The Afrikaans version is below
Have we been asking God to do what He has already given us the authority to do?
Perhaps you, the reader, are one of the many Christians who have been praying about a particular situation for years, yet nothing seems to change.
I know what that feels like.
There are things in my own life that I have prayed about for the past thirty years, and still, they have not come right.
I once heard Derek Prince say that “No” is also an answer.
But is that always the reason our prayers remain unanswered? Or is there something we have failed to understand about our position in Christ?
I am in a position where I often listen to the troubles and heartaches of others. And so often, I hear the same desperate words:
“I have prayed and prayed, but nothing is happening!”
I have watched people grow old before their time under the weight of unanswered prayers, disappointment, injustice and seemingly impossible circumstances.
And I have asked myself: Why does it seem that the wicked so often get away with unrighteousness, while God’s children struggle, despite the wonderful promises He has given us?
Are we not supposed to be overcomers?
Have we not been given victory through Jesus Christ?
For a long time, I have been seeking God about this very subject, and I believe I have finally received an answer.
We Have the Mind of Christ!
In 1 Corinthians 2:10, Paul teaches us that God reveals even His deep things to us through His Spirit.
Think about that for a moment.
No one can know the thoughts of another person except that person himself. In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
But here is the wonderful revelation: God has given us His Spirit!
He has not left us in darkness, wondering what He thinks or what He has prepared for us. His Spirit lives within us so that we may know the wonderful things He has freely given us.
Please take the time to read 1 Corinthians 2:10–16 for yourself. There is far more in these verses than I can explain here.
But consider the extraordinary statement with which Paul concludes:
“But we have the mind of Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 2:16 (KJV)
What a powerful truth!
The Spirit who knows the deep things of God lives within us.
The Bible also teaches that we have been given power and authority in Christ. Jesus Himself declared that those who believe in Him would do the works He did, and even greater works (John 14:12).
Yet, if this is true, why are so many Christians living as though they are powerless?
Are We Praying Like Beggars Instead of Ruling in Christ?
I believe one of the reasons we do not see answers to our prayers is that we have failed to understand and exercise the authority given to us in Christ.
We pray, and we pray, and we pray.
“Lord, please help me!”
“Lord, please do something!”
“Lord, when are You going to change this situation?”
But perhaps we have been approaching God as beggars rather than as sons and daughters who have been given an inheritance in Christ.
Perhaps we are continually asking God to do something that He has already equipped us to confront through His Spirit.
And yes, perhaps you have already tried commanding a situation to change, but nothing happened.
I understand that frustration.
Let me share something that happened to me many years ago.
A Question God Asked Me That Changed My Thinking
Years ago, two people were murdered in our valley.
I was deeply troubled by what had happened, and I cried out to the Lord:
“Lord, when are You going to do something about this?”
His answer came immediately.
I understood Him to be saying that He was not going to do anything. Instead, He asked me a question:
“What are YOU going to do?”
That question has stayed with me ever since.
It challenged the way I understood my responsibility as a believer.
I began to see that God was calling us to take responsibility and exercise the authority He has given us, rather than standing helplessly by and waiting for Him to intervene.
In the beginning, God gave Adam dominion over the earth.
And through the victory of Jesus Christ at the cross, we have been brought into a new position of authority in Him.
Ephesians 2:6 tells us that God has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
We are seated with Christ!
Not as defeated people, but as those who share in His victory.
This is the position from which I believe we are called to exercise spiritual authority.
When we speak the Word of God in faith and in agreement with His will, we are no longer merely speaking from our own human weakness. We are trusting in the power of the God who created all things.
But perhaps you are asking:
“How do I get to the place where heaven and earth respond to the authority of Christ operating through me?”
The Secret Is Found at the Cross
The answer, I believe, is simpler than we imagine.
Go back to the altar.
Lay your life down before God all over again.
Ask Him to forgive you for the times you have lived in fear, unbelief and helplessness instead of walking in the authority of Christ.
Ask Him to teach you how to rule in Christ.
But understand this: The altar is the cross.
