Power for Life: Keys to a life marked by the presence of God

by Matt Sorger

  I had a choice to make. As I prayed and sought the Lord, He brought me to 1 Peter 3:9–11:

  Never return evil for evil or insult for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing, berating), but on the contrary blessing [praying for their welfare, happiness, and protection, and truly pitying and loving them]. For know that to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing [from God—that you may obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing welfare and happiness and protection]. For let him who wants to enjoy life and see good days [good—whether apparent or not] keep his tongue free from evil and his lips from guile (treachery, deceit). Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]

  The revelation that God is a just and fair God hit my spirit. I realized that if I would pray and release a blessing over this pastor, it would only increase God’s blessing in my own life. I couldn’t lose.

  But in order for me to be able to genuinely release God’s blessing, I had to first pray through my hurt and make the choice to forgive. I would not be able to bless if I harbored resentment in my heart.

  Inherit God’s Blessings

  First Peter 3:9–11 gives us a blueprint for living in the power and blessings of God. When you are scolded, tongue-lashed, insulted, and berated, don’t respond in the same evil way. Respond with blessing! How do you do that? You pray for the person’s welfare, happiness, and protection, even when they don’t deserve it. Rather than reacting in your flesh, step back, leave the room, walk away, and do whatever you have to do to remain in the Spirit so you can release blessing.

  John 10:10 declares, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” Jesus came to give us an abundant, overflowing life that is filled with His blessings and goodness. Jesus died so that we can really live, not just exist. True life starts when we surrender to Christ, forgive those who have hurt us, and bless those who mistreat us. The more you bless, the more you will be blessed.

  To enjoy the abundant life Christ died to give you, you must be mindful of three things.

  1. Always release and pray blessing over people, especially the ones hurting you the most.

  2. Keep your tongue from evil. Refuse to agree with what the enemy is doing. Avoid at all cost angry, hurtful, bitter, negative, fearful, and reactionary words. Choose to line your mouth up with the Holy Spirit and with God’s Word.

  3. Aggressively pursue peace. Go after peace with God, with other people, and with yourself.

  Release the Power of God

  One of the greatest ways we can release the power of God in our own lives and into the lives of others is through the release of blessings. When you come to faith in Christ, you are granted His power and authority to release blessings over yourself and others. What does this mean?

  The word blessing can be defined as “a special favor, gift or benefit bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.” It also means “to protect or guard from evil, the act of invoking divine protection or aid.” Another definition is “to grant approval.”1

  When we release blessings over someone, we invoke God’s supernatural favor in their lives. This authority and power to release blessing empowers us to release from God special gifts, favors, benefits, protection, and provision into the lives of those around us, as well as in our own lives.

  Why Should I Bless My Enemies?

  God doesn’t call us to just bless our friends or those who are good to us. He also calls us to bless our enemies. Luke 6:28 says, “Invoke blessings upon and pray for the happiness of those who curse you, implore God’s blessing (favor) upon those who abuse you [who revile, reproach, disparage, and high-handedly misuse you].”

  Why would God call us to do this? Well, mainly because it represents His heart. God loves everyone, even those who hate Him. He asks us to do the same. But He is a very fair and just God. When we live in a way that pleases Him, we are rewarded for this godly behavior, both in this life and in the one to come. There are benefits to blessing those who abuse and mistreat us.

  Jesus taught His disciples, “Whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this household! [Freedom from all the distresses that result from sin be with this family]. And if anyone [worthy] of peace and blessedness is there, the peace and blessedness you wish shall come upon him; but if not, it shall come back to you” (Luke 10:5–6).

  When you release blessing over an undeserving person, it comes back upon you! Every time you do good to one of your enemies or pronounce a blessing over someone who has hurt you, you are actually releasing God’s blessings—including His favor, benefits, protection, and provision—back into your own life. God blesses those who accurately represent His nature, character, and heart.

  Authority to Decree Restoration

  As I was praying over the situation of money being taken out of our offering, God brought me to Proverbs 6:31: “But if he is found out, he must restore seven times [what he stole]; he must give the whole substance of his house [if necessary—to meet his fine].”

  I suddenly realized that not only did I have the responsibility to forgive and the opportunity to bless, but I also had the authority to decree a sevenfold return of everything that was taken from me! As I went into prayer, I released my hurt to God, prayed a blessing over the pastor, and declared that whatever was taken out of our offering must be returned with a sevenfold increase. I knew God was bigger than my circumstances and bigger than the actions of any person. Rather than demanding that my offering be given to me, I trusted God to bring a sevenfold financial blessing into my ministry.

  In my heart I chose to trust God as my ultimate provider. I realized that He sees everything, will work it all for my good, and is just and fair, but I needed to exercise my authority and lay hold of the blessing that was rightfully mine because of Christ’s finished work on the cross and because of the authority of Scripture.

