Sermon # 11 - Our God Given Authority Series

We read in Numbers 23:24, “The nation of Israel is like a mighty lion: It doesn't rest until it has torn and devoured, until it has drunk the blood of those it has killed.” (GNB)

Though this verse seems strange these are the words that were spoken by the Prophet Balaam about the people of Israel. The Israelites had been in bondage to the Egyptians for over 400 years. In a most miraculous way as they observed the Passover, the Lord delivered them in a mighty way as they crossed the Red Sea, and later were also led by God all through their journey in the wilderness. It was these people whom the King of Moab feared, and with the intent to stop their progress, he bribed Balaam a prophet of God to curse the Israelites.

As we delved deeper into each of these prophecies, and studied them in the earlier messages we discovered that each of these words that were prophesied about the Israelites can be appropriated to us who belong to the body of Christ. By so doing we are able to know who we are in Christ, and what is our identity in Him.

Balaam referred to the Israelites as a ‘mighty lion.’ Even children know that the lion is referred to as the king of the forest. A lion is a sign of royalty, and that is the reason why even kings in ancient times had the symbol of the lion on their throne.

All of us who are believers in the Lord Jesus must know that we have been endowed with His authority. When we are not aware of this we allow many things to overpower us, and do not exercise the authority that God has bestowed on us over them.

The authority given to man at creation

We read in Genesis 1:26, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (ESV)

God made man in His own image and likeness. This is something we must bear in mind that we were created in God’s own image and likeness. Have you observed how a mother gets elated when someone tells her that her new born baby resembles her?

Also God gave man the authority to rule over all that God had created. This was God’s original plan. If we want to understand God’s plan for our lives, it is important that we know how, why, and what for we were created by God for only then we will live according to that plan.

We read in Genesis 1:28, And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (ESV)

This authority to rule rested on Adam as long as he was obedient to the God who ruled over him. However, when Adam sinned and rebelled against God’s authority, he also lost that authority that God has bestowed on him.

If we want to have a glimpse of how Adam would have lived before the fall, we can see it in the New Testament in the life of Jesus. When Jesus was here on earth, we see that He ruled over the winds and the sea, He ruled over sickness, and over Satan and nothing could overcome Him. Jesus also spoke with authority, and everyone was in awe of Him. Remember that before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples that those who believe in Him would do greater things than He did. This means that Jesus has given the authority into our hands.

The authority that Adam lost when he disobeyed God at the Garden of Eden, Jesus restored and has given it into our hands. If only we believe this and act accordingly, we will not allow the situation and circumstances to overcome us, but rather we will triumph over all of them.

Jesus ruled over want

As Jesus taught over 5000 people, the multitudes were hungry and the disciples were perturbed when Jesus asked that they be given food. All that was in their hands were only five loaves and two fish, but when they brought it to the Lord, He blessed it so that it fed all of the people who had gathered there, and there were also twelve baskets left over that were picked up. Jesus rules over our every want that could arise in our lives.

Jesus ruled over the sea and the storm