9. Power

I want to continue talking about what is going on inside these many little bubbles of lostness bobbing around inside of absolute goodness and salvation, refusing to allow any of that goodness to enter.

And I am not speaking of “the lost,” but believers in Jesus, and especially you and me.
Now, I don’t see myself as any kind of expert on human psychology, but I am driven to understand, and I seek understanding best by writing. So, these letters are not me teaching, but me learning.

And when I use the word “psychology,” I am referring to understanding that psychosis of the human soul that is capable of living inside of God, possessing fully the Spirit of Christ and the flesh of Christ, and yet remaining pretty much confused about everything.

Our problem, the thing that keeps us bound up lost inside of all Salvation, is power, that is, our perception of and desire for power.

There are two kinds of power, the power of violence and the power of life/love.  I include both life and love because both qualities are expressive inside the kind of power that is God. Life power – think of a tiny plant bursting up through the soil and spreading its leaves in the sunshine. Such a picture illustrates what happens as we speak Christ our only life. Then, love power is the power to impart a sense of belonging to another – “You are loved.”

But life/love is a bit cumbersome, so I will use the word “respect,” the power of violence versus the power of respect.

Let us think of the vessel of power inside of us as God created us – It is God who has made us and not we ourselves (Psalm 100) – think of that vessel as being the heart bridged with the outer wall of protection. These two things, vitally connected together, are the receptacle inside of us wherein power operates.

But let me define “power.” Power is the pressure that alters either our circumstances or what other people do in relation to us.

Now, when you observe English aristocracy in their historical place, as they maintain their place of power in society, you see emanating from them an extraordinary level of violence against any individual that even seems to challenge their position of absolute superiority. (I like historical fiction grounded in actual history, and thus, mostly English, who are, then, simply representative of all power-over people in all cultures then and now.)

If we were entirely by ourselves bobbing around “lost” inside of God, then our innate sense of power-over, the desire to control, would express itself only in altering our circumstances. Think of Robinson Crusoe, who, finding himself entirely alone, set about altering his circumstances by his ingenuity and industry in order to make a better life for himself. This application of “control” is entirely good and of God. Of course, the writer, Daniel Defoe, as a bona fide Englishman, just assumed that when Friday came along, he would, obviously, be subordinate to Crusoe’s “superiority.”

Our problem, then, is “other people.” Now, we must carefully define what we mean by “other people.” “Other people” has nothing to do with other people. Rather, “other people” is a perception found inside our own bubbles, right up there at the front top of our bubble, in front of our mental perception, that is, in front of the bridge connecting our eyes to the frontal lobe of our brain.

Inside of my bubble, “other people,” then, is my own forehead, and the idea of “other people” consists almost entirely of my own fantasy.

Eve was the primary reason for Adam’s decision, except not Eve herself, not at all. Adam did not care to know Eve; Adam only cared about his own perception of Eve, that is, Eve’s “face.” And Eve’s “face” existed only inside of Adam’s self-perception, a fantasy of his own mind.

By biting into the fruit of death, Adam, then, was reaching for two things at the same time, but for one purpose. The two things Adam reached for was, first, word in an impersonal form, word under his control, that is “command and obtain compliance,” with its attendant servant, “hear and obey.” And second, an image of superiority.

And so, when you observe the historical aristocracy, you see them constantly cultivating this outward image they called “good breeding,” by which they deluded themselves that they were, in fact, superior. At the same time, “I command and control; you hear and obey,” was absolute and instantaneous. The slightest challenge to such “superiority” was struck down instantly by whatever means necessary.

Now, here is something important to understand. ALL subservience inside this horrific arena is 100% pretending. The person submitting, whether male or female, is doing so ONLY out of necessity. Inside each one’s bubble is the exact same sense of entitlement and the same drive to control, in any way possible. And females have been those who “serve” in this entirely fake way, not because that is their “nature,” but because men are capable of greater outward violence than women. Women use power to the same extent and for the same reasons as men, though they channel it in a slightly different way.