  As I made the sevenfold decree, that very week checks began to show up in the mail. Large donations for the ministry came in from several unexpected places. Our online resource orders shot through the roof, and that following week we received one of the largest offerings our ministry has ever experienced at the next church we ministered at. The thief had to give back seven times—and then some! The provision came from God as He moved upon the hearts of pure-hearted people to give and sow into the ministry. God provided as people heard the voice of God and partnered with His will to sow into what God was doing.

  When you choose to bless, you will reap blessing! When you choose to love even when it is hard, God will turn all things for your good and override the sinful choices of other people that affect your life.

  Setting Favor Into Motion

  And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them, The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; the Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually). And they shall put My name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.

  —NUMBERS 6:22–27

  You release blessing over someone through the power of your words. As you decree God’s Word over them, a blessing is dispatched. Numbers 6:22–27 is a good guideline for a blessing. Through the spoken words of your mouth you release God’s watch, guard, keeping power, enlightenment, grace, kindness, mercy, favor, approval, and peace.

  When you bless someone under the direction and unction of the Holy Spirit, divine favor is set in motion in their life. This favor will open doors of opportunity for them, release supernatural provision for the vision God has given them, and also maneuver them
into the right place, at the right time, to meet the right people whom God wants to use in their lives. You can be a dispenser of God’s divine blessing for another person. And remember, what you do for others, God will do for you!

  Let’s not forget the words of James Allen, a New Zealander statesman and Minister of Defense from 1912–1920: “The man who sows wrong thoughts and deeds and prays that God will bless him is in the position of a farmer who, having sown tares, asks God to bring forth for him a harvest of wheat.”2

  There is tremendous power released through blessing. You may be familiar with the movie Bella , a feature film about a woman considering having an abortion. Bella was produced by Metanoia Film, and the word metanoia is Greek for “conversion.” The film’s producer and actor, Eduardo Verastegui, experienced the miraculous power of a blessing. His vision was to start his own production company that would produce films that would “entertain, uplift, heal and above all, respect human dignity.”3 In an interview for the Holy See , a Catholic newspaper, he said, “We want people to leave the movie theaters wanting to love more, forgive more and complain less; we want them to leave with a candle in their hearts, full of hope and faith. I want to have...our Lord Jesus Christ on the set and not have to cover [His] eyes. And I don’t want any actors to have to compromise their values.”4

  Metanoia’s first film, Bella , written in two months, almost didn’t make it to the big screen. Verastegui had no money to produce it. Upon meeting with Pope John Paul II in Rome, he explained his mission to him and asked the pope to pray for him. He received a special prayer of blessing. Ten days later Verastegui met a family who literally gave him the money he needed without even reading the script or signing a contract. They shot the entire film in twenty-three days and sent it to the Toronto International Film Festival, where they won. Bella became a box office hit and was rated #1 by the New York Times , Readers Poll , Yahoo, and Fandango. But the film’s producer says these awards aren’t their greatest success. It’s the “letters and e-mails and phone calls we received from young pregnant women who were scheduled to have an abortion and after seeing the film—by the grace of God—changed their minds and decided to keep their babies.”5

  This is the power of blessing! Not only did it release the hand and favor of God to bring a miracle financial provision, but also with the success of the movie, the lives of countless women have been eternally impacted. Blessing released favor, and with that favor came transformed lives.

  The Power of a Spiritual Leader’s Blessing

  I remember when I was stepping out of pastoral ministry into the evangelistic field, the one thing I wanted from my spiritual leaders was their blessing. I can remember sitting down with my pastor when he asked, “Matt, what would you like me to do for you?” My response was, “I would love to have your blessing.”

  I feel it is very important to be submitted to spiritual authority. I had always believed that if I was to correctly walk things out, I needed to do things the right way. That included submitting to the counsel of my authorities and receiving their blessing in what God was doing in my life.

  I realize that not everyone will have the luxury of serving under healthy spiritual leadership that can recognize what God is doing in their lives and have the heart to bless them. But I can tell you this: God is well able to direct your steps and bring healthy spiritual leaders into your life who will genuinely bless what God is doing in and through you. God did this for me, and He can do it for you.

  As I submitted myself to God and His plan, He brought amazing men and women of God into my life who could see and recognize the call of God that was upon me. I am eternally grateful to each one of them for their amazing hearts for God and for me. Each time I have received a prayer of blessing from one of God’s generals, I have seen dramatic increases of God’s favor, anointing, open doors, and financial blessing in my life. Not only will God do this for you, but He will also use you to bless what He is doing in the lives of others. Not only will you be a spiritual son or daughter to someone, but you can also be a spiritual father or mother and see what God has done in you multiplied in others.

