Today we are hearing confrontations and conversations about authority in a multitude of circumstances and situations. The god of this world is vying for authority as the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2) in his long warfare against the work of God on behalf of humanity. He has been cast out of heaven as his proper sphere and “position of authority,” and now has only strictly permissive and limited power allowed by God to fulfill His Divine purpose and plan. (Jn. 14:30; 16:11, 2 Cor. 4:4) We are clearly witnessing a power struggle—a spiritual battle being played out in real time. It is time for us to get off our phones, turn off the TV or other forms of media and remember—The highest authority belongs to God, who does as He pleases. (Psalm 115:3) This Divine authority extends to all realms, including the spiritual and physical domains, as God is the ultimate Source of all power and majesty. He changes times and seasons, deposes kings and raises up others, demonstrating His absolute control over human affairs. This Divine sovereignty over history is emphasized in Daniel 2: 21, where it is stated that God controls the course of world events and determines the rise and fall of rulers. Jesus stated that no power would exist over Him if it were not given from above. (Jn. 19:11) Christ Jesus, as the Son of God, has been granted all authority in heaven and on earth by the Father. This authority was affirmed after His resurrection, when Jesus declared, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” (Mt. 28:18) Jesus declared in Luke 10: 19, “Behold, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm you.” This authority is not symbolic—it is still real today. It is grounded in the victory of the cross and released through union with Christ. Jesus said in John 14:12 that believers would do greater works than He after He goes to be with the Father. Paul makes it clear that God is the sovereign head of the Church: “God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the Church.” (Eph. 1: 22) The early Church was empowered with this authority through the enduement of the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2: 1-4. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to believers, empowering us to live in alignment with His will. Today the Church—the Body of Christ needs a fresh anointing of this power and authority to become a fearless force like the early Church! Ultimately, God’s plan is to bring everything together under Christ’s authority, both in heaven and on earth. (Phil. 2: 10-11)
The question then is presented to us today: “How do we walk in spiritual authority?” Adam lost his dominion in a beautiful garden, but Jesus overcame Satan in a wilderness. How did Jesus overcome Satan? The same weapons that belonged to Adam in the Garden of Eden were the weapons Jesus used. What were they? The anointing of the Spirit of God and the authority of the Word of God were the way Jesus won this battle, and that’s the way we continue to win the battle today. Our authority in Christ must be strongly enforced. Satan is not going to roll over and play dead. We’re going to have to come against him in the power of the Holy Spirit. James 4: 7 calls for active opposition to evil, rooted in submission to God: “Submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you.” This resistance is not based on human strength but on reliance on God’s authority and power, which enables believers to overcome temptation and spiritual attacks. Our battle today is not with Washington, not with the White House and not with Hollywood. Jesus knew that He was not fighting flesh and blood. He knew who the real enemy was, and that’s what you and I must understand. We’re in spiritual warfare. We must pray, stand on the Word and cry out to God with desire, devotion and faith like the early Church. We must plug in everyday to God’s Word and prayer if we are to be empowered to do His bidding. When we don’t plug our phone into the power source, it loses its power and we cannot use it to send or receive messages or communicate with it. Likewise, we must daily pray to the Father in Jesus’ Name, obey His teachings, depend on the Holy Spirit, resist the devil and live in union with the risen Lord. Greater is He that is with us than he that is in the world. (1 Jn. 4:4)
Jonathan Edwards said, “Boldness enables Christians to forsake all rather than Christ, and to prefer to offend all rather than to offend Him.” The prayer in Daniel 9 reveals Daniel boldly saying what he wants. First, he confesses the sins of his people: “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant.” (v. 17) “Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act.” (v. 19) God owed nothing to Daniel, but such was Daniel’s trust in God’s “great mercy” (v. 18), that he felt free to bring the full weight of his desires to Him. Like Daniel, we must be specific in our prayers but always pray “not as I will, but as you will,” as Jesus prayed to His Father the night before He was crucified. (Mt. 26:39) God honors our boldness when we come before Him with repentant hearts. So, we must be bold, pray what’s on our heart, and entrust it to the God of great mercy.