We cannot expect to walk in the power of the resurrected life while continuing to live according to the weaknesses and desires of the flesh.
Jesus laid down His life, and He calls us to follow Him.
We must crucify the fleshly nature and rise to walk in the Spirit.
We die to the old life so that the life of Christ may be revealed in us.
And here is the wonderful truth:
The same Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in YOU!
Romans 8:11 confirms this.
Think about the greatness of that statement.
The Spirit of the living God, the Spirit through whom all things were created, dwells within you.
You are not abandoned.
You are not powerless.
You are not without help.
God has given you His Spirit!
And I believe that the same Spirit is within you to teach you how to overcome the circumstances that have held you captive for so long.
Take Your Place in the Courts of Heaven
When your conscience is clear, and you have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus, come boldly before God.
Hebrews 4:16 tells us to approach the throne of grace with confidence.
Stand before Him, not in your own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
He is our great High Priest.
He is the High Priest of our confession.
Now begin to speak the Word of God over your circumstances.
Make your declarations in the name of Jesus, according to the authority you believe He has given you.
Ask for the assistance of God’s angels in carrying out His will, and trust Him to direct their work.
Begin to thank God for His answer, even before you see the change with your natural eyes.
And now, in the name of Jesus, stand against the works of the devil in that situation.
Remember that the enemy has already been defeated through the victory of Jesus Christ at the cross.
One of the greatest ways the devil hinders us is through our own minds.
Fear, doubt, unbelief, condemnation and the continual expectation of defeat can keep us living as though Christ has never won the victory.
But He HAS won the victory!
Colossians 2:15 tells us that Christ triumphed over the powers of darkness.
Therefore, do not allow your thoughts to convince you that you are helpless.
Stand firm in the truth of God’s Word.
You Must Be Fully Convinced
There is something very important that I want you to understand.
You cannot exercise spiritual authority with a heart full of uncertainty.
You must be convinced of what the Word of God says.
You must know who you are in Christ.
You must understand what He accomplished at the cross.
And you must believe that His Spirit truly lives within you.
If you are not yet convinced, then I encourage you to make a personal study of the authority and dominion we have in Christ.
Read the Scriptures.
Meditate on them.
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal their meaning to you.
Do not simply accept these things because I have written them. Search the Word of God and allow Him to establish these truths in your own heart.
And then, when you understand your position in Christ, begin to act upon what you have learned.
Stop living as though you are defeated.
Stop expecting God to do everything while you remain passive.
Take responsibility for what He has entrusted to you.
You are not called to live as a helpless victim of circumstances.
You are called to follow Christ, to walk in His Spirit and to stand in His victory.
When Heaven Looks at You, It Should See Jesus
There is something beautiful that I want to leave with you.
When I picture a believer standing in the courts of God, washed by the blood of Jesus, dead to the flesh and exercising faith in the authority of Christ, I see something extraordinary.
I see the likeness of Jesus.
Not because we have become God, but because our old life has been surrendered and the life of Christ is being revealed through us.
We no longer stand in our own strength.
We stand in Him.
We no longer depend upon our own righteousness.
We are clothed in His righteousness.
And we no longer need to live as slaves to fear and defeat.
Our lives are hidden in Christ.
As Paul so beautifully declares:
“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” — Colossians 3:3 (KJV)
Perhaps the question we should be asking is no longer:
“Lord, when are You going to do something?”
But rather:
“Lord, what have You already given me the authority and responsibility to do?”
And perhaps, as we begin to understand our position in Christ, we will discover that the answer to some of our prayers has been waiting for us to rise up in faith, surrender our lives completely, and walk in the victory of the cross.
You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Now learn to live from that position!
Waarom Word Ons Gebede Nie Beantwoord Nie?
Vra ons dalk vir God om te doen wat Hy ons reeds die gesag gegee het om self te doen?
Miskien is jy, die leser, ook een van die baie Christene wat al jare lank oor ‘n bepaalde situasie bid, maar niks blyk te verander nie.
Ek weet hoe dit voel.
