I. INTRODUCTION:
A. AS I STUDY THE WORD OF GOD, ESPECIALLY THE NEW TESTAMENT IT BECOMES CLEAR TO ME THAT GOD DESIRES FOR US TO HAVE AUTHORITY FROM HIM, AND FOR US TO USE THAT AUTHORITY AS THE HOLY SPIRIT LEADS US.
1. Mark 16:15-20
2. 2 Corinthians 2:1-5 } Go to and read each passage
3. 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6
B. BEFORE WE GET INTO THE MEAT OF THE MESSAGE LET US TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT WHAT Matthew 10:1 SAYS ABOUT AUTHORITY.
1. AUTHORITY IS GIVEN TO THOSE CALLED UNTO JESUS AND WHO OBEY HIM.
a. THOSE CALLED DEALS WITH THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE ON HIM AS SAVIOR AND LORD.
b. IT IS SIMPLY A CALL TO JESUS
c. ANY BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER HAS AUTHORITY GIVEN TO HIM FROM GOD, WHETHER HE/SHE KNOWS IT OR NOT.
d. THAT IS THE REASON FOR TEACHING ON THE SUBJECT, BECAUSE WE CAN NOT USE SOMETHING WE DO NOT KNOW WE HAVE. ( Illustration: You could be a millionaire but if You do not know how to write a check you could die in poverty and lack )
2. AUTHORITY IS GIVEN TO DISCIPLES
a. NOTICE THAT HE GIVES AUTHORITY TO DISCIPLES, NOT APOSTLES. THE APOSTOLIC CALL IS AN AREA OF MINISTRY, WHILE BEING A DISCIPLE IS A CALLING TO FOLLOW JESUS AND LEARN FROM HIM.
b. DISCIPLE: ( 3101 mathetes {math-ay-tes'}: AV - disciple 268, vr disciple 1; 269 1) a learner, pupil, disciple )
3. AUTHORITY IS DELEGATED FROM GOD
4. AUTHORITY IS GIVEN FROM GOD AND IS OVER:
a. UNCLEAN SPIRITS ( TO CAST THEM OUT )
b. ALL MANNER OF SICKNESS AND DISEASE ( TO HEAL )
C. IN THIS MESSAGE WE WILL LOOK AT THREE POINTS.
1. HOW IS AUTHORITY RECEIVED
2. HOW IS AUTHORITY TO BE USED
3. THE PRICE OF MINISTERING IN AUTHORITY.
II. HOW IS AUTHORITY RECEIVED
A. IN Matthew 10:1a IT SAY'S THAT JESUS CALLED ( Summoned ) HIS DISCIPLES UNTO HIMSELF
1. WHAT IS SEEN HERE IS THAT AUTHORITY WAS GIVEN ON THE BASIS OF RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS AS TEACHER/ DISCIPLE, OR WHAT WE COULD TERM MASTER/ SERVANT
2. AUTHORITY IS DERIVED FROM RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
a. BY RELATIONSHIP WE MEAN CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, INTIMACY WITH GOD, FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
b. Lester Summerall DEFINED FAITH AS SIMPLY KNOWING GOD. SO WE COULD SAY THAT TO RECEIVE AUTHORITY FROM GOD WE MUST KNOW GOD AND HAVE FAITH IN HIM.
B. LET US LOOK AT SOME SCRIPTURE THAT BETTER SOLIDIFY OUR POINT:
a. Philippians 3:10- That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
b. John 14:10-14-Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it].
c. John 14:30-31- Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
C. RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS HOW AUTHORITY IS RECEIVED AND IN NO OTHER WAY CAN IT BE RECEIVED.
a. BLOOD RELATIONSHIP
b. FAITH RELATIONSHIP
c. WORD RELATIONSHIP
d. PRAYER RELATIONSHIP
e. SPIRIT RELATIONSHIP
III. HOW IS AUTHORITY TO BE USED
A. LET US LOOK AT Matthew 10:5-33 AND SEE WHAT JESUS SAY'S ABOUT THE SITUATION, OBSERVING CLOSELY VERSES 5-8.
1. GO TO THE LOST ( Their specific direction was the house of Israel; Get God's specific direction. For the lost and things will go better for you )
2. HEAL THE SICK
3. RAISE THE DEAD
4. CLEANSE THE LEPERS
5. CAST OUT DEMONS
6. FREELY YOU HAVE RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE ( Authority is derived from relationship )
Notice the directness of commands that Jesus gives with no compromise, theological debate to cloud the issue
B. LET US LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. PETER
a. Acts 3:1-8- THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN
b. Acts 9:32-35- THE HEALING OF Aeneas
c. Acts 9:36-42- THE RAISING OF Tabitha FROM THE DEAD
2. PAUL
a. Acts 13:1-12- THE POWER ENCOUNTER THAT RESULTED IN SALVATION
b. Acts 14:1-6- SIGNS AND WONDERS
c. Acts 14:7-10- HEALING OF LAME MAN
d. Acts 16:16-18- CAST OUT DEMON IN SLAVE GIRL
IV. THE PRICE OF MINISTERING IN AUTHORITY
A. LET US LOOK AT Matthew 10:34-39 AND SEE WHAT THE WORD TELLS US ABOUT THE PRICE OF MINISTERING IN AUTHORITY
B. THE PRICE CAN BE SEEN IN FOUR WAYS:
1. THE MESSAGE IS A MESSAGE OF AUTHORITY
Matt. 10:34- Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
a. Mark 1:21-27- JESUS' MESSAGE WAS WITH AUTHORITY
b. PAUL THE APOSTLE MESSAGE WAS WITH AUTHORITY ( 1 Cor. 2:1-5 )
c. THE PRICE HERE IS THAT WE MUST LIVE AND MINISTER THE GOSPEL IN A NO-COMPROMISE WAY WITH THE REALIZATION THAT PERSECUTION IN SOME FORM OR THE OTHER WILL COME OUR WAY FROM OTHER PEOPLE. ( Cf. Acts 14:1-20 )
2. DEVOTION TO GOD UNEQUAL TO ALL OTHERS ( Vs. 35-37 )
Matt. 10:35- 37 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes [shall be] they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
a. JESUS ( Fellowship, relationship, calling, obedience to His voice ) MUST COME BEFORE ALL OTHERS, EVEN FAMILY MEMBERS.
b. JESUS EVEN GIVES THE WARNING IN ADVANCE THAT OUR DEVOTION TO HIM WILL LIKELY CAUSE PROBLEMS TO THE EXTENT THAT OUR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS WILL BE CONSIDERED ENEMIES
c. TO HAVE AUTHORITY JESUS MUST COME FIRST, NOTHING LESS WILL DO.
3. WE MUST TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW JESUS
Matt. 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
a. WHAT TAKING UP THE CROSS MEANS IS THAT WE MUST OBEY THE CALLING THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US.( Everyone needs to know what their calling is if authority is to be granted to them by God )
b. THE TERM "CROSS" GIVES US THE IMPRESSION ONCE AGAIN THAT DOING THE WILL OF GOD WILL BRING SOME FORM OF PERSECUTION.
c. IF WE DO NOT TAKE UP OUR CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM WE WILL NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY THAT JESUS WANTS US TO HAVE
4. WE MUST LOSE OUR LIVES TO THE WILL OF GOD
Matt.10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
a. WE MUST OBEY GOD- HIS WORD AND THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
b. AUTHORITY IS ONLY GIVEN TO THOSE WHO TRULY GIVE EVERYTHING TO THE LORD.
