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A Son Indeed

This past weekend I had an epiphany.  I had read four life-changing books by Austin de Bourg 1 over the last few months but I was about to discover that I had not really “gotten it.”

I was at the local hospital because my father-in-law had taken ill. As my husband and I waited while Dad was being attended to, I had an in-your-face encounter with the suffering of sin-wracked humanity. I remember thinking, “if they only knew how sin has robbed them of the amazing birthright and heritage 2 that God has established for them if they would just come to Him.”

It grieved my heart to see elderly people, broken in body and spirit, moaning in distress; to hear the inconsolable pain-filled cries of helpless babies; to see drunken, filth-encrusted men and women, beaten and bruised, all waiting for seemingly endless hours to be attended to by demotivated staff.

I am sure you have witnessed scenes like this. It can become so overwhelming that we may be tempted to think that change is impossible, that the issues are too complicated. As overpowered as I felt, on some level I knew and believed that it was not hopeless, so I did what most Christians would do . . . I prayed. As I quietly prayed, I sensed the Lord asking me to allow myself to be yoked to Him, so that He could use me to touch the lives of those who so desperately need Him . . . those outside the walls of the church building. Sounds good, right? Well, I was about to learn what that means in a practical everyday sense!

Dad had spent over 10 hours at the hospital, and my husband and I were restricted to the waiting room. Eventually, when I was allowed to see him, I discovered, to my horror, that they had tied him, hands and feet, to the bed. Dad, who is 88 years old, has moderate Alzheimer’s and I had mentioned this to them when he was brought in. Naturally, after 10 hours, he seemed confused and wanted to go home.

Well, I cannot lie to you. When I saw him, totally distraught and frightened, I almost went ballistic! My husband is a karate and self-defense instructor and had taught me a few basic techniques. I immediately had a very clear vision of myself (albeit, not a spiritual one!), executing a perfect flying side kick to a very rude and abrupt nurse. This was quickly followed by a powerful urge to grab her throat when, having restrained myself enough to quietly ask what had happened, she simply coldly told me to sign the release papers and “get him out of here.”

Here comes the epiphany! The Lord chose that precise moment to remind me that I could pray as much as I wanted for those sick, lost people I had seen in the waiting room, but the kingdom authority that is part of my spiritual birthright as a Christian could only be fully accessed as I learned to walk more and more in the supernatural. I admit to you that this was not a particularly welcomed revelation at that moment. More was to come.

The following day, I went to church, still thinking of Dad’s traumatic experience and still outraged at the staff. As the worship service began, the first song was “Great is your Mercy” and as we sang it, the Holy Spirit began to remind me that my heavenly Father sends rain not just to the just but also to the unjust, and that Jesus had died for me when I was still His enemy. The Lord reminded me that it is only when I consistently reflect His image and likeness, that I would be considered a son of God indeed, ready to handle the power and authority that is part of my spiritual birthright. My heart began to melt . . . slowly. That first song was followed by “Thank you for the Cross.” Well! By the time we got to the first chorus, thanking God that He would die for such as us, I was weeping. Once again, I saw my own carnal heart.

I had forgotten that there is nothing good in me and that my righteousness is “as filthy rags” before a holy God. The Holy Spirit gently ministered to me that if I am to walk in the supernatural, and see the power of God change the lives of those around me, people like those in the hospital waiting room, I needed to allow Him to purge my heart. He reminded me that,“Purity of heart gives one easier access to God and to a life in the supernatural. God listens to the pure in heart and considers their requests.”3

The world we live in today needs a divine intervention like never before. The Church must realize though, that “It is only in the supernatural dimension, operating as restored sons of God, that we will be able to bring needed change to the world.” 4

The question for me was, “will I allow Him to purge my heart and prepare me to live the supernatural realm as easily as I do in the natural?”

 

Footnotes:
1. de Bourg, Austin J., What Really is Christianity; Insights into the Mystery of the Trinity; Working the Harvest; Misplaced Righteousness, CreateSpace Independent Publishing, North Charleston, South Carolina, 2014.
2. To read more about your spiritual birthright and heritage, I strongly encourage you to read What Really is Christianity. It completely changed my understanding of Christianity.
3. ibid. “Principles for Living as Restored Sons of God,” (pg. 115).
4. ibid.