THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVER
INTRO:
A. The word authority is used thirty-seven times beginning in Easter 9:29 – Revelation 13:2.
a. It means the power or right to give commands, enforce obedience, take action or make final decisions.
b. This authority or power is delegated by someone to someone else.
c. It is like the power of attorney to act in the behalf of someone.
d. It gives the person the power of attorney is given power and right to make decisions, sign legal papers and act on behalf of another.
1. Jesus has given all His children the power of attorney to do what needs to be done to advance exalt and build His kingdom.
2. Many Christians and churches are weak and anemic today because they are not exercising the authority or power given to them.
3. We can say to this mountain be moved into the sea and it will be done.
4. We can say to the storm or storms in our life peace be still and the sea of life will become calm.
5. We can resist the devil and he not only will but has to flee from us.
e. This that I am talking to you about is ours but we fail to exercise it for various reasons.
1. I put myself at the top of the list of those who for whatever reason or excuse fail or refuse to step out on faith and exercise the authority and power delegated to us by the Father through the Son and the Holy Spirit.
2. I do not condemn anyone only state this that we may search our hears find the answer and go to the Father for the Healing balm that we might do exercise the authority and power given us. (may almighty God have mercy on us and forgive us of our sin of neglect)
B. You will notice that the word authority and power are interchangeable they mean about the same thing depending on how the words are used.
a. In this verse I have used as my text Jesus called His disciples and gave them power (authority) over unclean spirits, to cast them out, to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of diseases.
b. In Acts 1:8 Jesus said to the disciple’s, You shall receive power (authority) when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
C. There are some wrong concepts of the authority of the believer that needs to be noted.
1. One is the belief that the authority of the believer is received with the fullness of the Spirit.
2. In this concept it is taught that the believer receives the authority by coming of the Spirit of God into the soul in His divine fullness gives authority.
3. But the believer's authority exists before he/she
realizes in any special way the Spirit's presence or seeks the Spirits fullness.
4. It is certainly true that the fullness of the Spirit empowers and enlightens the believer.
5. But the fullness is not the source of the authority, but something apart from it.
6. Nor can authority be regarded as some special gift conferred, whereby the recipient is endued with power,
Ill. Authority, then, is delegated power. There is a story told of the Right Honorable W. E. Gladstone, when he served as Prime Minister of Great Britain. On one occasion, he brought in to Queen Victoria, an important measure for her signature, in order that it might become law. The queen objected to it, and after some discussion, refused to sign. The Minister of the Crown was unusually urgent: "You’re Majesty," he said, respectfully but firmly, "you must sign this Bill." She turned on him haughtily: "Sir, I am the Queen of England." Unmoved, the statesman answered quietly: "Your Majesty, I am the people of England." After a little thought, she accepted the situation, and affixed her signature to the document. that which backs his enemies, and which they are compelled to recognize.
7. The soul's authority dates from its contact with Calvary not the infilling of the Holy Ghost.
a. Let’s look at some areas of authority the believer has.
I. THIS AUTHORITY IS DELIGATED TO US TOO:
A. Live a victorious life for Jesus.
a. Storms trials temptation will come but we do not have to succumb to them.
b. Jesus tells us in each of the letters to the seven churches that we do not have to be overcome by anything but can overcome anything.
c. Notice He said to each church, to him that overcomes and he that overcomes. Revelation 2-3
d. This tells us that we choose whither we overcome or are overcome because of the authority of the believer.
e. We are also told in Revelation 12:11, “They overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.”
