Spiritual Authority - Week 1
Spiritual Authority
The Source - Week 1
Our Source of Authority
Much like Identity, our understanding of authority is affected by its many aspects and applications. I assume if you went around the table and asked every man to define authority, you would probably get a wide variety of definitions. So, what, then, is authority in our context? Before we define Spiritual Authority, we should begin with its origin.
When God created the world (including Adam and Eve), he gave them all authority (dominion) over the garden (the world).
Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
The words SUBDUE and RULE speak of the authority that Adam and Eve were given by God.Notice that God delegated this authority to them. ALL authority belongs to the Lord. One throne (the Seat of Authority) is His… the Heavens, the Earth, and all of the Universe are His. He gave authority to Adam and Eve to manage and care for the garden, and all of its inhabitants.
Satan was in the garden as well; and he knew that the only way for him to gain any authority was ifAdam and Eve relinquished it to him. When man fell into sin (disobeyed God),that authority given to Adam and Eve by God, was handed over to the enemy.Satan is bound to this world (the prince of the power of the air…Ephesians 2:2), and his ultimate goal is to have complete control over the entire world.
But guess who has ALL authority? JESUS CHRIST!!! Before he began His ministry, Jesus was first tempted by Satan (Luke 4:1-13). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, He resisted all of the devil's temptation using the Word of God to rebuff him.Jesus went on to live a sinless life, and then died a sinner's death (2Corinthians 5:21, Phillipians 2:5-11), which wrestled away any authority from the enemy. Jesus is our source of authority!
Now you and I… because we “put on” Christ (Galatians 3:27), are able to walk in authority… God’s delegated authority.
Luke 10:17-20
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
You may have wondered why we did a 4-week series on Identity before we began to talk about authority at all. Here is why gentlemen: You must understand who you are in Christ Jesus before you can walk in the authority given to us “in Christ!”
What is Authority?
So, with all that being said, what is spiritual authority?
Spiritual Authority: the commissioning from the living God, to his royal sons and daughters, backed by the “power” of Heaven, to continue Jesus ministry and establish the Kingdom of God on earth, in complete confidence and faith and for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Once you understand the authority you have by living in Christ Jesus and putting Him on daily, your view of the world around you changes. Complacency will become a thing of the past. You will no longer settle for the mediocre in your life, your marriage, your kid’s lives, your workplace, your neighborhoods or any other aspect of your life. You will walk taller, speak more boldly, and exercise the grace thatGod has given you. Amen!!!
Authority v. Power
We must understand that there is a difference between “authority'' and “power.” Walk through this scenario with me for a minute. If a police officer, with his badge and gun were to stand on Dodge Street, and hold up his hand, he would be able to stop traffic simply because he is a police officer. Someone driving towards him will stop their vehicle because they would recognize the officer’s authority. That same police officer does not have the power to stop the traffic with his own strength. It doesn't matter how big or strong, physically, he is. It doesn’t matter if he could squat a dump truck, or merely a feather. Authority has nothing to do with our own strength or power, but the ability of Christ in and through us. That is why a ninety pound Grandma, in Christ, has the authority to stop the most powerful demon!
We have this same authority, however, we can’t just say we have it, we must live it out because real spiritual authority is recognized. We have to have Christ in us to exercise His authority.
Acts 19:13-15
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches,I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”
The Seven sons of Sceva failed because they lacked the key ingredient to have the authority to cast out demons, Christ in them. Likewise, if we do not live a Christ filled life, we will not have authority.
Questions:
1. Where are some of the places in your life where you have spiritual authority? What does that look like?
2. How would you define authority and how does it line up with the definition given here?
3. Adam and Eve relinquished the authority given to them by God to Satan. Where in your life (past or present) have you handed over authority to the enemy?
Activation:
Based on question 3, is there anywhere in your life that you have inadvertently or unknowingly relinquished authority to Satan? Example: If you have a porn addiction, you have handed over the authority over your sexuality to him. Spend some time with the Lord asking God if there is anywhere in your life where you have handed over authority. Share with your table what you heard.
