 Weekly Devotional |
The Believer’s Authority in Christ |
October 27, 2026 · Anne Barkley |
Christ gives His followers authority over the power of the enemy, reminding believers that their confidence rests in Him. |
During the month of October God has been bringing to my attention Scriptures, words spoken to various godly men and women and words from Lee Strobel’s book “The Case for Miracles” all emphasizing the power and authority of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and Christ’s delegated power and authority to believers through our union with Him. |
We as Christians today act as if God isn’t present—planning things without thinking biblically, not trusting that God can and will provide and intervene in our lives and in the world. God says in Malachi 3:6, “I am the LORD, I do not change.” James 1:17 adds, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” |
Our authority as Christians originates from Jesus’ victory on the cross and His ascension, where He received “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18) and shared it with His Body, the Church allowing us to operate in His exalted position seated at the right hand of God. (Ephesians 2:6) |
This authority is a spiritual inheritance that enables Christians to resist evil, command demonic forces, and advance the Gospel under Christ’s ultimate sovereignty according to Matthew 28: 19. In Luke 10:19 Jesus told us, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall be any means hurt you.” |
This power is exercised through faith, submission to Christ’s will, and using the Name of Jesus, rather than personal ability or coercion. In Matthew 21: 21-22 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do all things…You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.” |
Our authority in Christ is designated for spiritual warfare, serving others, and fulfilling the Great Commission to make disciples, never for personal gain or domination over other people. |
You and I are living in the most intense time in human history. |
It’s no time to cower in fear or even to allow darkness and evil to prevail –it’s a time to use the authority God has given us! Let us first examine some hinderances that we face in using our God-given authority: |
In his book, Case for Miracles, Lee Strobel who is a Professor of Christian Thought at Houston Baptist University, challenges Christians with serious questions to consider. “In our churches and even in our prayers, sometimes we hold back from fully embracing the God who still performs miracles.” He quotes Professor Roger Olson who says, “I agree that American religion in general has become secularized. That is, a lot of churches don’t really believe that God intervenes or guides, except through what we might call human wisdom and reason. The truth is that they don’t really expect God to do anything except in their interior (personal) spiritual lives.” |
We have accounts of unbelief throughout scripture. Jesus quoted the words of the prophet Isaiah in John 12: 38: “LORD, who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?” Isaiah saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory. |
Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark…I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.” (vv. 44-46, 49) |
When we return to the Book of Acts, which tells the story of the early church, the apostles seemed to go around expecting that when they told people about Jesus and His resurrection, something supernatural might very well happen. |
But that’s not true today. Dr. Olson made this conclusion: “All we expect to happen these days when we proclaim Jesus and the resurrection is that people will nicely nod and say, ‘Oh, we agree with that.’ Then they go home and live as if that’s not really true, because they don’t expect miracles to happen anymore. They don’t expect God to do things that are inexplicable (baffling). This is obvious from the way we react when someone gets sick. Of course, we pray for them, but what do we ask? That God would comfort them in the midst of their suffering. That God would guide the hands of surgeons. That God would give doctors wisdom and discernment. What’s missing? Asking God to supernaturally heal them.” |
God is calling the Church to return to the mindset of the Acts Church! |
In Mark 11: 21-22 Jesus was teaching His disciples about the power of faith and prayer: “Have faith in God…But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” |
HINDERANCE OF FEAR OF FAILURE: |
Hesitation to boldly phrase our prayer request specifically can reflect secret fear of failure that can hinder our authority. I John 5: 14 says that if we ask anything according to God’s will, He hears us. This takes the responsibility off of us and places it in God’s hands. |
One way to know we are praying according to God’s will is to pray His Word back to Him by declaring God’s promises in the Bible. God is sovereign and not arbitrary. He knows what He’s doing. |
When He doesn’t answer our prayers as we want, there may be particularities about the situation that we just don’t understand. |
Remember that Paul asked three times for God to remove his thorn in the flesh, but His answer was: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This indicates that the affliction served a divine purpose, allowing Paul to rely entirely on God’s strength rather than his own. |
We pray the prayer of faith and leave the outcome to God. |
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” |
KEYS TO USING OUR AUTHORITY: |
Jesus made it very clear that His Name is the key to all authority: “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” (John 14:13-14). |
Think about that! When we use the Name of Jesus, believing that we’re seated with Him at the right hand of God, we are backed by all the power in heaven! Every knee must bow to that Name (Philippians 2:10). |
When adversity arises, we use our authority by speaking out what His Word says, using the Name of Jesus. For example, we could say, “Sickness, I command you to leave my body in Jesus’ Name according to 1 Peter 2:24 – by His stripes I am healed!” |
