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The
reason
we need
to
comprehend
this
truth
~ our
authority,
His
power ~
is to free
ourselves
from the
burden of
thinking
we
need to
have the
power to
accomplish
something.
We have
the
authority.
GOD
has the
power.
~
Because
our
future will
require
that we
stand
strong
against the
strategies
of the devil,
the
Holy Spirit
will seek
to move
us into
greater
and
greater
realms
of pure
worship
in spirit
and in
truth. |
We have entered into one of the most exciting years of our life. Expectancy hangs like a glorious, brilliant cloud of His glory over the body of Christ. We are confident of His rich mercy and
great love manifesting in miraculous ways. We
are also confident that God has opened great
and effectual doors to us. But, we must
realize, the greater the effectual doors, the
greater the danger of adversaries
attempting to stop us (1 Corinthians
16:9). However, God has prepared the
way of escape for us to be victorious,
regardless the battle. "Behold I give
you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10:19
New King James Version).
Many years ago I came into an understanding of my
authority in Christ
Jesus. But it seems the truths that bring
these great victories have a way of becoming somewhat clouded in our minds. As we pursue
the daily affairs of life, we have the opportunity to get off course just a little. As we do so, life can become ensnared by many things.
Recently, the truth in Luke 10:19 became
greater revelation to me than ever before.
Jesus has given us His authority over Satan
and his demonic powers. In Matthew 28:18
He said, "All authority
has been given to Me brilliant cloud of God's glory in heaven and on earth."
All authority...! And He has given us this authority to carry out
God's will and plan and purpose on this earth
and in our lives.
It is interesting to note that one of the three
major temptations Satan tempted Jesus with
had to do with authority. Then the devil, taking Him up on a high
mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their
glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I
wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours" (Luke
4:5-7 New King James Version).
The price for the devil's authority was worship before (to) him.
Did the devil have any idea this authority was soon to be taken from him? We know that Satan lost his authority at the cross of
Calvary!
On the basis of Luke 4: 5-7 I believe we can
safely assume that the more we worship God, the stronger we will be to use His authority. Therefore, because our
future will require that we stand strong against the strategies of the
devil, the Holy Spirit will seek to move us into greater and greater
realms of pure worship in spirit and in truth.
The revelation that means so much to me is the absolute truth that
I
have been given His authority to speak and act in this earth as He would. When I am
using the authority He has given to me I am co- laboring
with God. It is partnership, fellowship, and intimacy with God.
The reason we need to comprehend the
above truth ~ our authority, His power ~ is to
free ourselves from the burden of thinking we need to have the power to
accomplish some- thing. We have the authority,
God has the power.
My son, Dan, is fulfilling the dream and vision of a lifetime. On January
1, 1998 he answered God's
call to be in law enforcement. He is so committed, therefore working so
diligently, he was awarded the honor of being selected Officer of the Year
1998 (his first year of duty). He lives being a law
officer 24 hours of every day.
Because of my busy schedule
I
have only seen him standing at the elementary school intersection
twice. But each time I have been riding down that busy highway and have
seen his deputy sheriff car parked in the middle of the road and him
standing beside it, my heart has leaped with joy, love, and respect. With
a slight move of his arms Dan directs cars, vans, buses, huge lumber
trucks loaded with huge Georgia pines, and all kinds of vehicles, and they
do what he is directing them to do. If he wants them to go, turn, or
stop, they obey.
Now Dan doesn't have the strength, might or power to physically. stop even one of these vehicles. But as he stands in the authority of
law invested upon him, they obey. If he didn't have his uniform on, they
wouldn't. He is dressed in authority and the law backs him up.
We, too, are
dressed in authority. "For as many of you as were
baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27 New King James Version).
Not only has Jesus given us His authority, but we are
clothed upon with Him.
The problem we have slipped into has been thinking we had to have the power to stop the strategies and power of the devil. We have the authority to use His Name, to command the Word, and use the mighty blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we exercise this, God goes to work with His power. We must believe we have this authority. The eyes of our understanding must be enlightened (Ephesians 1: 18).
The Spirit Filled Life Bible
says "eyes of your understanding being enlightened" found in
Ephesians 1: 18 literally means that your heart may receive the brightness of hope resulting when the wealth of God's investment in you is understood.
The very thought of this releases shouts of joy and praise! He has invested us with His
authority and He is leading us to understand and use His
wealth-of-investment-authority in ever-increasing measure. This is our
major part in co-laboring with God. He has the power, we have
the authority.
It does not take much power or strength for Dan to lift his arm in directing traffic. But the law he represents has the power. This can be seen in the life of Moses.
The children of Israel were hedged in by the Red Sea before them and Pharaoh and his army behind them. To the natural mind
it looked like ultimate defeat and death. But God spoke. "... Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up
your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it" (Exodus
14:15,16 New King James Version).
Did Moses have the power to divide the sea? No! But God had
spoken and Moses had the authority. Did it take a lot of power and
strength to lift his hand and stretch the rod forth? No, hardly more
than to hold it. Do you sense the freedom in this truth? We
have the Word of God and His authority, and when we use it, God does the
work by His power.
Let us consider Peter and John in the Book of Acts.
"..
.Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (Acts
3:6 New King James Version). And of course the man did
walk and leap and praise God. Peter knew his authority in that Name,
but he also knew he didn't have the power to make it happen as we see in Acts 3: 12, 16.
So
when Peter saw it, he responded to the people, "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this?
Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we
had made this man walk? And His name, through faith in His name, has
made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. "
We release the authority He has given us by faith in His Name. Could this be the reason the devils were so adamant against the
seven sons of Sceva?
"And the evil spirit answered and said, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" (Acts
19:15). No doubt Paul had released his authority many times against these evil spirits. Paul and Jesus were therefore a team, partners in God's work. These seven sons of Sceva were not
clothed upon with Christ and had no authority. It is interesting to note they fled out of that house naked
and wounded (verse 16).
The Lord Jesus Christ's "all authority" has to be accomplished through us in the earth. He is in heaven as the Head of His body. The body should do what the Head says. Let us use our authority in ever-increasing confidence. As we do so, God will use His power to accomplish His great purposes that we might be blessed.
I thank God continually for you and I never give up praying for you, and this is my prayer.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the all-glorious Father, will give you spiritual wisdom and the insight to know more of him; that you may receive that inner illumination of the spirit which will make you realize how great is the
hope to which he is calling you -
the magnificence and splendor of the inheritance promised to Christians -
and how tremendous is the
power available to us who believe in God. That power is the same divine energy which was
demonstrated in Christ when he raised him from the dead and gave him the
place of highest honor in Heaven - a place that is infinitely superior to any command,
authority, power or control, and which carries with it a name far beyond any name that could ever be used in this world or the world to come. God has placed everything under the power of Christ and has set him up as supreme head to the Church. For the Church is his body, and in that body lives fully
the One who fills the whole wide universe.
Ephesians 1:15-23 J. B. Phillips Translation
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