Spiritual Authority - Week 1
Spiritual Authority
The Source - Week 1
Our Source of Authority
Much like Identity, our understanding of authority is affected by its many aspects and applications. I assume if you went around the table and asked every man to define authority, you would probably get a wide variety of definitions. So, what, then, is authority in our context? Before we define Spiritual Authority, we should begin with its origin.
When God created the world (including Adam and Eve), he gave them all authority (dominion) over the garden (the world).
Genesis 1:28
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
The words SUBDUE and RULE speak of the authority that Adam and Eve were given by God.Notice that God delegated this authority to them. ALL authority belongs to the Lord. One throne (the Seat of Authority) is His… the Heavens, the Earth, and all of the Universe are His. He gave authority to Adam and Eve to manage and care for the garden, and all of its inhabitants.
Satan was in the garden as well; and he knew that the only way for him to gain any authority was ifAdam and Eve relinquished it to him. When man fell into sin (disobeyed God),that authority given to Adam and Eve by God, was handed over to the enemy.Satan is bound to this world (the prince of the power of the air…Ephesians 2:2), and his ultimate goal is to have complete control over the entire world.
But guess who has ALL authority? JESUS CHRIST!!! Before he began His ministry, Jesus was first tempted by Satan (Luke 4:1-13). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, He resisted all of the devil's temptation using the Word of God to rebuff him.Jesus went on to live a sinless life, and then died a sinner's death (2Corinthians 5:21, Phillipians 2:5-11), which wrestled away any authority from the enemy. Jesus is our source of authority!
Now you and I… because we “put on” Christ (Galatians 3:27), are able to walk in authority… God’s delegated authority.
Luke 10:17-20
The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
You may have wondered why we did a 4-week series on Identity before we began to talk about authority at all. Here is why gentlemen: You must understand who you are in Christ Jesus before you can walk in the authority given to us “in Christ!”
What is Authority?
So, with all that being said, what is spiritual authority?
Spiritual Authority: the commissioning from the living God, to his royal sons and daughters, backed by the “power” of Heaven, to continue Jesus ministry and establish the Kingdom of God on earth, in complete confidence and faith and for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Once you understand the authority you have by living in Christ Jesus and putting Him on daily, your view of the world around you changes. Complacency will become a thing of the past. You will no longer settle for the mediocre in your life, your marriage, your kid’s lives, your workplace, your neighborhoods or any other aspect of your life. You will walk taller, speak more boldly, and exercise the grace thatGod has given you. Amen!!!
Authority v. Power
We must understand that there is a difference between “authority'' and “power.” Walk through this scenario with me for a minute. If a police officer, with his badge and gun were to stand on Dodge Street, and hold up his hand, he would be able to stop traffic simply because he is a police officer. Someone driving towards him will stop their vehicle because they would recognize the officer’s authority. That same police officer does not have the power to stop the traffic with his own strength. It doesn't matter how big or strong, physically, he is. It doesn’t matter if he could squat a dump truck, or merely a feather. Authority has nothing to do with our own strength or power, but the ability of Christ in and through us. That is why a ninety pound Grandma, in Christ, has the authority to stop the most powerful demon!
We have this same authority, however, we can’t just say we have it, we must live it out because real spiritual authority is recognized. We have to have Christ in us to exercise His authority.
Acts 19:13-15
Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches,I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”
The Seven sons of Sceva failed because they lacked the key ingredient to have the authority to cast out demons, Christ in them. Likewise, if we do not live a Christ filled life, we will not have authority.
Questions:
1. Where are some of the places in your life where you have spiritual authority? What does that look like?
2. How would you define authority and how does it line up with the definition given here?
3. Adam and Eve relinquished the authority given to them by God to Satan. Where in your life (past or present) have you handed over authority to the enemy?
Activation:
Based on question 3, is there anywhere in your life that you have inadvertently or unknowingly relinquished authority to Satan? Example: If you have a porn addiction, you have handed over the authority over your sexuality to him. Spend some time with the Lord asking God if there is anywhere in your life where you have handed over authority. Share with your table what you heard.