The Story of Adela

  The Story of Adela     

Adela was about to get married to a wonderful young man who was going through vigorous seminary training, preparing to be a pastor. Adela's commitment to her future husband compelled her to enroll in some seminary classes to prepare for their ministry. This is how, in that particular semester, Adela and her fiancé attended the same class with Dr. Garland, a professor and an ordained minister. 

During class sessions, when Dr. Garland's eyes fell on Adela, he could hear the Lord's directives to bless her. There were other students with much more dire circumstances to attend to (at least from his perspective), so he responded to the Lord's nudging, "Yes, Lord, I will bless her." Before the semester ended, Dr. Garland finally had the opportunity to get together with Adela and pray for her. He faithfully laid hands over her, and being led by the Spirit, he decreed many blessings suitable for a woman of God. When he finished, Adela looked at him, her eyes full of tears. She assured him that these were tears of joy. Apparently, while Dr. Garland prayed over her, she saw two hands stretching over her head. These hands, she said, were not Dr. Garland's hands; these were Jesus' hands, she assured him. She was visually shaken as she described her vision during prayer. The hands were much larger, and the robe they were garbed in was white. At the time of the prayer, Dr. Garland was wearing a dark blue suit.                                                                                                                   

Dr. Garland was not less shaken and simultaneously deeply humbled because the Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Creator of the Universe, has chosen to use his hands as a conduit for His divine power and authority to bestow blessings on His people. Dr. Garland joined God to intervene in the state of affairs in His Creation. The dominion over God's creation given to Adam was now visibly demonstrated through the work of Dr. Garland. God partnered with him to accomplish His will on Earth for Adela. 

Sometimes, God lifts the veil of mystery, revealing His immediate participation in His creation. Adela’s vision further solidified Dr. Garland’s faith: The “nudge” was not his own imagination; it was God’s directive to apply His authority, vested in Dr. Garland, to guard and rule His creation. What a wonderful partnership! Who said that the life of a believer is boring? Maturity in faith, becoming EHAD with God, frequencies these experiences; they become a daily occurrence, building a recognizable pattern in the God-human relationship. We know His voice (John 10:27-28) and are elevated to the status of knowing God's business (John 15:15).

The story of Adela is a testimony to the power and authority in prayer. Our words are not a timid "breath" spoken in vain. They have the power to influence the spiritual realm. Our Lord, God, and Savior, Christ Jesus vested in us His power and authority. Jesus describes the mechanism through which His power and authority are employed through the believers to advance the Kingdom of God on Earth. 

Don't you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:10-14)

 A few things proceed from Jesus' words. 

First, the life of a follower of Christ should mirror the life of Jesus. He explained that anyone with faith in Him would do even "greater things." The only prerequisite for a believer to affect forces within the spiritual and physical realm, as Jesus did, is the presence of faith in Him. Our words of prayer spoken in faith can move mountains (Mark 11:23). Once spoken, they have a life of their own. They unfold, roll out, and progress through time, space, and realms until they deliver the desired results for which they were prayed. God's spoken word is effective. 

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) 

Jesus said that our spoken words in faith in prayer should have the same effect.

Second, signs and miracles accompanied Jesus' ministry, testifying of His power and authority over humanity and nature. Jesus said, "believe me on the account of the deeds". When spoken in faith, prayers produce deeds that speak for themselves. They are naturally supernatural. Physical laws are bent, and time and space are juxtaposed. The chasm between the natural and the spiritual realities is removed. The witnesses to these supernatural signs and miracles were bewildered, acknowledging that they had indeed seen the acts of God.

The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits, and they obey him." (Mark 1:27) 

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" (Mark 4:41) 

Nature and spirits obeyed Jesus because God the Father has given Him the authority (John 14:10). Consequently, nature and spirits should obey the believers because Jesus has endowed us with the same authority. The age of the  Apostles has never ended; it always has been present! God never withdrew His power and authority, but we have neglected our obligation to employ them in caring for and guarding His creation—humanity and nature. 

Do you exercise power and authority in prayer to do God’s will on Earth, just like Dr. Garland did? This is faith in action. Believers should share daily personal testimonies of God’s miracles in their lives. Encouraging one another increases faith. Miracles and faith mutually promulgate: Miracles increase faith; bigger faith results in more miracles. It is recorded in the Scripture that no miracles happened in Nazaret because of a lack of faith (Matthew 13:53–58). Pray that this is never our fate today.

Third, it is not through believers' exertion and effort that this unparalleled power and authority to command delivers astonishing results. The Father God bestowed His divine power and authority on Jesus. Jesus Himself testified, "It is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work" (John 14:10). The same divine power and authority Jesus gave to every believer (Luke 10:19). It is not the believer but Jesus living in the believer who performs the miracles. We are willing conduits for God to affect His creation. Faith is the only "must be present" catalyst to "officiate" a miraculous transaction. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29). While Jesus was with the disciples, He gave them occasional power and authority. On Pentecost, upon His ascension, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell believers with the same power and authority without limit. 

Conclusion: Power is the state of indwelling with the Holy Spirit of every believer. It is given upon confession of faith in Jesus Christ as a personal Lord, God, and Savior. The Holy Spirit descends upon the individual, resurrecting the human spirit. Jesus referred to this as being born again (John 3:15). The spiritual Law decrees that every believer be sealed with the mark of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30), assuring salvation. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the propeller of power in prayer. Authority is the right to employ this divine power of the Holy Spirit. Christ gave this right to those who believed in his name; He gave us the right to become children of God (John 1:12).