AUTHORITY

I begin to write on this topic with an excerpt from Charles Capps’ book “Releasing the Ability of God Through Prayer.” I have this book listed in the Resources section and I highly recommend it. He writes:

 

“Under this new covenant contract, sealed by the Lord Jesus Christ in His own blood, you have the legal right as a born-again believer to enter the throne room of God. You can stand in His presence without fear, without a sense of inferiority, without a sense of guilt, because of what Jesus did. It is your legal right to come boldly before the throne of grace to request heavenly intervention in this earth on your behalf.”

 

He continues later in the book with this: “The authority in this earth has been delivered to believers. We have the authority, but we have been praying for God to do the things he has told us to do, such as heal the sick, cleanse the leper, cast out demons, and raise the dead. (Matthew 10:1-8) These things are as mountains before us, but God’s ability can perform them. Learn to release God’s ability.”

 

I have read these paragraphs over and over and over again (along with relevant scripture) until they resonate in my heart. I encourage you to do the same. The authority I have in Christ has to be in my spirit before I have the power to exercise it over the devil, or over any of his minions.

 

There are many books written by Christian authors that pertain to the authority of the believer. Another that I highly recommend (because of its focus on prayer) is one written by Dutch Sheets, “Authority in Prayer – Praying with Power & Purpose.” I totally believe his statements that everything that happens to us is not planned by God, nor is He [God] behind our misfortunes in life. He is, however, the author and perfecter of our faith as stated in Hebrews 12:2 and He also made us more than conquerors as He tells us in Romans 8:35-39. I find this so encouraging!

 

I think the greatest stumbling block to exercising my authority was not believing and/or understanding that I had it!   Once I knew I had authority (given to me through Christ) over the devil and all his plans, I knew that I had victory. It didn’t matter what I felt because I learned to call those things that are not, as though they were. I didn’t walk any longer by sight, I walked by faith. It is a great place to be!

 

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (NKJV)

Hebrews 12:2 “…….looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (NKJV)

Romans 8:37-39 “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NKJV)

Luke 10:19 “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.” (NKJV)

 

Matthew 10:1-8 “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7 And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (NKJV)

 

Heb 11:1-6 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 4By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. 5By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "AND WAS NOT FOUND, BECAUSE GOD HAD TAKEN HIM"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (NKJV)

 

When my situation doesn’t change exactly as I think it should, and I start to get into that questioning/doubtful mode of living, I just go back to these scriptures. I remember that, in the end, I WIN as long I know that and use my authority, in Jesus’ Name!!



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