The authority is in the Name. The Name of Jesus is higher than any other name. (Philippians 2:9) |
In Acts 3 when Peter & John encountered a lame man at the Gate Beautiful, they said, “In the Name of Jesus, rise up and walk” and he did! It wasn’t their own anointing or power that raised the man – it was the authority in the Name of Jesus. |
That same authority belongs to us – using the Name of Jesus is how we use it! |
In Hebrews 4: 16 we are instructed to “come boldly before the throne,” which invites believers to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence to receive mercy and find grace for help in times of need. |
This boldness is not based on personal merit but on the ministry of Jesus Christ, who serves as the great High Priest and empathizes with human weaknesses while remaining without sin. |
We are encouraged to approach God with humble confidence, bringing our cares, confessions, and petitions to a God who offers unmerited favor rather than judgment. |
This access allows Christians to find empathy, compassion, and timely assistance from a Father who welcomes us as beloved children. |
When Jesus left this earthly realm, He did not leave us defenseless against the enemy, the devil. He didn’t leave us to be devoured or tormented by the works of the devil. |
He gave us His authority and the power of His Spirit within us to defeat the enemy in every area of our lives. |
This is the same authority He used when He walked the earth and healed the sick, cast out devils, calmed the storm and raised the dead! |
If we have been born again, we have authority over the devil and all his evil works–just like Jesus did. |
This includes sickness and disease, lack and poverty, relational division and strife…and every wicked thing the devil stirs up in our world. I John 4:4 affirms His power within is greater than Satan’s. |
If we don’t take our God-given authority and use it, nothing will change, and we will live a defeated life. |
God has called us to be agents of change in our world and in this world. It’s our responsibility to enforce the goodness of God over the works of the devil in our lives, in the lives of others, and in all of society. |
But we have to choose it. We have to rise up and speak the Word of God that’s backed by the blood of Jesus. |
It’s the truth that sets us free (John 8:31-32), and it’s the truth of our authority that will make us free to use it to initiate change in our life…and this world! |
How do we become successful in grasping our authority? Ephesians 1:18 says, “…that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may KNOW your inheritance and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named.” |
Under the Old Covenant, they did not have authority over the demonic realm – only the High Priest did. |
But when Jesus rose, He gave us that authority. The evil spirits recognize it when we know our position just as they knew they had no power over Jesus. |
As noted in James 2: 19, demons “believe and shudder,” indicating that their knowledge of Jesus’ identity brings terror rather than salvation. |
For believers, this authority is because Jesus has granted His followers power over evil spirits. |
Our High Priest dwells in us and gives us the right to use His Name, His Word, and His Blood over all evil. The same power that demons fear is present in the Church through the Holy Spirit, meaning that Christians should not fear demons, as they are more afraid of the Name and presence of Jesus than humans are of them. |
Hebrews 2: 14 tells us that through Christ’s death, He destroyed the enemy which means to “put to naught.” He has no influence, no power over us. |
When we see him that way, we will stop fighting and start thanking God that we are victorious in every area of our life. |
The war is over. The battle is won. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” it was finished. |
If we believe that Satan has power over us, it is because we have given it to him. We give him that authority by our lack of knowledge of the Word and the understanding of what God has already given us. |
We need to see the enemy as dethroned—as nothing and removed from any position of authority. |
“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” |
How do we exercise our authority? By using the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The enemy has no defense against the Word. He is rendered as defeated. |
No matter what is roaring towards us, our weapon, the Word of God, stops it. |
We must pick up our sword and take our place of authority that Christ died for us and gave it to us freely. |
We must decide to stop standing against something and start standing for something. Ephesians 6:10 commands believers to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” |
In order to stand firm against the devil’s schemes, we must put on the Armor of God according to Ephesians 6: 11-17 every day. |
Verse 18 commands us to pray in the Spirit on every occasion with all kinds of prayers and requests. Romans 16:20 says that the God of peace will crush Satan under OUR feet because God is with us and for us through Christ Jesus! |
These are our marching orders: |
• Stand for what the Word says about your situation |
• Stand for what Jesus has promised you |
• Stand for what you know to be true and resist the devil and he will flee from you! |
Authority in Christ: Matthew 28:18–19; Luke 10:19; Ephesians 2:6 |
Faith and Prayer: Matthew 21:21–22; Mark 11:22–25; 1 John 5:14 |
The Power of Jesus’ Name: John 14:13–14; Philippians 2:9–10; Acts 3 |
Spiritual Victory: Ephesians 6:10–18; James 2:19; Hebrews 2:14; Romans 16:20 |
Preserving Betty Jo Hardy’s devotional legacy and continuing the ministry through Anne Barkley. |
| From The Throne Ministry | A weekly devotional ministry continuing the legacy of Betty Jo Hardy through Anne Barkley. | You are receiving this devotional because you subscribed to From the Throne or previously requested to receive these messages. | |
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