I have had many “bosses” in my work experiences over the years, with slightly more than half of them being women. Here is my general conclusion from those experiences. I have had terrible bosses, male and female, and I have had wonderful bosses, male and female. The worst boss was male, the best boss was male. The worst female boss was not quite as bad, and the best female boss was not quite as good. (Now, that may well be my perception as a man; a woman might react feel differently in each of those situations.) The difference as far as the terrible bosses were concerned, however, is that a man is open and confrontive in his domination (typically), whereas a woman is vicious in hers. Being dominated by a man feels like being beaten with a club, and being dominated by a woman feels like being clawed to shreds. But the good bosses were the same, whether male or female, kind, supportive, and confident in the exercise of their own abilities, and thus free in themselves to release you into your expertise.

Again, the reason for all this discussion is an attempt to understand the role of perceived “power” inside the story we tell ourselves about ourselves here, inside our bubble of self-perception. Because “power” is one of our problems, in the same way and for the same reasons of Adam’s rebellion. Yet this “power” that is our problem is also part of our human frame created by God to be filled with Himself.

Let’s talk about this heart-wall connection where the sense of power resides in our human frame.

The human heart filled with God is the Mercy Seat, that is the active operation of Love. The outer protective wall of our bubble, expressing love, then, is the issuing of life towards others. Life goes out, then, in three specific forms, first the speaking of Christ, words to bless and encourage (rather than to command and control); second, the actions of kindness and giving, that is, altering circumstances in a godly manner; and, third, the rivers of the Holy Spirit flowing forth to impart life to all.

The human heart empty of God remains a throne, yes, but that throne is then filled with the active operation of power-over or control. And that active control is directed always towards these other bubbles of self getting in our way, preventing us, in our false perception, from obtaining superiority. And the connection of that empty heart to the outer wall of protection and interaction is the imposing of the image of superiority by whatever means necessary.

Let’s look again at Eve. Eve had eaten of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Paul is very clear, however, that sin and death had not yet entered the human race. Sin and death came into all creation entirely and only through Adam.

Now, I am convinced that Adam’s heart was fully engaged with the tree of life while Eve and the serpent were chatting. That’s the whole reason they were next to the tree of knowledge; they both were drawn to the tree of life. The two are always right together.

In the moment, then, that Eve finally got Adam’s attention, Adam’s perception took in a full understanding of everything happening all around him. In that immediate perception, the reality and glory of the tree of life continued full in Adam’s understanding of everything.

Adam looked at his wife.

There are differences between angels and humans, certainly, and humans are much more like God than angels are. Nonetheless there are many similarities as well. And a story of self existing inside a bubble of self-awareness is the largest of those similarities.

So let’s look at the reality of temptation, the first happening inside of any human, including Jesus, and the second happening inside of an angel.

A human, however, is tempted/tested by his own desire being drawn away [turned in the wrong direction] and enticed [lured by bait]. Then desire, having taken [having become pregnant by false seed], gives birth to sin; and sin, brought to completion, gives birth to death (James 1:14-15 – JSV).

And so, if Jesus was tempted in all ways just like we are, that means that His own human desires were drawn away [turned in the wrong direction] and enticed [lured by bait]. Yet without sin, that is, without having become “pregnant,” that is, without having come into union with that false seed.

Then here is the same thing happening inside of an angel. [Please understand that God uses human kings and kingdoms all through the Bible as a metaphor of the principalities and powers of darkness in the heavenly realms. And so, while speaking about the human king of Tyre first, Ezekiel then turned by the Spirit of God (so clearly in the text) to the cherub, that is, an angel [– and the idea that this “cherub” is referring to Adam, but not to the serpent, has no basis in anything]. Ezekiel, by the Spirit, used the human king as a metaphor to now speak of the same false powers in the heavens.

You were the anointed cherub who covers… You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned… (Ezekiel 28:14-16).

Look at that – “you became filled with violence within.” We’ll pick up on that in a bit.
Thus, I submit that the operation of sin and death in angels and in humans is the same.
Now, Jesus experienced His desires being turned in the wrong direction and enticed on a regular basis throughout His life. At no point is such a thing “sin.”

The “iniquity” found deep inside of the serpent was his envy of Adam and Eve being called “what God looks like.” That envy began the moment the serpent perceived just how “inferior” these new creatures really were. That envy, according to James, was not yet sin, though it was very close. Then, as the serpent spoke words out from that envy, that is, as the serpent lied, his actions were becoming sin; nonetheless, even the serpent’s lie was held in abeyance. Adam was the master; all things were dependent upon his decisions.