In 2 Chronicles 20 God’s people were facing a great multitude that was coming against them. Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD and proclaimed a fast. The people gathered together to seek help from the LORD and he said, “O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You…and he said, O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You…and he said “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s…stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf…Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.” As believers, we never have to worry about how to engage our conflicts because they all belong to God. And being His, they are already won. Our responsibility is to obey whatever He instructs us to do and trust Him to show us His triumph. We must always remember every blessing and success comes from the Lord, and no enemy will stand as long as He is leading the charge against them. In the midst of the impossible God best shows us His wondrous power and teaches us faith. May we pray and commit to God all the things that we now face both personally and as a nation knowing that God’s eternal plan always trumps a human plan!
God doesn’t call us to tasks that are easy; rather He commissions us to assignments that will only succeed if we rely on His wisdom and power. In that way, He glorifies Himself through us. He calls us—not to be superstars but to be humble servants who trust Him completely. God wants us to turn to Him and be encouraged that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. (Phil. 4: 13) Jesus wants to fill our hearts and lives with His love. All the pleasures of the world, all the riches of earth are temporary and can be used as the devil’s trap. Only the love of Jesus satisfies us forever. True happiness and contentment are not in things or in a place but in Jesus Christ. Only then do we stop fighting Him and discover that God’s power in us can lift us out of our circumstances. God wants us to see Him move us through the troubled waters and use our circumstances to mold us into the one He desires us to be. God allows opportunities for us to call out to Jesus for help and strength. This childlike faith opens our heart to God’s presence—to His love that flows eternally from the cross. “My grace is sufficient for you for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9) Our hope is in Jesus who turns our brokenness to triumph. There is victory in Jesus now and forever!
Spiritual authority is not arrogance—it is alignment with God’s truth and love. We are to become His mouthpiece. It is exercised in humility, anchored in obedience and empowered by the Spirit. We are to encourage the exhausted and strengthen the feeble. We are to say to those with an anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come. But He will save you.” (Isa. 35: 3-4) The Father has given each of us special tasks within the body of Christ, and those with the gift of exhortation or encouragement can rejoice in their unique and tender ministries. (Rom. 12:8) Very often, encouragement for the early church came in the form of a person, as it does today. The ministry of encouragement is indispensable and especially in times of uncertainty and trouble. Paul in 2 Timothy 4: 1-2 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.” To be ready to speak a word in season means to be prepared to share God’s message at the appropriate and opportune moment, whether circumstances are favorable or not. The goal is to speak with wisdom and discernment, as illustrated by Isaiah’s description of the Lord giving him “the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.” (Isa. 50:4) Paul told the persecuted Thessalonians, “Encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing…Admonish the unruly, encourage, the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thess. 5:11, 14)
We must rise and take our stand in the authority given to us in Christ Jesus. We must shake off fear and silence every lie that tells us to retreat. We must speak when the enemy whispers. We have been entrusted with heaven’s authority—walk in it with courage and faith. We must stand when the world shakes and move forward knowing that the power of darkness has no claim where the authority of Jesus Christ is exercised. We must lift our head, steady our heart and step boldly into the territory God has given us. We are not powerless—we are authorized! We must walk forward now, clothed in our identity in Christ, backed by heaven and fearless in love!
Jesus instructs us in Luke 19:13 to “occupy till I come.” The parable of the nobleman who went away on a long journey to receive for himself a kingdom and left servants in charge until his return. Jesus has gone to the Father’s house until the time comes that He will return and set up His Kingdom. I believe He is even at the door—listening for the Father’s command to return. The command “Occupy till I come” does not refer to sitting and soaking—hoarding the money, gifts and talents He has given us. We will give an account to Jesus of how we have used what He has given us for His Name sake. I Peter 4: 7-11 gives marching orders for Christians in the end times. “Now the end of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for prayer. Above all, keep your love for one another constant, for ‘love covers a multitude of sins.’ Be hospitable one to another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of the many-sided grace of God. Whoever speaks, let it be as one speaking the utterances of God. Whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies. So, in all things may God be glorified through Jesus Christ—all glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen.” As believers, we have been commissioned to be involved in what He is doing throughout the world. When God’s Spirit is at work through us, we will accomplish the goals He helps us to set when we submit to His plan—His strength, courage and authority! “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” (Zech. 4:8) When we walk in Spiritual Authority, He assumes full responsibility for helping us accomplish His purpose and plan! GOD WINS!