Do you exercise Authority?

The man stepped into the middle of the highway, held up his hand, and the flow of traffic stopped! How could one person have that kind of control?  Why not just drive around him? After all, he could not physically stop a truck. The drivers of the vehicles recognize a uniform and badge which gives that man authority.  He exercises a trust given to him by the people in whom the final authority rests in our nation.

Christian you have authority because of Christ and the Spirit Who lives in you. We need not walk around defeated, pushed around by evil, failing at every temptation.  The Scripture tells us "God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV) Jesus sent out His followers who were empowered by this declaration - "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." (Luke 10:19, NIV) That is our promise, too!

Are you praying weak, whiny prayers that bemoan your fate or are you filled with the Spirit and the Truth of the Scripture so that you are empowered to overcome? 

Authority is a complicated issue. Some Christians go to extremes and try to control everything by ‘speaking in Jesus’ Name.’  Others think that shouting loud prayers or making grandiose statements are an exercise of their ‘spiritual’ authority.  Imagine a police officer trying to control traffic by taking out his sidearm and firing it wildly in the air, while screaming at the cars in front of him.  He would be removed from duty quickly!  His authority does not come from his ability to yell or from his own strength.

Christians enjoy authority that flows from a relationship with the Lord of Glory. The deeper our relationship with the Spirit, the greater our authority. Loving Him, living in implicit faith, we find ourselves vested with authority over Self, World Systems, and Devilish powers. Ours is a quiet strength.

Here is how Paul expresses the concept - "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NIV)

The Spirit residing in us keeps us strong. With steady endurance, we move against ‘strongholds,’ fortified positions that resist removal. Yes, old habits must yield to the authority of Christ. Entrenched attitudes and addictions fall before the strength of the Spirit.  The arguments that others throw at us are reduced to rubble by the reason and wisdom of God.  Our authority even extends to our inner thoughts. Those impulses and temptations are under arrest when we live in Christ.

Are you feeling besieged by the Devil? 
Does some old habit keep coming back to tempt you?
Are you harassed by thoughts that feel ‘out of control?’
Is fear your constant companion?

Find a place with God, quietly wait on Him. Enlist a trusted friend who has demonstrated a steady commitment to Christ to pray with you.  Pray to be empowered.  Take a lesson from those first disciples to whom Jesus gave this direction - “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. …  you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:4-5, 8 NIV)  Wait for the gift.  They were filled with the Spirit and those people turned the world upside down in a single generation.

We too must be filled with the Spirit, renewed in Him each day, so that we can live a life of quiet authority, doing the work of God, making a measurable difference for the Kingdom of heaven.

Here is a word from the Word. "I pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself." (Ephesians 1:19-23, NLT)

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Mighty To Save

Ev’ryone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Ev’ryone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations

Saviour He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Ev’rything I believe in
Now I surrender

Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing
For the glory of the risen King
Jesus
Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing
For the glory of the risen King

Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan © 2006 Hillsong Music Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) CCLI License # 810055