the authority of the believer

“There is no person walking this earth more powerful than a child of God boldly and properly trusting the promise of the living God!” (www.enduringword.com/bible commentary/Isaiah 30:15, © Copyright 2018 David Guzik)

One of the key principles of inner healing ministry is learning to appreciate and fully embrace the authority we have as believers. It is in recognizing, accepting and exercising this authority that we can walk in the confidence and the ability to prevail against whatever obstacles the enemy has planted in a person, so that they may be set free.

What, then, is the authority we have as a believer?

Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

 “When God created man, He gave man authority to have dominion over everything on earth, but when man sinned, he gave this authority to satan. When man's authority was transferred to satan, satan brought in diseases, poverty, strife, bitterness, pain, loss and death. He messed up everything on earth for man.
“It was a man who gave away his authority to satan, so it had to be a man who would legally take it back. By His death on the cross, Jesus righteously restored all that man had lost. That is why, just before He went back to heaven, He said, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore…’ (Matthew 28:18)

“Those words tell us that He has transferred His authority to us. The same authority that He had over the storm, evil spirits, sicknesses, diseases and even death is now ours to use. The authority which has been restored to us is not just the authority on earth which man had before the fall, but Jesus’ unquestionable and complete authority in heaven and on earth!”(www.josephprince.org, © Copyright Joseph Prince, 2008–2019)

What an incredible level of authority has been conferred upon on us by our Heavenly Commander! The authority we have received is purposely linked to our destiny. We were intended to rule over all the created order and the assignment we have received requires us to fully appropriate the authority we have been given. That is the only way we will be able to achieve our destiny.

1 John 4:17 (KJV) – As He is, so are we in this world.
 
Isaiah 61:1-2 – He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners, and comfort all who mourn.
 
That is our assignment while we live in this earthly realm; and the authority we have received is exactly the level necessary for us to complete our assignment. Our authority has to be greater than all the demonic forces combined, in order for us to fulfill our commission. God knows exactly what He is doing!
 
Luke 12:48 (NLT) – When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

With authority comes responsibility and accountability. Since we have been given this greater level of authority, we are responsible for not only walking in that authority, but also how we operate in it; and we are accountable for every result – both negative and positive. We are to use this authority to bring glory to God as we work alongside the Holy Spirit to accomplish all that God has given us to do.
 
Why do you think Jesus delegated this level of authority to us, His church?
 
Ephesians 3:10 – His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

By giving us, His church, this level of authority, His intent was that the wisdom of God should be revealed to the unseen realm, both the angelic and the demonic.

“God is a being of infinite wisdom and glory; and He wants His creatures to know His great and manifold wisdom. One purpose in His great plan of the ages is to reveal this wisdom. God does this for the glory of His creatures, because the glory of the creature is directly connected to the glory of the Creator.  God will reveal his wisdom by His work in the church; and He will reveal it to angelic beings (principalities and powers). This reminds us that we are called for something far greater than our own individual salvation and sanctification. We are called to be the means by which God teaches the universe a lesson, and a beautiful lesson it is.”(www.enduringword.com/bible commentary/Ephesians 3, © Copyright 2018 David Guzik)
 
The authority we have received is purposely linked to our identity. We were made in the image of God. The word “image” means “representative figure”. When we received Christ (Colossians 2:6), we were clothed in Christ (Galations 3:27) and we no longer live, but Christ lives in us (Galations 2:20). Jesus has all authority and we know how He used His authority while He was here on earth: He healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead. This is now our identity; this is who we are.
 
This is what we are here for! We have been called. We have been chosen. We have been trained, equipped and armed for battle. We are God’s army on the earth fighting alongside the heavenly host against the spiritual forces of this dark world. This is how we are known in heaven.
 
John 15:16 – You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Ephesians 2:6 – And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.

Revelation 4:1 – After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

Jeremiah 33:3 – Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

God is saying to every one of us who have received His grace and the eternal life we now have in Jesus:
“You have been chosen to be a bearer of My glory. This is how the angels see you. This is how you are known in heaven. This is your identity in Christ. Your identity is therefore linked to authority, because I have given all authority to Jesus, so that you will have all you need to accomplish My purposes, for I am sending you as My representative in the earth.  And not only have I given you authority in the earthly realm, but I have also placed you in the heavenly realms and seated you in the place of honor at my right hand. Nothing in heaven or on the earth or under the earth can harm you. No weapon forged against you will be able to prevail. What I have promised you, I am faithful to deliver. I desire to include you in all of my plans; you will receive Divine strategies for battle. I am making great and unsearchable riches – wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, and knowledge available to you so that you always have everything you need to carry out the assignments I have given to you.”

God has invited us to partner with Him in the work of His Kingdom. He is inviting us to a relational experience of Him

• so that we grow in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man,
• so that we grow from glory to glory and faith to faith until we become spiritually mature and complete not lacking in anything,
• so that our spiritual senses become sharpened through constant practice,
• so that we may be about our Father’s business, seeing what He is doing, and then doing what we see Him doing.

And the gates of hell will not prevail against the church; they will fall as we boldly engage in the divine assignments we have been given. Such is the authority of the believer.

Have you ever thought of yourself in this way? Now that you know what God thinks about you and what He has planned for you, are you willing to partner with Him in walking in the authority you have been given, both on the earth as well as in heaven. Are you ready to leave the elementary teachings behind and go on to the greater works He has prepared in advance for you to accomplish? Are you ready to climb higher, dig deeper, and boldly go where only Jesus has gone before?

May the Lord grant you success in battle; may the Lord enable you to possess the gates of your enemies!
Be bold and courageous Mighty Warriors!

Linda
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© 2019 Linda Sue Harper