B. Not these storms trials temptations come to us in a number of ways.
a. Sometimes because of a long drawn out illness we are tempted to give up and say why go on why not give up and die?
b. This sickness can be a personal sickness or that of a loved one.
c. But we need to remind ourselves that “greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” I John 4:4
1. Also that we are promised a way of escape from whatever comes our way.
2. Sometimes we have to use what I call bulldog tenacity. (story of bulldog and bird dogs)
3. Remember this man with a determined will is undefeatable foe.
4. He may be knocked down drug around but he will arise and win the battle.
5. We can win the battle whither it is in the storm or from the storm because we have been given the authority to do so.
II. WE HAVE BEEN DELIGATED THE AUTHORITY TO US HIS NAME.
1. John 14:13-14 says “AND WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME, THAT I WILL DO, THAT THE FATHER MAY BE GLORIFIED IN THE SON. IF YOU ASK ANYTHING IN MY NAME I WILL DO IT.” (note also John 15:16 & John 16:23)
A. Now asking in Jesus name is more than closing a prayer or time of prayer with, “I ask this in Jesus name”
a. Many in these days have come to believe that is what is meant by asking in Jesus name.
b. But a close study will reveal there is more to asking in Jesus name that closing a prayer with that phrase.
B. To pray in Jesus name means we have the mind and heart of Jesus.
a. It means we are living as near like Jesus as we possible can.
b. It expresses the thought of our identity with Jesus and the Father.
c. It carries the thought Jesus presented in the Lord’s Prayer when he said, “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” (Luke 11:2)
d. It also means we desire Gods will to be done in our personal life as it is done in Heaven.
e. It would be good to pause here and note how God’s will is done in Heaven.
1. It is done willingly joyfully fully and without complaint.
f. It carries the thought of being identified with Him in His death and His resurrection.
g. Note Paul’s desire as stated in Philippians 3:10 “That I may know him, in the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being made conformable unto His death” (KJ)
1. Many want to know the resurrected victorious Christ but draw the line when it comes to His suffering and His death.
2. But if we are going to pray in Jesus name effectually we must at least be willing to suffer as He suffered and die as He died.
3. I could preach a whole sermon here but will move to another point of the believer’s authority.
III. WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD.
A. That’s why they are given to us.
a. We sometimes sing, “Standing of the promises that cannot fail when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, by the living word of God I shall prevail standing on the promises of God. Standing standing, Standing of the promises of God, My savior; Standing, I’m standing on the promises of God.
b. I say again we are given these exceeding great and precious promises to use to overcome whatever comes our way.
c. God doesn’t give them to us to make us feel good at the time but to use as a piece of the armor of God.
d. Remember Paul he talked about taking the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
e. The promises I am talking about come mostly from the word of God.
IV. WE HAVE THE AUTORITY TO RESIST THE DEVIL AND SEE HIM FLEE.
A. James 4:7 says, “RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU.”
a. To resist carries the thought of flying in the face of.
b. If we are going to be an overcomer we must learn to fly in the face of the devil.
c. There are many ways to resist the devil:
1. Use the word of God especially the promises God has given you.
2. Began to praise God for all the wonderful things He has done for you, for all the things He has given you.
a. I remember doing just this one time when and as I began to count my blessing naming them one by one at one point I suddenly realized old split foot was gone.
b. I even got brave enough to say where are you satan where have you gone.
c. Needless to say I haven’t gotten that brave since but have used my blessings many times to run him away.
3. There have been times I have said to him get out of here I don’t want those thought in my mind much less my heart.
4. Plead the blood of Jesus against him.
V. WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CARRY OUT THE GREAT COMMISSION. Mt. 28:18-20
A. Remember the Great Commission is backed by all the power and riches of heaven.
a. We have the authority to use whatever we need to carry out the commission.
b. In Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “But you shall receive power (authority) when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
c. Also when Jesus gave the disciples and us the commission to carry the gospel to the entire world He said, “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
d. If Jesus is for us and with us who can stand against us who or what can stand in our way.
e. We may sometimes feel like Job who said I have sought for him in every direction but I cannot find but He knows the way I take and when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold.
f. One thing that has helped me is the poem of foot prints in the sand.
g. We need to try and remember that when it seems we cannot find Him He has picked us up and is carrying us in His arms because we became weary not of the battle but in the battle.
h. He knows what we can take how far we can go without rest.
B. This is a short description of the believer’s authority.
a. May God help us to remember we are never alone and we are not defeated.
