Identity, Authority, Power (II) Authority

In Luke 10:19 we read “Behold, I give you the authority …” Jesus was speaking to the seventy He had sent out to heal the sick (verses 9). Elsewhere He had commanded the twelve to “cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons” (Matthew 10:5,8). Some would say that that was then, and that it was for them, not for us today. This teaching has a name, it is called cessasioncaism. But this is not what the Scripture teaches. In Matthew 28, as His parting instructions, Jesus gives the eleven His authority, and commands them go, and to make disciples teaching them to obey “all that I have commanded you” (verses 18-20). The word “disciple” literally means learner, so Jesus is telling the eleven to go and make learners, and to teach them to teach others to teach others (and hence us) to obey all that He commanded the eleven.

Of course the things He commanded the eleven includes the things mentioned above in Luke 10:9 and Matthew 10:8. In fact there are many more things that He commanded including the things in Luke 10:19 which we will be looking at next time. What I want to stress this morning though, is that the believer has been given authority, and if you are a believer, that means that you have been given authority. You may not have learned yet how to appropriate it, but is is available, it has been given (see also 2 Peter 1:3). The main problem is believing it, and this is especially difficult if we have not seen evidence of it. In many ways we come by this honestly. I mean even the early disciples, after seeing many miracles frustrated Jesus by their slowness to believe (Matthew 17:17). In this same verse He speaks there of it being a “unbelieving and perverse generation.” Welcome to the twenty first century!

I have to confess to being slow to believe myself, and this after seeing miracle after miracle. But as with the disciples when we take the above admonition from Jesus to heart, it eventually starts to stick. I have had significant healings in my own body. Not that long ago I had great difficulty going down steps. Now, after a girl in the fellowship prayed for me, I can run up and down stairs. Not bad for a 75 year old! Just this morning I received news of the safe arrival of a baby which at one stage looked like it was going to be lost. My prayer partner and I took aughority over the situation and declared “life and not death.” Praise the Lord! I have to admit though there have been many times when I have prayed “I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). And of course “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Father, it is a battle to believe, and no wonder, we are in a war to the death with the enemy of our souls, and instilling doubt and unbelief is a major tactic his. There are certainly still times Lord, when I still need to pray "I believe help my unbelief.” Help us all this morning Lord, and every morning to press in, to take authority and to not be content with anything less than all You purchased on Calvary. In Jesus Name Amen