SOLVED!
My original issue was with the powered lift gate not opening or closing when using either the key fob, release button on the dash, the release button under the handle of the lift gate or the close button inside the cargo area. When using any of these buttons the lift gate would start to open or close (depending on the position of the lift gate) but then would reverse it's self. This has been an on going issue for over a year.
After learning how to remove the powered piston trim cover from the QTR panel trim from replies to my original post, I was able to access the power plug to the powered lift gate piston. I disconnected the piston from the lift gate and tested by pressing the lift gate close button inside the cargo area, the powered piston activated and as it was closing the piston seemed to bind a little and reversed it's self. Several more activations of the powered piston reproduced the same results, acting like the piston rod it's self was binding. I removed the powered piston from the vehicle, removed the plastic tubs that cover the piston rod, etc, cleaned the rod with alcohol, oiled the piston rod and applied oil at the point where the rod retracts into the cylinder, reconnected the power plug to the unit and tested again, this time it worked perfectly, tested with all the available opening and closing buttons and each test worked perfectly. Reinstalled all the plastic tubes, reconnected the powered piston to the vehicle and has been working perfectly since. Seems that if the piston rod binds just a little when opening or closing the lift gate will cause it to reverse the travel of the piston.
Hope this info will help someone with a similar issues with the lift gate.