Daar is dinge in my eie lewe waaroor ek al die afgelope dertig jaar bid, en steeds het dit nie reggekom nie.
Ek het Derek Prince eenkeer hoor sê dat “Nee” ook ‘n antwoord is.
Maar is dit altyd die rede waarom ons gebede onbeantwoord bly? Of is daar dalk iets wat ons nog nie verstaan het oor ons posisie in Christus nie?
Ek is in ‘n posisie waar ek dikwels na ander mense se probleme en hartseer luister. En so dikwels hoor ek dieselfde desperate woorde:
“Ek bid en ek bid, maar niks gebeur nie!”
Ek het al gesien hoe mense voor hulle tyd oud word onder die las van onbeantwoorde gebede, teleurstelling, onreg en omstandighede wat skynbaar onmoontlik is om te verander.
En ek het myself afgevra: Waarom lyk dit asof die goddeloses so dikwels met hulle ongeregtigheid wegkom, terwyl God se kinders swaarkry, ten spyte van al die wonderlike beloftes wat Hy aan ons gegee het?
Is ons dan nie veronderstel om oorwinnaars te wees nie?
Is die oorwinning dan nie reeds deur Jesus Christus aan ons gegee nie?
Ek soek al lank na God se antwoord oor hierdie onderwerp, en ek glo dat ek uiteindelik ‘n antwoord ontvang het.
Ons Het die Denke van Christus!
In 1 Korinthiërs 2:10 leer Paulus ons dat God selfs Sy diepste geheimenisse deur Sy Gees aan ons openbaar.
Dink net vir ‘n oomblik daaroor na.
Niemand kan weet wat ‘n ander mens dink nie, behalwe daardie persoon self. Net so ken niemand die gedagtes van God nie, behalwe die Gees van God.
Maar hier is die wonderlike openbaring: God het aan ons Sy Gees gegee!
Hy het ons nie in die duisternis agtergelaat om te wonder wat Hy dink of wat Hy vir ons voorberei het nie. Sy Gees woon binne-in ons sodat ons kan weet watter wonderlike dinge Hy vrylik aan ons geskenk het.
Neem asseblief die tyd om self 1 Korinthiërs 2:10–16 te lees. Daar is soveel meer in hierdie verse as wat ek hier kan verduidelik.
Maar kyk net na die buitengewone verklaring waarmee Paulus afsluit:
“Maar ons het die sin van Christus.” — 1 Korinthiërs 2:16 (1933/1953-vertaling)
Wat ‘n kragtige waarheid!
Die Gees wat die diepste dinge van God ken, woon binne-in ons.
Die Bybel leer ons ook dat ons krag en gesag in Christus ontvang het. Jesus het self verklaar dat dié wat in Hom glo, die werke sal doen wat Hy gedoen het, en selfs groter werke (Johannes 14:12).
Maar as dit waar is, waarom leef soveel Christene dan asof hulle magteloos is?
Bid Ons Soos Bedelaars in Plaas Daarvan om in Christus te Regeer?
Ek glo dat een van die redes waarom ons nie antwoorde op ons gebede sien nie, is omdat ons nog nie die gesag wat aan ons in Christus gegee is, ten volle verstaan en begin uitoefen het nie.
Ons bid en ons bid en ons bid.
“Here, help my asseblief!”
“Here, doen asseblief iets!”
“Here, wanneer gaan U hierdie situasie verander?”
Maar miskien nader ons God soos bedelaars, eerder as seuns en dogters wat reeds ‘n erfdeel in Christus ontvang het.
Miskien vra ons aanhoudend vir God om iets te doen waarvoor Hy ons reeds deur Sy Gees toegerus het.
En ja, miskien het jy al probeer om ‘n situasie te beveel om te verander, maar niks het gebeur nie.
Ek verstaan daardie frustrasie.
Laat ek jou vertel van iets wat baie jare gelede met my gebeur het.
‘n Vraag Wat God My Gevra Het en Wat My Denke Verander Het
Baie jare gelede is twee mense in ons vallei vermoor.
