Believe in your superpowers
It’s no coincidence that these Forty Days of Apostleship overlap with some pretty scary times in our nation and world. As the world battles the coronavirus and we learn more about the attack on our nation’s capital, fear can threaten to engulf us. There has never been a better time to believe like Jesus—to develop the kind of faith he had—so you can perform the type of miracles he did. Now is a great time to embrace your superpower.
This week we explore the third of Jesus’ core beliefs. Jesus not only believed in his partnership with God, and that his prayers had power, Jesus believed in his superpower. No, I’m not talking about spidery web-making, speed, strength, shapeshifting, time travel, elasticity, invisibility, freezing, or flight. As impressive as these superpowers are, Jesus’ superpower makes these look like child’s play.
Jesus believed in his superpower
It’s easy to think that Jesus’ leading superpower was miracle-making. After all, he walked on water, calmed wind and waves, and rose from the dead. But I think those miracles were the result of his superpower, not the superpower itself.
Instead, I believe Jesus’ superpower was his ability to choose a miracle-making mindset. When faced with the worst of conditions—temptation by Satan, crucifixion by Pilate, disavowal by family—Jesus opted for faith. He wasn’t swayed by group-think or done in by peer pressure. Nor was he intimidated by personalities or daunted by principalities. Time and again, he chose God’s future over fear. Using this superpower means he stayed calm amid conflict, present under pressure, and mindful amid the madness. All of this allowed him to tune in to God’s prompting.
Soulful step
Jesus isn’t the only one to possess this superpower. God has given it to you as well (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 2:8, 2 Timothy 1:7). Like Jesus, you, too, have the capacity in every moment to choose your mindset. Don’t get me wrong. You’re probably not going to walk on water the first time out. Using this superpower requires a great deal of practice. Think Jedi Masters. It took Luke and Rey a long time to work well with the Force. The scriptures remind us that even Jesus himself had to grow up into the wisdom and stature of the Lord (Luke 2:52).
Choosing your thought-life begins not in your head but your heart. To take this soulful step, tune in to your heart through quiet meditation, mindful breathing, reflection on scripture, or time in nature. It is from this grounded place that you can begin to notice the pattern of your thoughts. Ask yourself: Do my thoughts build my faith? Or do they tear me down?
Embrace the belief that you have this superpower
The world is battered and wounded. At this writing, the pandemic has cost the lives of over 500,000 Americans and crippled families across the nation. The January 6 attack still echoes in our minds as we wonder if/when the next horrific display of white supremacy and racism will occur. Fear rises to the surface.
When fear threatens to set up camp in your heart, remember this: apostles don’t panic. Instead, like Jesus, they know they have a partnership with God. They know their prayers have power. They know they possess a superpower. Buoyed by these divine beliefs, apostles can hold a high vibration and invite others to it.
You can deliberately resist being hijacked by fear and harness your superpowers. Apostles are spiritual badasses in the making.
Through prayer, I was reminded that God called me to this ministry in the early days of the 2007-2008 crash, and God has been by my side ever since. I realized that I didn’t have to cede my faith or surrender my spiritual authority to any wind or waves back then, and I certainly don’t now. I remembered I could choose my mindset.
Apostolic action
How can you contribute to the miracle-making mindset the world needs? May I suggest the Prayer of St. Francis as a starting point?
And remember, if you long to be a shapeshifter or a time traveler, that the miracle-making mindset is the biggest superpower there is. Because when you decide to choose your thoughts, uplift your consciousness, and up-level your faith, everything becomes possible.
As a next step in learning to use your superpowers for the good of the nation and the world, I invite you to join me for my next free “How to Create a Culture of Renewal” webinar.