“The Authority of the Believer”!!! (Pt 2)

 Text:  Mark 1:21-27: And they went into Capernaum and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught.  And they were astonished at his doctrine:  for he taught them as one that had authority (exousi’a)[in the sense of ability] and not as the scribes:  And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit and he cried out, saying, “Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth”?  Art thou come to destroy us?  I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Hold thy peace and come out of him”!  And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.  And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying “What thing is this”?  “What new doctrine is this”?  “For with authority (exousi’a) commands he, even the unclean spirits and they do obey him”.

MARK shows [Jesus Christ as God’s Servant]:  Mark 10:45: For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

In part one, we found that authority in these verses in the Greek is defined as exousi’a, meaning in the sense of ability (possessing the qualities necessary); privilege; force; capacity; competency; freedom; mastery; superhuman; potentate; token of control; delegated influence:  power; right; liberty; jurisdiction; strength. We can also include skill and aptitude.  Jesus possessed all of this and more!!!

We know that after Jesus’ baptism, He started His ministry in Capernaum for a particular reason.  He made Capernaum His headquarters which was a city on the North end of Galilee. 

We discovered in part one that Capernaum traced back to the Hebrew word kaphar’, meaning a village (as protected by walls); to cover; to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel; atonement; purge; reconciliation; forgive; pacify; merciful; cleansed; disannulled; put off; pardon; pitch.  It goes to another root word nachuwm’ meaning comfortable.  

Capernaum has the same definition as the word pitch in Genesis 6:1, when God told Noah:  “Make thee an Ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch”.  Pitch is the root word kopher’, meaning, a cover, ie a village (as covered in); (fig) a redemption-price:  ransom; satisfaction; sum of money.  Then it goes back to kaphar’, the definition for Capernaum.

Capernaum held a special meaning and was a manifestation of what Noah did in “pitching” the Ark within and without typifying “the atonement” that Jesus would make for us as our Ark of safety, dying on the Cross, shedding His innocent blood.  But He didn’t just make atonement, covering our sins and delivering us from sin, but He also reconciled (brought us back; restored) us back to the Father, bringing us back to the place the “first Adam” had in dominion, authority, power, incorruption, and immortality, before the fall!!!

Jesus starting His ministry in Capernaum was showing how He was now ready to save, expiate, cancel, purge, forgive, be merciful, toward God’s people, and comfort us, heal, and cleanse our sins by disannulling and cancelling our debt by His death and resurrection.  He didn't just only make atonement for us but also He reconciled (brought back) and restored the creation back to God the Father!!  Jesus was able to do this because of the “authority” He had!!

In part one I defined some of the definitions of authority: privilege (special advantage); force and strength (ability to exert strength to produce an intended effect); capacity (power to act); and competency (adequately fitted with the whole armor of God).  Here in part two I’m going to continue defining more of what “authority” is in the lives of believers.  It is also:

FREEDOM: (personal liberty; national independence): [synonyms (permission; immunity; exemption; release)].

·      Matthew 28:19: Go ye and teach (instruct) all nations, baptizing them in the name (on'oma) [authority; character]of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost!

       This baptism is not in water (H2o), but it has to be done by the Spirit.  Galatians 3:27: As many of you as has been baptized into CHRIST, have put on Christ.  Christ is the christos', the Anointed One and His anointing that give us God's authority, dominion, and power, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.  It also gives us His character which entails love, peace, long-suffering, joy, gentleness, and goodness (Galatians 5:22).

·         Mark 16:15: Go ye into all the world, and preach (cry loud; proclaim) the gospel to every creature.

·         John 5:24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, “He that hears my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life:  vs 25: The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead (not those in the grave yard; but many sitting on Church pews and others that hasn't accepted Christ) shall hear the voice (phone’) [disclosure (unveiling of the truth; saying or language of truth; revelation] of the Son of God:  and they that hear shall live.   

     Jesus didn’t say in this verse, “They that see Him up in the sky on a cloud shall live”, but “They that hear” shall live”!!!  Hear is the root word akou’o, meaning to hear (in various senses): hearken; give audience; understand (comprehend [fully take in]; apprehend; grasp; discern; see the light).  So those that believe and receive the truth that we can have the fullness of God in us right now while we're alive, and trust and obey His Word, can "live"!

      John 8:32: And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free:  vs 36: If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. 

 What did Peter say about Jesus in Matthew 16, “Thou art the Christ”!!  He got the revelation (unveiling) of who Jesus was and so do we have to know Him by revelation truth!!!

In John 5:25, Jesus is not talking about those in the “grave yard”, but those that hasn't yet accepted Him and also those sitting on many of these church pews that need to come alive with the revelation (unveiling or taking off of the cover) of Jesus Christ is in us and who we are in Him, and take hold of what we can have right now.

·         Romans 8:1-2: There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath (already) made me free from the law of sin and death.