Ek was diep ontsteld oor wat gebeur het en het tot die Here uitgeroep:
“Here, wanneer gaan U iets hieraan doen?”
Sy antwoord het onmiddellik gekom.
Ek het verstaan dat Hy vir my sê dat Hy niks daaraan gaan doen nie. In plaas daarvan het Hy my ‘n vraag gevra:
“Wat gaan JY daaraan doen?”
Daardie vraag het my nog nooit verlaat nie.
Dit het my hele begrip van my verantwoordelikheid as gelowige uitgedaag.
Ek het begin besef dat God ons roep om verantwoordelikheid te aanvaar en die gesag wat Hy aan ons gegee het, uit te oefen, eerder as om hulpeloos te staan en wag dat Hy ingryp.
In die begin het God aan Adam heerskappy oor die aarde gegee.
En deur die oorwinning van Jesus Christus aan die kruis is ons in ‘n nuwe posisie van gesag in Hom gebring.
Efesiërs 2:6 sê dat God ons saam opgewek en saam laat sit het in die hemele in Christus Jesus.
Ons sit saam met Christus!
Nie as verslane mense nie, maar as mense wat deel het aan Sy oorwinning.
Dit is vanuit hierdie posisie wat ek glo ons geroep word om geestelike gesag uit te oefen.
Wanneer ons die Woord van God in geloof en in ooreenstemming met Sy wil spreek, praat ons nie meer bloot vanuit ons eie menslike swakheid nie. Ons vertrou op die krag van die God wat alles geskape het.
Maar miskien vra jy nou:
“Hoe kom ek by die plek waar die hemel en die aarde reageer op die gesag van Christus wat deur my werk?”
Die Geheim Lê by die Kruis
Die antwoord, glo ek, is eenvoudiger as wat ons dink.
Gaan terug na die altaar.
Lê jou lewe opnuut voor God neer.
Vra Hom om jou te vergewe vir die kere wat jy in vrees, ongeloof en hulpeloosheid geleef het, in plaas daarvan om in die gesag van Christus te wandel.
Vra Hom om jou te leer hoe om in Christus te regeer.
Maar verstaan dit: Die altaar is die kruis.
Ons kan nie verwag om in die krag van die opstandingslewe te wandel terwyl ons steeds volgens die swakhede en begeertes van die vlees leef nie.
Jesus het Sy lewe neergelê, en Hy roep ons om Hom te volg.
Ons moet die vleeslike natuur met sy swakhede kruisig en opstaan om in die Gees van God te wandel.
Ons sterf aan die ou lewe sodat die lewe van Christus in ons geopenbaar kan word.
En hier is die wonderlike waarheid:
Dieselfde Gees wat Jesus Christus uit die dood opgewek het, woon in JOU!
Romeine 8:11 bevestig dit.
Dink net aan die grootheid van hierdie verklaring.
Die Gees van die lewende God, die Gees deur wie alle dinge geskape is, woon binne-in jou.
Jy is nie verlate nie.
Jy is nie magteloos nie.
Jy is nie sonder hulp nie.
God het Sy Gees aan jou gegee!
En ek glo dat daardie selfde Gees binne-in jou is om jou te leer hoe om die omstandighede te oorwin wat jou al so lank gevange hou.
Neem Jou Plek in die Hemelse Howe In
Wanneer jou gewete rein is en jy deur die bloed van Jesus skoongewas is, kom dan met vrymoedigheid voor God.
Hebreërs 4:16 sê dat ons met vrymoedigheid na die troon van genade moet gaan.
Staan voor Hom, nie in jou eie geregtigheid nie, maar in die geregtigheid van Jesus Christus.
Hy is ons groot Hoëpriester.
Hy is die Hoëpriester van ons belydenis.
Begin nou om die Woord van God oor jou omstandighede uit te spreek.
Maak jou verklarings in die Naam van Jesus, volgens die gesag wat jy glo Hy aan jou gegee het.
Vra vir die bystand van God se engele om Sy wil uit te voer, en vertrou Hom om hulle werk te rig.
