Introduction
· As a Christian, you have God’s authority and power in you.
· We were created to reign and rule with Jesus.
· When you walk in fellowship and relationship with God, you have the “delegated authority” of God in your life.
· Religion and religious people say put up with the devil, sickness, disease, and lack.
· God’s Word has given us authority to speak His Word and the devil, sickness & disease must flee.
· We posses the Holy Spirit of God in us. We are powerful because of who and what we know…Jesus Christ.
· Let us look to the Word of God this morning and see God’s authority that resides in me.
1. God’s authority and power resides in you as a Believer.
A. Authority is defined as permission, authorization, licensed or sanctioned power. It is also delegated power; that belonged to someone else that is given to you.
B. Jesus anointed 70 people to cast out devils and heal the sick
(NKJV) Luke 10 17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
C. Jesus had authority over all demons and principalities of darkness.
D. As Believers in Jesus Christ, we can posses this same authority and power in Jesus’ name.
E. You must know the authority that you have in order to exercise it.
F. A person who has the Spirit of God in him is authorized to release God’s power.
G. The authority comes from God alone.
(NKJV) Ephesians 6 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
a. Never question your worthiness, Jesus has authorized you to do great and mighty works through His strength, not your own.
H. Note the importance of verse 20 in Luke 10, “rejoice that your name is written in heaven.”
a. When Jesus rose from the dead and sat at the right hand of the Father, we were also raised and given His authority.
(AMP) Ephesians 1 19And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, 20Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places], 21Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come. 22And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church], 23Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself]. Ephesians 2 1AND YOU [He made alive], when you were dead (slain) by [your] trespasses and sins 2In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God]. 3Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind. 4But God--so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the great and wonderful and intense love with which He loved us, 5Even when we were dead (slain) by [our own] shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; [He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for] it is by grace (His favor and mercy which you did not deserve) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation). 6And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 7He did this that He might clearly demonstrate through the ages to come the immeasurable (limitless, surpassing) riches of His free grace (His unmerited favor) in [His] kindness and goodness of heart toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; 9Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.] 10For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
2. You can exercise the authority of God.
A. You are an heir with God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. You were made in God’s image – to reign and rule with Him.
B. You are greater than anyone who is of the world, because you have Him in you.
(NKJV) 1 John 4 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
C. When Jesus defeated death, hell and the grave, He delegated His power to the church (You & me).
D. We are one with Christ
(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 6 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Conclusion
