'Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.' 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NASB
Our home is an 'unveiled' place for us to live life. It is unveiled because, whether we want it or not, those who live with us see us more clearly than anyone. They know us better, even if that means they don't know us authentically at all. Behind the veil is where we hide. But the Scriptures say that we commune with the Lord and are transformed into His image as the veil comes down and we behold Him exactly as He really us and let Him see us exactly as we really are.
If I have died with Christ and have been given new life with Him, there is a transformation that needs to happen so that my life can increasingly look like His. That comes by beholding. Beholding and not hiding. Letting Him see me and know me as I really am and seeing Him as He is, then fellowshipping with Him and others in that same manner of relationship.
When we are in need of transformation, does it automatically happen? Or is there a choice to make? If there is a choice, then there is authority. I can choose freely and see change. Personally, it is clear to me that I can choose. I can choose WHAT to behold. I can choose, therefore, what transformation occurs in my life. But WHY is it so important to understand this process in our homes? Why is it so valuable to our journey that we know the authority we have in our very own home, and not just in our individual lives?
'Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, 'So where is their God? But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; noses they have, but they do not smell; they have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; nor do they mutter through their throat. Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them,' (Psalm 115: 1-8, NKJV).
The above passage shows us that we become like what we behold. What we fix our attention upon, especially when we are looking for answers behind the veil of our lives, WE WILL BECOME LIKE. It isn't just about 'good' or 'bad', it is about what or who do we want to look like? No choice is neutral. Every choice is significant if there is transformation involved. If shame hides us, then we will be transformed through what we do to remedy it. If boredom or selfishness run our choices, then we will become the things we go to for our solution. And the most significant part of those choices is that we can certainly render our lives powerless and lifeless, void of authority to choose what we want and long for so deeply.
'The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!' (Matthew 6: 22-23, NASB)
So, putting all this together, we have much more authority in our homes than we ever thought! It is in the home that we allow the veil to come down and we choose the things that transform us into the image of what we behold. It is in the home that we don't do this alone, but in relationship with those closest to us in life. If we have children in our home, they behold us in this process, and in the same manner, see their lives transformed through relationship with their parents.
The word 'unveiling' is key. It implies the removing of the curtain so as to reveal publically what couldn't be seen before. It involves attracting attention and evaluation of what is really there. This, is so important for us to understand if we are going to understand authority. We must be attentive to what is really there behind the curtain, because that is what determines WHO we really are!
What are you beholding in your home? Is it derived directly from an unveiled relationship with Jesus Christ? What has your attention? Behind what are you hiding? Our home is the place in our lives where we are seen and observed more than anywhere. I invite you to come into the authority you have been given there!
If you would like to learn more about how to live in personal authority, reach out to me at beginsathome22@gmail.com. I would love to provide encouragement and resources to help you on your own journey!
Warmly,
Jana
JUNE 30, 2024
#5: Authority In The Home
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