Eve was deceived, that is, she truly believed, with all her heart, that this mighty angel of heaven, anointed by the Spirit of God [picture Mary and Gabriel 4000 years later], had truly given to her the next step God had for them.

I guess what I am trying to say is that the shadow now cast upon both the angel and the woman altered something in Adam’s mind. Yes, the two were entirely “other people” as I have described, in Adam’s perception, but now the self-perception of those “others” held by Adam in his forehead had become to him a threat.

Adam perceived a threat to himself.

That threat was real. And Adam’s instant concern over that threat was entirely of God. Adam’s circumstances, as found in these “others” in his perception, were getting “out of control.” Things were going in the “wrong” direction, as far as Adam was concerned. Nonetheless, in no way had God led him wrong or not led him.

Nothing was out of control.

And God’s answer was already inside of Adam. In fact, Adam knew exactly what God’s answer was. Adam knew God – Adam was not deceived.

Just as with the serpent, before Adam ever reached for the fruit from Eve’s hand, iniquity was found inside of him. Paul called that first iniquity “unthankfulness,” that is, refusing to accept that God is with me in these circumstances, sharing all things with me, and together with me turning all things towards goodness through life laid down and love poured out.

And thus, in refusing to accept God-power, the power of respect, Adam wrapped his mind around the other power on offer in that moment, the power of violence to “control.” “If this woman is ‘out of control,’ I will force her under control.” But how could he do such a thing?

In order to possess violent power over Eve, Adam needed the words of command and control/hear and obey. But those horrific words of destruction going out would require a heart within of arrogant superiority.

And in the moment Adam took possession of control, both the serpent and Eve were sealed under darkness.

And all three, then, in that same moment, “became filled with violence within,” that is, pregnant with sin and death.

There you have it. The threat “without,” is not really a threat, for all of God stands between me and that other; rather, the threat is entirely inside the perception of my mind and imposed upon that “other out there.” Then, in reaction to that perceived “threat,” I extend violence in the way that violence works for me. But violence, for the most part, just bounces back off my own wall and thus works only to increase the measure of violence I perceive inside of me. Thus, I strike out more, and violence increases.

People get really hard in their own self-violence.

All human psychosis, then, comes out from this wrongly perceived “need” to fix this “problem.” And the root is unthankfulness. Hating God for being what He is, hating ourselves for being just like Him, and hating our circumstances that God wants to turn towards goodness synergeoing with us.

Let’s divide these bubbles of self, then, into five groups, five types of humans. (I am laying this out in a similar way (though not quite the same) as can be found in my article “People” in The Two Gospels.

The first group is those humans who perceive themselves to be successful in imposing their will on themselves and on others. They are successful at “fixing” themselves, and they are successful in getting other people to do their will. These are religiously self-righteous and have no need for Christ, using the idea of “Christ” only as a prop.

Think of Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, he was proud of his ability to control himself, and although violence is not seen in the story, there is no way any aristocrat can enjoy power over others except by being embedded inside a system of total violence. [In that story, Darcy himself was not a power-over person, and thus was redeemed out from his pride by falling in love.]

The second group of humans are those who are dominated, those whose walls of protection have been shattered by violence, a shattering which, once started, does not cease. Now understand, these humans who are themselves shattered are just as much into power-over as anyone else. They just perceive themselves as being unsuccessful in their ability to control, either themselves or others.

The larger group of humans, however, are those in-between. They are not driven to control others, though they might love gossip. And they have not experienced the shattering of their own wall of protection. These just bumble along in life, partly good and partly bad, sometimes up and sometimes down. These do like to control others, just not completely, and they are subject to control by others in lesser, but inordinate ways.

Then we have two other small groups of humans. On the one side is that sliver of humanity that must rule at whatever the cost to others, but cannot be ruled by anyone, that is the psychopath. [Darcy, in his exercise of power over himself and others, was definitely not a psychopath, in fact, he was a very humane man, though still arrogant, and he allowed himself to be ruled by Elizabeth Bennet.] And on the other side is that sliver of humanity that will never seek to control others and, at the same time, never come under control, though they be buffeted in every direction.