Begin om God te dank vir Sy antwoord, selfs voordat jy die verandering met jou natuurlike oë kan sien.
En staan nou, in die Naam van Jesus, teen die werke van die duiwel in daardie situasie.
Onthou dat die vyand reeds deur die oorwinning van Jesus Christus aan die kruis verslaan is.
Een van die grootste maniere waarop die duiwel ons verhinder, is deur ons eie gedagtes.
Vrees, twyfel, ongeloof, veroordeling en die voortdurende verwagting van nederlaag kan ons laat leef asof Christus nooit die oorwinning behaal het nie.
Maar Hy HET die oorwinning behaal!
Kolossense 2:15 leer ons dat Christus oor die magte van die duisternis getriomfeer het.
Moet daarom nie toelaat dat jou gedagtes jou oortuig dat jy hulpeloos is nie.
Staan vas in die waarheid van God se Woord.
Jy Moet Ten Volle Oortuig Wees
Daar is iets baie belangriks wat ek wil hê jy moet verstaan.
Jy kan nie geestelike gesag uitoefen met ‘n hart vol onsekerheid nie.
Jy moet oortuig wees van wat die Woord van God sê.
Jy moet weet wie jy in Christus is.
Jy moet verstaan wat Hy aan die kruis volbring het.
En jy moet glo dat Sy Gees werklik binne-in jou woon.
As jy nog nie oortuig is nie, moedig ek jou aan om ‘n persoonlike studie te maak van die gesag en heerskappy wat ons in Christus het.
Lees die Skrif.
Oordink dit.
Vra die Heilige Gees om die betekenis daarvan aan jou te openbaar.
Moenie hierdie dinge bloot aanvaar omdat ek dit geskryf het nie. Ondersoek self die Woord van God en laat Hom toe om hierdie waarhede in jou eie hart te vestig.
En wanneer jy jou posisie in Christus begin verstaan, begin dan om op te tree volgens wat jy geleer het.
Hou op om te leef asof jy verslaan is.
Hou op om te verwag dat God alles moet doen terwyl jy self passief bly.
Neem verantwoordelikheid vir dit wat Hy aan jou toevertrou het.
Jy is nie geroep om as ‘n hulpelose slagoffer van omstandighede te leef nie.
Jy is geroep om Christus te volg, in Sy Gees te wandel en vas te staan in Sy oorwinning.
Wanneer die Hemel na Jou Kyk, Behoort Hulle Jesus te Sien
Daar is iets besonders wat ek graag met jou wil deel voordat ek afsluit.
Wanneer ek ‘n gelowige sien wat in die hemelse howe staan, skoongewas deur die bloed van Jesus, dood vir die vlees en vol geloof in die gesag van Christus, sien ek iets buitengewoons.
Ek sien die gestalte van Jesus.
Nie omdat ons God geword het nie, maar omdat ons ou lewe oorgegee is en die lewe van Christus deur ons geopenbaar word.
Ons staan nie meer in ons eie krag nie.
Ons staan in Hom.
Ons vertrou nie meer op ons eie geregtigheid nie.
Ons is beklee met Sy geregtigheid.
En ons hoef nie meer soos slawe van vrees en nederlaag te leef nie.
Ons lewe is verborge in Christus.
Soos Paulus dit so pragtig verklaar:
“Want julle het gesterwe, en julle lewe is saam met Christus verborge in God.” — Kolossense 3:3 (1933/1953-vertaling)
Miskien is die vraag wat ons moet vra nie meer:
“Here, wanneer gaan U iets doen?”
Maar eerder:
“Here, watter gesag en verantwoordelikheid het U reeds aan my gegee om op te tree?”
En miskien sal ons, namate ons ons posisie in Christus begin verstaan, ontdek dat die antwoord op sommige van ons gebede al die tyd gewag het dat ons in geloof opstaan, ons lewens volkome oorgee en in die oorwinning van die kruis begin wandel.
Jy het gesterwe, en jou lewe is saam met Christus verborge in God.
Leer nou om vanuit daardie posisie te leef!