The power of your perspective

Following the powerful teachings from the Elevation Conference, this week we reflect on three crucial principles we must master to fully experience lift in every area of our lives – POSITION, PERSPECTIVE, and PRACTICE. These determine how far we can experience the elevation that God has promised us in this season. Position speaks to our identity in Christ, who we are in Him. From that understanding flows perspective, the lens through which we see, interpret, and respond to God’s promises. And when our perspective is aligned with the truth of God’s Word, it produces the right practice, actions that reflect our faith in, and obedience, to God.

The account of the prodigal son in Luke 15 powerfully illustrates how a misguided sense of position and a distorted perspective lead to wrong practice, resulting in unnecessary struggle and loss. Our Lord Jesus said, “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood” (Luke 15:11-12). Though the son knew his position, his understanding of it was flawed. The inheritance indeed belonged to him, but the timing was not yet right. We too often do the same, desiring God’s promises on our own timeline, wanting everything now, even when we are not yet ready to steward them wisely. Scripture continues, saying, “not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living” (vs.13). Instead of remaining in the father’s house — the very environment that produced and sustained his blessing — he left, distancing himself from his source. Yet, the moment he stepped away from his father’s covering and the counsel of his community, he began to lose everything. Saints, our spiritual inheritance is sustained only by remaining in the Father’s presence. When we drift from God and the fellowship of believers, we step outside the environment that sustains our growth; and what was meant to multiply begins to diminish. Soon, “when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want” (vs.14), because outside of God’s presence, every resource eventually runs dry – it is only a matter of time, because there is truly no life apart from Him who gives and sustains it. Rather than return home, the son “joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate” (vs.15-16). How tragic – a son of wealth now feeding pigs! May we never drift so far from God that we settle for swine when we were made for sonship. And may we never trade fellowship with the saints for friendships with the world, because there is no blessing there – only loss.

The turning point was when the son “came to himself” (vs.17a). This moment marked the beginning of transformation: when position and perspective realign. The son remembered his father’s house and said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father” (vs.17b-18a). When he came to himself, he saw things clearly; the right perspective was restored, prompting him to return home. Saints, we cannot correct our practice until our perspective changes, and our perspective will never change until we rediscover our true position as children of God. When the son returned, his father saw him from afar and ran to embrace him (vs.20). The father did not go looking for him, because true transformation cannot be forced. Even God, who wills that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), will never force us to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. But when we turn to Him of our own free will, His arms are open wide. The son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son” (v.21). Yet before he could finish, the father restored him completely, saying, “Bring out the best robe, put a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (v.22-24).

However, when the elder son came back from the field, he was very angry at the festivities being held in honor of his brother’s return, saying to his father, “All these years I’ve been serving you, yet you never gave me a goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him” (vs.29-30). This son related with his father by works rather than fellowship and grace, and missed the benefits of sonship though they were available. He failed to enjoy what was already his because he did not know his father’s heart. So, his father reminded him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours” (v.31). Church, if our perspective is misaligned, we will live beneath the divine privileges God has already given us. Therefore, let us guard our position in Christ and renew our perspective through the Word, so that our practice will be aligned with the victory He secured for us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us of who we are in Christ. Help us to remain rightly positioned in You, to see life from Your perspective, and to practice Your Word with consistency. Teach us to walk in humility, obedience, and faith, so that our lives may reflect Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.