Identity, authority, resources (III) Authority

Just before He left to go to the the Father, Jesus told the disciples that all authority had been given to Him. He then told them to go make disciples teaching them to observe all the things He had commanded them (Matthew 28:18- 20). In otherwise He told them to go teach others to teach others, to teach others etc., etc. In doing this He was not only giving them authority over all the works of the devil (Luke 10:19), but He was also giving authority to those of us who believe through them! And some of the things over which He has given us authority are, cleansing lepers, raising the dead and casting out demons (Matthew 10:8). As John Arnott likes to say, this was the beginners list! We, me too, need to let this sink in, no really!

Authority, is not the same as power. After the Lord had used Peter and John to heal the lame man in the temple, Peter tells the crowd “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 (acts 3:12)? So it was not by their power. It was however by the authority that the Lord had given them! It is as though the Lord has given us a blank check to do Kingdom work. If we want to cash a check in the natural, what is important is the name on the check, and the funds that are available in that person’s account. Well, when the Name on the account is Jesus, and all authority has been given to Him as we read above, then we need to have confidence to “write the appropriate checks!”

We will not do this, if we do not know who we are, and whose we are! The name on the check, is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and we are His sons and daughters, princes and princesses in the Kingdom! And as His sons and daughters, it is we who have been given authority over all the works of the devil. This is our inheritance! But you and I know, that it is a battle to believe, a battle to enter into the reality of it all. And we will not enter into it by being passive. We are in a war to the death with the Enemy of our souls, and so we need to daily take the armour of God and the sword of the Spirit to overcome. I am certainly speaking to myself again this morning.

Father, Your Word tells me that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). So Lord I choose this morning to read out loud some of Your promises and principles. Lord You have given me authority over all the works of the devil. I received this, this morning Lord. And I ask You Father to open my eyes to see what you are doing in this wicked and hurting world, in order that like Jesus I may do what I see You doing (John 5:19). Help me Lord to truly tap into the exceeding greatness of Your power by using the authority that You have given me. And I will give You all the honour, all the glory and all the praise as Peter did on that day In Jesus Name Amen