When I had to have surgery to unblock my left tear duct, I had a negative reaction to the tubes the surgeon had placed in my eyelids. Because the symptoms of rejection were so severe, my doctor had to remove the tubes prematurely. Unfortunately, the lump that erupted on my left upper eyelid as a result of the tubes did not disappear after their removal. After receiving several treatments from two different doctors, the lump remained. One of my doctors suspected that the lump was cancerous, and he insisted that my surgeon do a biopsy. As I sat in his office waiting to be seen, I heard my surgeon speaking to another patient in the next room. As he described this woman's symptoms, and told her that she would need to be hospitalized and operated on to rule out cancer, my husband, Joe, turned to me and said, "That woman has the exact same problem that you do!" I confess that the similarities were uncanny, and for a moment, all I could feel was fear. Then, I got quiet in my spirit and sensed the Lord telling me not to agree with my husband's statement. In fact, He impressed upon me that I was to absolutely refuse the other woman's diagnosis as my own. I said to my husband, "I do NOT have the same problem that the other patient has." And I began to silently pray for God to intervene on my behalf in a mighty way, as I placed my trust in Him. When my surgeon finally came in to see me, he examined my eyelid and said that he didn't believe that my condition was serious, and that he could remove the lump right there in his office. When he did remove it, he took a biopsy of it, which proved to be negative for cancer.

As I pondered this experience later on, the Spirit of God brought to my remembrance Jesus' words in Matthew 18:19 (NLT): "If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, My Father in heaven will do it for you." This was the Lord's way of reminding me about the power of agreement. He warned me that it doesn't only act in positive ways, but it can act in negative ways, too. He revealed to me that if I had come into agreement with my husband's words of fear and doubt, it could have greatly hindered me from receiving God's best in the situation. You see, just as faith opens the door for God to work on our behalf, fear has the potential to open the door to satanic influence and involvement. So, when you and I are quick to receive and accept a negative report of some kind, we could be cutting ourselves off from the outcome that the Lord has in store for us. We must remember that just as God has plans for us - and they are always good - Satan, too, has plans for us - and they are always evil.

Right before Jesus talked about the power of agreement, He told His disciples: "I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven." (Matthew 18:18 NLT) As followers of Christ, we have the power and privilege to "forbid" and "permit" certain things in the name of Jesus. We exercise this power and authority through our words, prayers, and actions. God expects us to use this power for good, and to direct it against the activities and schemes of the devil and his evil cohorts. To misdirect this power by using it to permit and call for things that are out of the will of God is an insult to Him, and it will have dire consequences.

The Lord wants to use you as an instrument and channel on this earth to bring about His will and purposes in people's lives and circumstances, including your own. So use your power of agreement carefully and prayerfully for the glory of God.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times that I neglected or misdirected the power and authority You have given me in this world. Teach me how to use this power properly and effectively so that I can partner with You to bring about Your highest purposes in lives and circumstances. Make me a devoted student of Your Word, so that I can have a working knowledge of Your will and Your truth. Today, I declare in agreement with Your Word, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!" (Matthew 6:10)