I've Got The Power

I’ve Got The Power

Using Your God-Given Authority

1/19/05

I. Introduction

Play clip from Bruce Almighty.

In this scene, Bruce Nolan has just been endowed with God’s powers. His initial reaction is disbelief, until he sees the amazing things that he can do with God’s power.

Well, did you know, that as a Christian, you’ve been endowed with God’s powers? Tonight, we’re talking about I’ve Got The Power: Using Your God-Given Authority, and you’ll discover the power you have and how to use it.

II. Jesus Says

John 14:12 NIV 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Let’s play a little game of Simon Says. I’m Simon and whatever I say and do, you do, as long as I say Simon Says before I say it. If you do something that I say if I don’t say Simon Says before it, you’re out and you have to sit down.

(play Simon Says for a few rounds or until one person is standing)

Alright, Simon Says is one thing, but here Jesus Says, and he says, anybody who has faith in Him will do what He’s been doing. What has Jesus been doing? He’s been healing, casting out devils, speaking to things with authority, and imitating His Father.

Jesus has authorized you to do what he did. He’s given you His powers.

Mark 16:17-18 NKJV 17And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

According to Jesus, you’ve got the power to do all of these things. So, how do you do them? How do you use His power?

III. Know That It’s Yours

The first key to using your God-given powers is to know that it’s yours. If you’re not absolutely positively completely sure that you have the authority, you won’t use it. For instance, let’s say that you wake up one morning and it’s your birthday and you walk outside and you see a new car in the driveway. You walk back in and notice that there is an unfamiliar set of keys on the key rack. The excitement begins to rise as you begin to hope that the car belongs to you. Now, you think this car is yours, but mom or dad hasn’t actually handed you the keys and said, “Go take it for a spin.” So, at this point, you have the power to take this car for a spin – the keys are there, the car is there, and you know how to drive- but you don’t have the authority because you’re not positive that it belongs to you. So, would you take this car for a spin? Well, if you had any conviction about doing the right thing, you wouldn’t touch those keys until they had been given to you.

And it’s the same thing with using your God-given authority. If you don’t know that the keys have been given to you, you won’t use it.

Well, here’s some good news, Jesus has given you the keys.

Matthew 16:19 NIV 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

He’s absolutely positively completely given you the authority. Based on God’s Word, are you sure that the authority is yours now?

You have the authority to bind and loose, to do what Jesus did, to cast out demons, speak in tongues and lay hands on the sick.

IV. Know How To Release It

Once you know that the authority is yours, you have to know how to use it. Let’s go back to the car. You won’t drive that car if you’ve never been taught how. You can’t drive that car if you don’t know how to start it or put it in gear. But if you know how to operate that car, you’ll drive it all over the place.

Well, how do you use your authority? With your words.

Mark 11:23 NKJV 23For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Your authority and faith is released through your words.

This is a spiritual law. It works every time it’s applied correctly. God released his authority through His words. He never does anything without saying it first.