SERIES: UNDERSTANDING POWER PRINCIPLES
POWER OF AUTHORITY - POWER PRINCIPLE FOUR
OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this lesson you will be able to:
• Explain why you must be under authority in order to exercise authority.
• Explain how Jesus was a man of authority under authority.
• Identify structures of authority God has established in the Church.
• Identify structures of authority God has established in the home.
• Explain the structure of authority God has established in work relationships.
• Give a reference which explains the relationship of believers to governmentauthorities.
KEY VERSE:
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power butof God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1)
INTRODUCTION
From the creation of the world, God has worked to bring order out of confusion. One way
He has done this is to establish structures of authority in every area of life. The greatestand highest authorities are God Himself, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
God has also established structures of authority which affect your life. These authorities are important if you desire spiritual power. If you are not properly under authority then you cannot exercise authority.
A MAN UNDER AUTHORITY
One day in Capernaum, Jesus had an interesting encounter with a military leader. We arenot given this leader'sname. We only are told that he was a Centurion and had a servantwho was quite ill. Read the story of the Centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10before proceeding with this lesson.
The Centurion was a man under the authority of Rome. He also had authority, as he wasthe military leader of 100 men. Because of this he immediately understood the spiritualrelationship in which Jesus worked with the Father. It was similar to his own naturalrelationship as a Centurion with his commander.
Jesus was a man of authority. He acted with authority. He forgave sins, healed the sick,cast out demons, and did miracles. But Jesus was also under authority. He was under theauthority of the Father:
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, Verily, I say unto you, The
Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for whatthings soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.(John 5:19)
For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to havelife in Himself;And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is theSon of man. (John 5:26-27)
For I came down from Heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Himthat sent me. (John 6:38)
. . . My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. (John 7:16)
And He that sent me is with me; the Father hath not left me alone; for I doalways those things that please Him. (John 8:29)
The Centurion recognized the power of this authority structure and, because of it, he
knew it was not necessary for Jesus to come to his home to heal his servant. He knew
Jesus had enough power to just speak the word and healing would come. Jesus
commended the Centurion for his great faith and healed his servant.
Wherever authority is manifested, there is a chain (proper order) of command. This is
174 why the scribes and Pharisees questioned Jesus, "By what authority doest thou these
things?" (Matthew 21:23). Whenever men see lives filled with power and authority, they
seek to discover the source.
JESUS UNDER AUTHORITY
God sought for someone to go forth with His authority:
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who willgo for us?. . . (Isaiah 6:8)
God gave a measure of His authority to men and women in Old Testament times, but thefull revelation of His power and authority came through Jesus Christ. Jesus knew He hadthis authority:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me inHeaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18)
Jesus demonstrated that He had authority:
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgivesins, (then saith He to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and gounto thine house. (Matthew 9:6)
Jesus received His authority from God and with it He triumphed over all the powers of the enemy.
Jesus is the head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10) because. . .
. . . having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly,triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:15)
Jesus is under the authority of God and in authority over all other powers and authorities.
As you previously learned, Jesus has delegated authority to you:
For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left His house, andgave authority to His servants, and to every man His work, and commandedthe porter to watch. (Mark 13:34)
You come under the authority of Jesus and, by doing so, you are also under the authorityof the Father. Believers are people of spiritual authority who are under authority.
AUTHORITIES SET BY GOD
You already learned that God is the source of power:
For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth,visible, and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, orprincipalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him.(Colossians 1:16)
God is also the power behind all authority structures He has established in the world:
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power butof God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1)
In addition to the supreme authority of God, believers are under other structures ofauthority He has established. These include authorities in the home, Church, work place,and government.
Each person's situation differs from others. Some women have no husband. Some peopledo not work and have no master or employer. They are not involved in these structures ofauthority. But it is important to recognize the structures which do relate to you because
God has established them. You must be under the authorities He established in order tofunction in authority. Legitimate authority is always delegated from some source.