  Honor Brings Blessing

  I also want to share a secret with you that not only blesses God’s heart and makes Him happy but will attract blessing to you as well. Something that God has put in me from a very early age is the understanding and conviction that we must honor our spiritual authorities. Our spiritual leaders are gifts from God.

  Honor (esteem and value as precious) your father and your mother—this is the first commandment with a promise—that all may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.

  —EPHESIANS 6:2–3

  I believe this scripture not only applies to our natural birth parents but to our spiritual fathers and mothers as well. When you honor the authorities God has placed in your life, you are honoring God. You receive from whatever you honor and value. When you honor a leader by treating them right, showing them proper respect, praying for them, and finding ways to bless them with your words, attitudes, and actions, you open your spirit to receiving the anointing, power, and gifts that God has placed within them. You attract to yourself what you value and esteem. So it’s not just about receiving a blessing from our authorities. We must also find ways that we can be a blessing to them as we honor and esteem them in our hearts.

  Activate and Release God’s Blessings

  Make the choice today to be a blesser. As you release blessings through the words of your mouth, God’s power will be unleashed through you in amazing ways in the lives of others. Through the simplicity of the spoken word, you can impact lives for the good and see people released into their destinies.

  Words are both better and worse than thoughts; they express them, and add to them; they give them power for good or evil; they start them on an endless flight, for instruction and comfort and blessing, or for injury and sorrow and ruin.6

  —TRYON EDWARDS, AMERICAN THEOLOGIAN (1809–1894)

  Here are some blessings you can release today:

  1. Think of the people who have hurt you the most; then spend time in prayer releasing them into God’s hands, forgiving them of any perceived injustice, and praying for them as Job prayed for his friends.

  2. Bless your family, friends, and leaders daily by praying the Aaronic blessing over them found in Numbers 6:22–27.

  3. Pray for and bless Israel today. Genesis 12:3 promises that as we bless Israel, we will be blessed.

  4. Pray for God to show you any areas where the thief has stolen from you. Then after you have forgiven the people involved and prayed a blessing over them, decree for a sevenfold return to come forth as seen in Proverbs 6:31.

  5. Pray for God to give you healthy spiritual fathers and mothers who will bless you. Also look for others whom you can pour those same blessings into.

  CHAPTER 12

  The Power of Joy

  Be Contagious

  I WAS A YOUNG minister at the time. While I desired to live in God’s joy, there was one day where it was stolen from me. I can’t even remember why, but I know I was miserable and depressed. I will never forget how another older minister said to me that day, “Matt, I am so glad to see you maturing in the Lord. I can see how sober you are becoming.” I thought to myself, “Dude, I am depressed!” I wondered, since when did depression equal spiritual maturity? I knew Galatians 5 said that one of the fruit of the Spirit is joy. That means the more mature you are, the more joy you should have. Usually everyone asked me why I smiled so much. It was because I had joy. But this day I was depressed, and this older minister thought I was maturing. It was the opposite! The sign of a truly powerful life in the Spirit is not how sober and miserable you are. It’s how joyful you are, no matter what’s going on around you.

  The greatest honor we can give Almighty God is to live gladly because of the knowledge of his love.1

  —BLESSED JULIAN OF NORWICH

  A legalistic, religious mind-set will tell you that you have to be sober, mi
serable, and depressed to be a mature Christian. You don’t have to look like you have been sucking on sour lemons all your life to radiate the image of Christ. That doesn’t work. Try telling someone, “Oh, come to church with me, follow God, and you can be as miserable as I am!” They will run in the opposite direction. Why do you think there are so many self-help books out there? The main reason is because people don’t want to be miserable and depressed. They want to be happy! And they can be.

  Do You Have a Flat Tire?

  You want to be happy. You want to enjoy your life. This is one of the biggest needs and desires within each one of us. You can possess all the wealth in the world and have access to every material possession there is, but if you don’t have joy, it’s worth nothing. If you want to live a wonderful life filled with power to be and do all God has called you to be and do, then you must know how to have joy. Without joy you will be miserable and depressed. It’s like riding a car with flat tires. Everything will be a struggle. When you lack joy, it can be a struggle just to get up in the morning. Who wants to live like that? I don’t, and I know you don’t either. So let’s learn how to live an exceptional life in the power of joy.

  I want to be as real and transparent as I can be with you. We are all human. No matter how much power we experience in our lives, no matter how close we are to God, we still have a soul and live in a body. We all have emotions that we need to learn to deal with and overcome. Everyone, no matter how anointed and used of God they are, will have moments where discouragement and depression try to get them down. Some will struggle with this more than others, depending on their personality. People who are highly sensitive will be more susceptible to discouragement. If you have a tendency to get discouraged easily, you will have to press in more after God and allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit of joy in you.