·          1^st Corinthians 15:52-55: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump (the message of perfection being preached and taught in its fullness now), for the trumpet shall sound and the dead (not those out in the graveyard, but those on church pews and the unsaved) shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (made different; other than what is).  For this corruptible (phthartos’) [decayed; perishable] must (necessary; essential; not optional) put on incorruption, and this mortal (thnetos’) [that which is liable to die (but doesn’t have to)] must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption (aphtharsi’a) [unending existence; genuineness; sincerity], and this mortal shall have put on immortality (athanasi’a) [deathlessness], then, shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory  (triumph; success).  Vs 55: O death, where is thy sting?  O grave, where is thy victory!!

“Shall have” in this verse doesn’t mean after you sail off beyond the blue, but NOW, while we’re in these flesh bodies!!

Back to the definitions of authority:

LIBERTY: (freedom from bondage, captivity; mission granted): 

·         Isaiah 10:27: And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. 

       That same "anointing" that was in operation destroying yokes for the people of God then, is now working on our behalf as well today, still destroying yokes, and will forever destroy yokes! 

·         Matthew 28:19: Go ye therefore and teach (instruct) all nations, baptizing them in the name (on’oma) [authority; character] [awareness; understanding more fully; complete discernment] of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 

·         Mark 16:15: Go ye into all the world and preach (proclaim) the gospel (good news) to every creature.

·         Luke 4:18-19: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 

·         Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled (ensnared; keep a grudge; quarrel against) again with the yoke of bondage (slavery or servitude to the devil nor religious order). 

MASTERY: (power to control; command): [Jesus was the Master of the elements]!!

·         Mark 4:35-41 (Jesus calms a storm): vs 39: And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, “Peace, be still”.  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  Vs 40: And he said unto them, “Why are you so fearful”?  How is it that you have no faith?  Vs 41: And they feared exceedingly and said one to another, “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him”?

      Remember that was the man Jesus that was asleep, but they awoke Christ (the Anointed One), and when He arose He rebuked (forbad; took charge) over the wind (the atmosphere of demonic powers) and said to the sea (the deep or abyss) peace be still, and they obeyed!!  Talking about the authority of the believer, Jesus was God's "authority" walking around on two feet, and because "As he is, so are we, in this world" (1st John 4:17), we the Body of Christ have the same power and authority in the earth.  

·         Luke 10:19: I give unto you power (exousi’a)[in the sense of ability] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power (dunamis) of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  We know that these serpents and scorpions are not slithering snakes and spiders, but types of people that whisper lies, and speak evil against another with the intent to kill their influence and destroy their reputation.  

• Zechariah 13:6: And one shall say unto him, "What are these wounds in thine hands"?  Then he shall answer, "Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends".

I’ve heard preachers say, “You don’t have any power”!    My question is, “Whose report are you going to believe”?  Especially when Jesus said, “I give unto you power”!

POTENTATE: (rulers):

·         Revelation 1:6 / Revelation 5:10: He hath made us unto our God, kings and priests: and we shall reign on (over) the earth. 

As “kings”, we have the power to rule and reign over the powers of the devil, over the elements, even over creation, as the first Adam did!  As “priests” it puts us in the position to intercede for others!   Some examples:

1^st Kings 17:1-7 [Elijah warns Ahab of a drought]: 

·         vs 1: And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand there shall not be dew nor rain these years but according to my word.  

• Look at the faith of Elijah, he said, "According to my word"!

Vs 8-24 [Elijah stays with a widow]:

·         Vs 13: And Elijah said unto her, “Fear not, go and do as thou hast said:  but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.   Vs 14: For thus said the LORD God of Israel, ”The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth”.  Vs 15: And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah:  and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

God has today instilled this same power into those that will believe it, receive it, and use it!! But it's all according to our faith!

As “priests” it puts us in the position to intercede for others!  

·         Ephesians 6:18: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

·         James 5:14: Is any sick among you?  Let him call for the elders (those that have come to maturity in God – age has nothing to do with this eldership):  of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  Vs 15: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

SUPERHUMAN: (surpassing ordinary human powers):   [some examples]

·         1^st kings 17:1: Elijah said to Ahab:  “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word”.   

Elijah didn’t say “According to the word of the Lord”.  It happened at the word of “Elijah”!  He knew his place in God and as God, because he was a “God-man”.    The first part of Elijah's name is “El”, meaning mighty one; strong; strength; power.  God in Hebrew is defined as “El-o-heem” [gods (plural) in the ordinary sense; specifically the Supreme God].  God goes on to be defined as (el) [mighty; Almighty; God (god); mighty one; power; strong].   And “JAH” the last part of Elijah’s name means the LORD most vehement.  God has always manifested Himself throughout scripture in people and always will.

·         Revelation 19:16: He is KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS! 

Elijah – “El” & “Jah”:  (he was a “God-man”): “EL-I-JAH”!  Elijah's name is defined as “God is Jehovah” or “God Himself”!   As you search out the meanings of Jehovah, it goes to the definition “to be thou”, meaning to be you and me!!  We must manifest Him in the earth!  This is GOD’S CHOOSING! 