But let’s sum up again the entirety of our unnecessary lostness as we float around blind to all the goodness of God in which we live.

We hate ourselves as God made us weak, and so we use violence against ourselves (a self-centered self-discipline) in order to fix our perceived problem. And we see “others” as a threat, because they are not under control (not serving me as I deserve), and so we use violence of some form against them in order to bring them under control. And, of course, the worst violence possible is the use of “God” as s whip, “You are in trouble with God.”

And the ongoing result of fixing ourselves and others is an ongoing increase of violence within, that is, a greater threat and an ever worse “out-of-control” problem as we perceive it.

Now that we know the solution to this horror, it does seem to be entirely extraordinary, for there is ZERO reason for any of it.

Here is the solution. – Behold, I stand at the door {in the God-given outer wall of protection} and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door {of their protected bubble of self}, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20).

But what does that really mean? It means that Father God Himself, in all of His Person and fullness, is inside of our bubble, by our joyous permission, saying to us, with every breath. “Daniel, I like you so much. I like every part of you, including all of your imperfections and failings. And I can think of nothing I would rather do than share every part of your life with you, the good, the bad, and the ugly, forever, you and Me together.”

And when the question is raised as to whether such an extraordinary and seemingly un-called-for declaration be true, our answer is utterly grounded.

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us, and I see a Man carrying me inside Himself as He stumbles under a cross He cannot carry, and I see Father carrying this weak and wondrous Man, and me inside of Him, all the way through death and into life.

And I KNOW that God is telling me the truth when He says that He wants to share everything with me as one person together, God in Person inside of my bubble, and me in person inside of His.

And that is quite a solution to our “problem.”

Now, my goal in all this continues to be understanding how we are to help our brothers and sisters in Christ to become what they already are, the revelation of Jesus Christ.

A great enemy inside of them is this falsely perceived need to control that which is threatening, that which does not “measure up,” and that which is perceived to be “out of control.”

And this enemy is not just the words of self-story, but also the power of the heart. And that power, in its simplest form is, “I am superior and right; you are despicable and wrong.”
You see, it is not enough for you and me to speak Christ, to believe in union with Christ, and to walk in the joy of our salvation. Our power center, the human heart, must also be filled with God. And thus I am writing, in all ways, to those who practice being the Mercy Seat together with Father towards others.

It is this exercise alone, drawing all who offend us into our hearts inside of love and releasing them from our control and into the goodness of God, that causes us to know Love and that brings together for us all the wayward strands of our own self-story.

But is it this same thing, then, that repels some who are first drawn to what I teach about Christ our only life?

As we act together with Father as the Mercy Seat, all sense of “right and wrong” is vanished from our hearts. In fact, the entire issue of “right and wrong” becomes so irrelevant and meaningless. Nonetheless, we must place the thinking of right and wrong.

The cause and source of all sin and death is unthankfulness. But unthankfulness is a negative, the absence of God. In its place, then, resides a heart of superior arrogance judging everything, inside and out, by a mind of “right and wrong.”

I really, truly believe that the turning point in every Christian soul is the willingness to give thanks IN AND FOR all things, in spite of who’s right and wrong, in spite of all agony and frustration, finding God right and good in every way without blaming anyone, and even in the blackest of darkness.

And I have this strong suspicion, though I cannot know for sure, that every individual who rejoices in what I write for a little bit, and then rejects it, has never really surrendered to justifying God in everything without blaming others.

And when I say, “without blaming others,” I don’t mean not wanting to blame others. I mean never lifting one’s hand to throw any kind of spear back regardless.

It is this willingness to suffer all loss rather than to control anything or anyone by violence that alone is the connection of Father’s heart with ours.

The man or woman who loves together with Father is never at the mercy of the person who controls through violence, but is entirely untouched by such a thing, for they live in a different universe. And when I say, “untouched,” I don’t mean they do not bear all sorrow, but rather that they are always the greater and can never be manipulated by threat or violence.

The issue is always power: either the violence of control or sharing heart with God.

And those who come over to sharing heart with God are the revelation of Jesus Christ, seeing all others as better than themselves and lifting each other up in the POWER of the deepest respect
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Sharing heart with God is real power, power that will transform everything, the power of life and love, the power of respect.