When you are under authority, you have a legitimate source from which your ownauthority is derived. For example, the wife in a home derives her authority from thehusband. The deacons and elders in a Church derive their authority from the men Godsets in spiritual leadership over them. An employee has limits of authority set by hisemployer. But all these chains of command lead ultimately to God, who is the source ofall authority.
All authorities are instituted by God. When tracing authorities back to their source, wealways end up with God. Because of this, rebellion against authority hinders the flow ofGod's power in your life. When you rebel against those in authority you are actuallyrebelling against God:
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power butof God; the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth thepower, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive tothemselves damnation. (Romans 13:1-2) To be a person of authority, you must be under the authority of God and of those whom
God has sets over you. These are some authority structures established by God:
AUTHORITIES IN THE HOME:
The very first structure of authority established by God was the home (Genesis l-3). Hereis God's structure for the home:
Husbands:
The Bible teaches that the husband should be the head of the home. The authority of thehusband in the home is to be based on love:
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of thechurch; and He is the Savior of the body.Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church and gaveHimself for it. (Ephesians 5:23,25)
Wives:
The wife is to be under the loving authority of the husband:
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.(Ephesians 5:22)
Parents:
Together, the wife and husband are to be in authority over the children:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right.Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment withpromise;)That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.(Ephesians 6:1-3)
But parents are warned:
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up inthe nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
All authority carries with it responsibility. Parents must exercise godly authority withlove. Husbands must exercise leadership that is like that of Christ for the Church. Theyare not to be bossy and cruel and require thewife and children to serve them like slaves.
They are to relate to their family as Jesus does to the Church.
Husbands should listen to their wives, as they are a gift from God and a "helpmate.” Howcan a wife help a husband who never listens to her and disregards her opinion? There areBiblical records where God told men to listen to their wives (Abraham) and where Godspoke first to the wife before speaking to the husband (Manoah). This is why it isimportant for a husband and wife to respond properly one to another. It is interesting tonote that one of the reasons God called Abraham to the great responsibility of ministrywas that his home was in proper order.
Each authority structure is to be a fair and loving one. Unfortunately, in every structure,authority has been abused and people do not always act in a loving and fair way. Theauthority structure God has established in the home vitally affects ministry. If the home isnot in order then one cannot exercise proper leadership in ministrywhich is a greaterresponsibility. This is why God established a properly ordered home as a requirement forleadership in the Church:
A bishop then must be. . . one that ruleth well his own house, having hischildren in subjection with all gravity;(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care ofthe church of God?) (I Timothy 3:2,4-5). . . the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused or riot orunruly. (Titus 1:6)
The Bible also speaks of prayers being hindered when there is disharmony between ahusband and wife.
AUTHORITIES IN THE CHURCH:
When we speak of the authority structure in the Church, we are not talking aboutorganizations of man. We are not talking about denominations and the way they organize,hire, or vote on leaders. We are referring to the Biblical structure of the Churchestablished by God.
The head of the Church is Jesus Christ and believers are. . .
. . . the body of Christ, and members in particular. (I Corinthians 12:27)
God sets in the Church special leadership gifts:
And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets: and some, evangelists; andsome, pastors and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11)
These leadership gifts are set in the Church by God. When you become part of a localchurch, then you come under the authority of the men set by God as leaders in thatparticular fellowship. These special leaders are assisted in the local church by eldersand/or deacons who are to serve under their direction. You can read about the duties andqualifications for these men in I Timothy 3 and Titus l.
God also gives to each spirit-filled believer spiritual gifts. These gifts are to function in thechurch under the authority of leadership for the purposes of edification and the work of theministry. You can read about the gifts in the following passages: Romans 12:1-8; I
Corinthians 12:1-31; Ephesians 4:1-16; I Peter 4:7-11. You can study these special giftsin detail in the Harvestime International Institute course, "Ministry of The Holy Spirit."
The Church is the spiritual body of Jesus Christ. Each member of the Church has adifferent responsibility, just as parts of a human body. Each part comes under thedirection of the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ.
In the human body, each part receives direction from the head. The same is true in thespiritual body of the Church. There can be no unity in the body without the authority ofthe head, Jesus Christ.
