How to Access Your Authority for Miracle-Working Power
And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them (John 17:10).
There are far too many Christians who have a low self-image of themselves.
Why is that? Because too many of us allow our self-worth to be determined by those around us. Television commercials and online ads show the current trends of which we too often measure ourselves against only to find out the next day those trends have changed.
We also live in a very loveless world in which worth can be based on skin color, race, or wealth. I remember, when I was in middle school, I was bullied by some simply because of my last name. I was called racially insensitive names, and physical fights were started because of it. Unfortunately, being bullied followed me to college. I was on the basketball team, and during my sophomore year, we had a tournament during the Christmas break. The tournament was to be held in Wisconsin, and I was really excited about going because I had never been to too many places outside of Texas. I grew up in a poor family; as a result, our vacations were usually a few days in Galveston, Texas, which was only about forty-five minutes away. So, I was excited at the opportunity to visit some other states up north! But my excitement was short-lived when my coach called me to his office and informed me that I couldn’t go. He didn’t tell me why, but he did let me know it wasn’t his decision.
I was heartbroken. While my teammates were getting ready for the basketball trip, I began the five-hour drive to my parents’ house in Beaumont, Texas. I was so upset that I didn’t even bother to stick around for our team picture for that year. I almost quit the team over it all but decided to stick it out for the remainder of the year. It was later on that I found out the athletic director had a problem with me because I was Hispanic.
Many of us have had circumstances in life where because of our race, economic status, or family history or background, we didn’t fit in; as a result, we didn’t feel of any value or worth. There were many times I could have let my economic status and the racial issues define me—but I was just too hardheaded. I have always been a fighter, so I chose not to let those things get me down; however, when I began to understand how God saw me, I began to get a massive boost in my sense of self-worth.
In John 17:10, Jesus said, “All Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine.” Do you think God owns junk? Certainly not. We can see in Genesis 1 that when God was creating the world, it was good; yet, when He created man, it was more than good—because man was created in the image of God! God modeled man after Himself. When God made man, He made man to be perfect because God took of Himself and made Adam.
Sadly, Adam sinned and died spiritually. He lost out on the union of God and the life of God, but thankfully, Jesus came to get these back for us. Because of salvation, you and I become one with Christ, and He becomes one with us. When we are born again, we are made of the very same substance of God, and because of that we are of tremendous value.
Now, let’s take this a giant step further. If you have ever wondered if you are special, look at what Jesus said as He was praying to the Father: “I am glorified in them.” The word glorified in the Greek means “to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged.”
Think about this: The worth of Jesus is seen through you! That’s a mind-blowing statement. It’s one thing to know you are valuable; it’s quite another to know the value of Jesus can be seen and experienced through you. There isn’t a price tag that can be put on you because you are priceless.
In Christ, God made you so unique that you can exhibit the qualities of Christ. God empowered you with the very same power that flows in Jesus. The grace that was upon Jesus to reveal the Father is the same grace upon you to reveal the Christ.
Friend, this goes so much further than following rules and trying to be a better person; this is about representing Jesus in His fullness!
If we take a look at the disciples that were with Jesus in the upper room, it becomes quickly evident Jesus was not referring to their character, personality, or physical makeup. The disciples were a band of misfits before they met Jesus. Among those on the Jesus Christ Evangelistic Team were Matthew, who was a callous tax collector; Judas, who was a heartless thief; James and John, who were only concerned about titles and power; and Peter, who had a horrible temper.
I’m still amazed at the patience of Jesus throughout His time with the Twelve; there had to be lots of “Are you kidding Me?” moments for Jesus! Despite their immaturity, there was one thing that I see in the disciples that still hasn’t been matched by much of the modern Church: They took the power and authority Jesus gave them and replicated Him.
Jesus summoned together his twelve apostles and imparted to them authority over every demon and the power to heal every disease. Then he commissioned them to proclaim God’s kingdom and to heal the sick to demonstrate that the kingdom had arrived. As he sent them out, he gave them these instructions: “Take nothing extra on your journey. Just go as you are. Don’t carry a staff, a backpack, food, money, not even a change of clothes. Whatever home welcomes you as a guest, remain there and make it your base of ministry. And wherever your ministry is rejected, you are to leave that town and shake the dust off your shoes as a testimony before them.” The apostles departed and went into the villages with the wonderful news of God’s kingdom, and they healed diseases wherever they went (Luke 9:1–6 TPT).
When the disciples went out preaching the Kingdom, casting out demons, and healing the sick, Jesus was being glorified, and God was being glorified. Despite their personality flaws and issues of immaturity, they were still getting results like Jesus. You will find that with God, it is not about what you know but about what you produce. God wants you to produce fruit with the supernatural power and authority He has given you. That’s why Jesus said,
I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with Me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless. If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the f ire to be burned. But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father! (John 15:5–8 TPT).
Notice that through our union with Christ, we can speak what Jesus speaks and manifest Heaven. Through our union with Christ, fruit is produced, and He gets glory! We should have high morals and live lives full of integrity and honor, but this is not the type of fruit Jesus was talking about. Sinners can choose to live lives of honor, but they can’t produce supernatural fruit from Heaven! Through our union with Christ, His words can flow through us, and we can act in His place on the earth. As a result, the great honor and value of God are shown in you!
Jesus said that because of our union with Him, God has given us access to anything Heaven has to offer. When the goodness of God is produced in us and through us, the value of Jesus and the value of God are on display!
The next time you look in the mirror, remind yourself of how valuable you are because of Jesus. You’re not only valuable because He died for you, but you are also valuable because people can see Him or His value in you.
Are you ready to take this even further? You and Jesus share the same value! You are just as valuable to God as Jesus is valuable to God. How could the dignity, value, and worth of Jesus be seen in you if you didn’t share it to the same degree? When people see you, they should see the Christ!
How many times have you heard the statement, “You may be the only Jesus people see.” Well, it is a very true statement, but again, it goes far beyond being a good person. If the world is going to see the goodness of God, they will have to see it through you. They need to see you prospering in every area of your life. The world needs to see extraordinary differences in your relationships, finances, and health than its own. The world needs to see the light shining in your life while all the world is filled with darkness. While the economy is tanking, the world needs to see you prospering. While the world is experiencing a health pandemic, they need to see you experiencing divine health. What does this do? It brings Jesus glory through you.
There should never be a Christian with a self-esteem problem. There should never be a Christian with a self-worth problem. You are of high value because you are a child of the King. Certainly, there are people who are born in this world with a greater head start than others, but you must understand that when you become one with Christ, that position becomes the great equalizer. You may have had less of a head start than others in the world, but when you become His, He will not only catch you up, but take you further than you ever could have imagined.
Don’t ever forget that you are His.
Prayer
Father, I ask You to open my eyes and help me to see how You see me. Jesus, thank You for entrusting me with Your authority and power here on the earth so I could bring You glory. Holy Spirit, I will follow You everywhere You lead. I will only say what I hear You say and only do what I see You do so that people see the dignity, worth, and value of Christ through me.
