejection, unworthiness, pride, destruction, self-destruction, self harm, curses, striving, perfectionism and infirmity to leave immediately in the name of Jesus Christ.
Pray: Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3, NKJV). I pray for the blessings that Jesus purchased for me to be released in Jesus name”.
Another reason the Lord showed me we are not seeing His full power at work is because of an agreement He sometimes makes with satan, which is, His full power will not reign where there are dark places; first those dark places must be removed. Sin is still inside our souls - the heart of man is described as wicked and still needs to sanctified. "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man" (Matthew 15:18-20, NKJV). The heart of man remains dark until we fully yield it over to Christ. The cross represents a swap. We give our life to Christ in exchange for His life. Many of us are unwilling to give all of ourselves over. We like to hang on to areas thinking we are protecting them. The Bible shows us how satan petitions God 'for us' and God will sometimes allow satan to work in our lives in order to bring about a purpose that will glorify Him. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD" (Job 1:6-12, NKJV).
And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat" (Luke 22:31, NKJV).
Does this mean that God cannot annihilate those dark places right now with one word, thought or action? Of course not, but He has an agreement that He will not. His hands may be tied because of sin operating in our lives or even because of unyielded areas. "Whose soever sins ye remit (yield up, let go, surrender, forgive), they are remitted (forgiven) unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain (keep), they are retained (kept, not forgiven)". The word 'unto them' in Greek is αυτος and means self in the third person, or them so can be translated them, his or her. What this verse is really saying to us is this; 'If you hold onto your sins and do not confess them or turn away from them, and also are unable to forgive others then God is unable to forgive you! This means that sin in our lives may block us from receiving the blessings and all things that are good that God has for us.' Repentance, deliverance and healing may be needed in these areas before we can truly receive all Jesus has for us. It is up to us to work with God to remove those dark places in the name of Jesus Christ. He has equipped us to do this. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19,NKJV). We must listen to Him and work with Him. Recognising His voice in our lives is the key. Worshipping, praying, reading the Word and entering into God's rest is how and when we can become overcomers. (See God's rest).
The Lord has shown me the world is infiltrated by satan and his cohorts. Many churches are full of demonic spirits. Why do you think there are so many church splits, division and bickering? We need to clean our churches; we need to fast and pray and remove these spirits from the House of God. Our souls and physical bodies can be full of demonic spirits also. How can we manifest His power when we are full of sin and demonic spirits. We need to clean out our souls. How? Through seeking the Lord and listening to His instructions, through prayer, yielding, repentance, fasting, deliverance and renewing our minds with God's word. We must ask the Lord to heal our wounded soul with his love and light. Our souls are full of wounds that were formed from sin, either from others sinning against us, or from us sinning against ourselves and others. Jesus' soul had no wounds formed by sin, therefore demons had no dominion over Him.
I was saved in January 09 and the Lord has taken me on an intensive journey since then of cleansing my soul and physical body. Some of this journey has been tough and full of tears. There has been times I wanted to walk away, but I didn't for the Lord showed me that through perseverance, determination, and His strength I would overcome. When we are born again at the time of our Salvation our spirit-man comes alive, and through obedience, deliverance, healing, trials, and tribulations the Holy Spirit is able to permeate fully into the areas soul (mind, will and emotions) and physical body. "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NKJV). Once He has fully cleansed our soul and healed our wounds we are truly the new creation He destined us to be. We will then be renewed, we will be fully God and fully human as was Jesus, "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29, NKJV). It is an outworking process of listening and obeying and letting God do the work in us. Then we will see creative miracles and we ourselves will manifest the kind of power we all crave and desire. "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30, NKJV). God's plan is to raise up more sons and daughters like Jesus to manifest His full power as Jesus did. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12, NKJV).
By Tania Francis