Members of the body are to submit one to another, just as they do in the natural body. Forexample, when it comes to reading in the natural body, the eye takes authority. When itcomes to walking, the feet take authority. Members of the spiritual body are to submit in asimilar way one to another to enable effective functioning in ministry.
AUTHORITIES AT WORK:
The Bible establishes the structure of authority for those who work either as employees oras employers. An employer is one who is the master, boss, or one in charge of workers.
An employee is a worker who is hired and has the responsibility of doing a certain job.
The Bible teaches:
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh,with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ:
Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing thewill of God from the heart:
With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall hereceive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. (Ephesians 6:5-8)
The work of a servant or employee is to be done as unto the Lord because God is thesource of all power. Instructions are also given to masters or employers. The structure ofone in authority under authority is again clearly reflected in this passage:
And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening:knowing that your Master also is in Heaven, neither is there respect ofpersons with Him. (Ephesians 6:9)
Employers are to treat their servants fairly, even as they are treated fairly by God fromwhom they derive their power.
AUTHORITIES IN GOVERNMENT:
According to Matthew 20:25-28 the power structure of the world is not that of theKingdom of God. But even though we are believers and part of God's Kingdom, at thepresent time we still live in the world. Each one of uslive in a village or city which is partof a larger county, province, state, and country. Each of us live under local and nationalgovernment and there are laws and government leaders in authority over us.
You previously learned that the Bible teaches God is the source of all power. Romans 13explains how thisrelates to governmental authorities. Turn to this chapter in your Bible.
Verse 1 teaches that God is the source of all power and you are to be subject to thesepowers.
Verse 2 indicates that when you rebel against these powers, you are in reality rebelling
against God.
Verses 3-4 explain that government leaders are a terror to you only when you disobey
them. They are actually compared to ministers of God.
God brings government leaders to power and can dethrone them at will:
And He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and settethup kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that knowunderstanding. (Daniel 2:21)
. . . that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom ofmen, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over the basest ofmen. (Daniel 4:17)
Daniel tells the story of a King named Nebuchadnezzar who did not recognize the source
of his earthly power until God taught him:
But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he wasdeposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.
. . . till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, andthat He appointeth over it whomsoever he will. (Daniel 5:20-21)
God sent a prophet to King Amaziah to instruct him when he was planning to go to battle:
But there came a man of God to him, saying, O King, let not the army of
Israel go with thee; for the Lord is not with Israel. . .
But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fallbefore the enemy: For God hath power to help, and to cast down.(II Chronicles 25:7-8)
These verses clearly illustrate that God sets up government leadership. He is at work evenin the battles of this world, raising up one, casting down another. Unfortunately, just asauthority structures are sometimes abused in the home and church, they are also abused ingovernment. Wicked and ruthless leaders have seized power in many nations. Theyrefuse to acknowledge God as the source of power and cause suffering for believers.
When any government or regulation contradicts that which is taught in God's Word, thenyou must obey God rather than man. When the Disciples were told they could not preachin the name of Jesus. . .
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey Godrather than men. (Acts 5:29)
They realized that this request was contrary to the commandment of Jesus which told them
to preach the Gospel in all the world. In other areas you are to. . .
. . . be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
For this cause pay ye tribute also; for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.(Romans 13:5-7)
Because of their great responsibilities and the potential for their abuse of power, you are to pray: For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (I Timothy 2:2)
ALL POWERS BECOME GOD'S POWER
God is the source of all power in the natural and spiritual worlds. All power is delegatedfrom Him. He delegated this power to establish structure in the home, Church,marketplace, community, and nation. But there will come a time in the future when alldelegated powers again become His power: Then cometh the end, when He (Jesus) shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father: when He shall have put down all rule and allauthority and power. (I Corinthians 15:24) And when all things shall be subdued unto Him (Jesus), then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him (God) that put all things under Him, thatGod may be all in all. (I Corinthians 15:28)
Dr. Tg Badia
