The believer’s Authority
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.Matthew 28:18
Authority is basically a delegated power from a higher institution established here on earth by God or man. There are various kinds of authority. Authority most often than not operate within jurisdiction. That is there is a sphere of influence an authority can reside or reach outside of it the execution or its enforcement is limited. This is often known as the scope or the geography of the Authority. There is a strong bearing or relationship between Authority and power. Power is considered as the rate at which work is being done. That is power is known as a delegated form of authority. Imagine a judge in a court decides to pass a verdict he or she is in a place of authority vested to him or her by the highest law of any country that’s a constitution. How can this verdict be executed. It can take a delegated authority that is power for a law enforcement agency like the police to apprehend the convict and place him or her into the prison to serve the sentence or verdict that has been passed.
In the kingdom of God every born again believer is a representative of God here on earth which we often recognise as an ambassador. An ambassador of any country act in the stead of the particular President of that nation he or she is from on behalf of the welfare of its citizens in another sovereign country. Whatever power the ambassador enforce emanates from the delegated authority by the President. This is also the case with the life of every believer. We wield a particular authority that God our father has delegated to us to make our life here on earth effective and efficient while serving His will and purposes hear on earth.
Difference between Authority and Power
Authority speaks more of rank as power connotes or denotes the execution of the authority that has been delegated so as to influence an outcome or circumstance. Authority is defined or expressed within a a particular Jurisdiction or scope whereas power is confined to a unique location within the jurisdiction not throughout a jurisdiction. Authority is expressed through The rank of the one who wields it whereas power can be exercised based on the amount of authority someone has been given below the rank. This is mostly in the case of the military world. A higher ranking Officer in charge of 100 soldiers commands them all but a soldier within his command can only act or move in power based on the degree of authority that has been delegated to Him by the Higher Ranking officer.
A police officer can only have the power to shoot a criminal because of the Authority that the laws of a particular jurisdiction has enshrined in their constitution. Since the police service is a Law Enforcement agency.
A driver with a license and experience has the power to drive but when he reaches a zebra crossing he is obligated or mandated or authorised to stop in case a pedestrian is crossing. This restriction of power is due to the rules of engagement when it comes to driving within a particular jurisdiction. This is also applicable when it comes to exercising spiritual authority.
What are the various forms of authority we have :
1. Spiritual/Divine Authority -God given the source of all Authority
2. Parental Authority -Parents exercise this authority by virtue of the fact that they bring forth their offsprings through the womb of the mother and the loins of the father
3. Civil Authority -Exercise by the 3 arms of Government in a particular sovereign country or jurisdiction : Executive, Judiciary and legislature
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,Luke 4:18
This blog seeks to dive more into Spiritual /Divine authority
Divine Authority is a type of authority from the sovereignty of God in the sense that only God possess this kind of authority. This is revealed in His omnipotence in that He is all powerful, omnipresence He is at every where at every given time not limited by time, space and matter, and in His omniscience , that is He is all knowing nothing can be hidden from our God.
Whenever this dimension is seen any man is when a fraction of it is given to me man not all of it. This is expressed through the use of the anointing of the Holy Spirit to do the work of the ministry: that is in display of the ministry gifts, the anointing that comes upon the believer after being baptized by the Holy Spirit and fire . The manifestation of these gift is the expression of the authority God has given unto man to serve His divine purposes on earth.
All authority is delegated if not it will be considered as illegal. An authority that cannot be traced is questionable and counterfeit. In the holy scriptures some group of people decided to cast out devil. But there was a retaliation from the demons and as a result of this the people involved bear the consequences of walking in a false authority, this is in the case of the sons of Sceva a high priest. These sons of Sceva saw what Paul was doing ( casting out devils in the name of Jesus) so they also decided to do the same not knowing the source and how the rules of engagement in whatever they were doing. They were just casting out unclean spirit out of ignorance, without any sense of understanding. This made them victims and casualty of warfare.
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.Acts 19:13-16
For a believer to walk in the dimension Paul walk is possible but it cannot just be attain casually ; it requires a level and degree of walking in the fear of God, intimacy, and fellowship with the Holy Spirit who is the source of all divine power and authority. All authority has to be traceable. Any authority that cannot be traced is questionable and false.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.Mark 16:17-18
Jesus also made believers aware that there are some signs that will follow them as they have come to believe in His name. For He will give every believer the power to speak in new tongues, cast out devil, heal the sick. You do not necessarily have to be in a five fold ministry to cast out devil or walk in signs and wonders the only entry to walk in this authority is to believe in the name of Jesus and through this faith a believer then have to walk in total submission, consecration and in devotion unto God. These are the breeding grounds for walking in divine authority. These tenets were also revealed in the life of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ while on earth.
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;Philippians 2:6-10
Jesus humbled himself and submitted to the will of the Father no wonder He walk in such authority and power. Jesus also lived a consecrated life, a life totally separated unto God and to do His will it is in this place where God can trust you with His divine authority. Jesus humbled himself and submitted unto His father even unto the death on the cross even thought it was not an easy thing by the Help of the Holy Spirit Jesus in the flesh was empowered to obey God His father to live a consecrated life through humility and the discipline of fasting and prayer He engaged in while on earth.
To walk in authority is not an automatic thing. It does not just come by accident it requires daily devotion to walk with God. To walk in authority a believer must be willing to die daily to the desire of the flesh. The lust of the eyes , the lust of the of systems of this world and the pride of life. To desire more of God will require us to deny all of us. In walking in total submission, consecration and devotion proceeds immeasurable degree of Power and authority. A character that has not been tested cannot be trusted by God. For God to entrust you with authority and power you will go through a test this is what will prove your readiness to the biddings of God here on earth. The authority of God is always not in isolation but tied to His divine will, plan and purpose on earth.
How to walk in Authority
1. Total Submission
2. Total consecration
3. Total Devotion
4. Walking in the fear of God
5. Fellowship in prayer and fasting and the word of God
6. Walking in Humility
7. When worship and Praise becomes a life style
8. When repentance and forgiveness becomes the lifestyle of the believer
9. When purity is no longer an option but a longing and desire
This is what would be discussed in our next blogpost
Your beloved brother
Nana Acheampong
Great submission bro.