·         Genesis 1:26: And God said, “Let us make man in our image (substance; person; flesh and blood; appearance) after our likeness (having ability to function in His power and authority):  and let them have dominion (radah’) [tread down; prevail against; reign; (bear; make to) rule (r, over) take] over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.  Vs 27: So God created man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

      Other examples of God's supernatural power working in man:

·         1^st Kings 17:17-22: Elijah stretched himself upon the dead son of the widow woman three times and cried out to the Lord, and he revived: 

·         1^st Kings 18: Elijah called down fire on the altar:  he told Ahab in vs 41: “Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain”.   Vs 42: So Ahab went up to eat and drink.  And Elijah went up to the top of Mt. Carmel:  and cast himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees.  Vs 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. 

      Elijah didn't go by horse and carriage, he went ahead of Ahab by the Spirit of the the Most High God!!

·         Acts 8:29-40: (Philip baptized the Ethiopian):  “And when they were come up, out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more:  and he went on his way rejoicing.  But Philip was found at Azotus:  and passing through he preached in all the cities till he came to Cesarea. 

Philip didn’t go by jet, plane, horse and carriage, neither by train, but Philip was transported by the Spirit of the Living God! 

Back to the definitions of Authority:

JURISDICTION:  (domain over which authority extends): 

·         Mark 16:15: Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

·         Luke 10:19: Behold, I give unto you power (exousi’a) to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

These scorpions and serpents Jesus is referring to are not the ones that crawl around on the ground as we know them.  Scorpions are predators with poisonous venom that can paralyze and kill its prey.  That fits leaders not feeding the people of God the truth of God’s Word in its fullness, causing them to become stunted in growth, not coming to maturity in God.  The “serpents” are not physical (slithering) snakes, but those walking on two feet that typify the kind of people that hiss and fight against what you do for God’s Kingdom.  These are the same kind of people that fought against Jesus.  They're still in existence in the churches today, on our jobs, in our homes, even those pretending to be friends.

·         Matthew 23:1-36 (Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees):  vs 33:You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?

·         Mark 7:1-13 (Jesus is talking to the Pharisees and scribes):  vs 13: Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered; and many such like things do you.

·         Luke 11:52: Woe unto you lawyers [experts in the Mosaic) Law]!  You have taken away the key of knowledge:  you entered not in yourselves and them that were entering in, you hindered.   

·         Colossians 2:8: Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy, vain deceit, traditions of men, rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Last but not least with this:  2 Thessalonians 2:10: And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved.  Vs 11: And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion (plan’e) [fraudulence; deceive; err; wander] / (plan’os) [an impostor or misleader], that they should believe a lie; vs 12: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Those that don’t want to accept the truth of God’s Word He (God) will send them (plan’os) [impostors], those that will tell the people what they WANT to hear, and not those that will tell them what they NEED to hear.  What the people NEED to hear is:   ”You can have the fullness of God in you right now and be a total overcomer while you’re alive”!!  But what the majority of Christendom enjoys hearing or WANT to hear is:  “One of these days when you die and get to heaven, then you will overcome”.

·         John 5:24: Verily, verily, I say unto you, “He that hears my word and believes on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (kris’is) [damnation; judgement]:  but is passed (metaba’ino) [to change place; removed] from death unto life (zo’e) [life as God Himself has and is] (that which is everlasting and eternal)!!!

We are still defining authority:

RIGHT: (conformity with nothing but truth):

·         John 8:32: You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

       This "freedom" is eleuthero'o, meaning to be liberated, delivered, or exempt from moral, ceremonial, and mortal liability.  Liable in Latin is ligare (to bind).  When someone is "liable" for something then they are legally bound or responsible for, or subject to something.  Before Jesus' death and resurrection, we were legally bound to, responsible or subject to sin, death, hell, and the grave.  But because He died and rose on the third day, He conquered all of it for us:   Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  Revelation 1:18: I am he that live and was dead:  and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen:  and have the keys of hell and of death.  

·         Romans 6:12: Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.  Vs 13: Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin:  but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.  Vs 14: For sin shall not have dominion over you:  for you are not under the law, but under grace.

·         Romans 8:16-17: The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children (sons) of God:  and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.  

• 1st Corinthians 15:54: So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory"!  Vs 55: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

THE SOURCE (cause; origin; fountainhead) OF OUR AUTHORITY:  “Jesus The Christ”:

·         Matthew 4:4: Man shall not live by bread alone; but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 

·          Matthew 10:1: And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power (exousi’a) (privilege; liberty; jurisdiction; capability; etc] against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. 

·         Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of “the gospel” of Christ:  for it is the power (dunamis) [miracle working] of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile). 

·         Ephesians 6:17: And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

·         2 Timothy 1:9-10: Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life (zo’e) and immortality (deathlessness) to light through “the gospel” (good news). 

God has brought the revelation of Christ to “light” (photi’zo) [enlighten; illuminate; make to see].  He has unveiled, taken the covers off, revealed, declared, made clear to the “sons of God” (male & female), through His Word who Christ is in us and who we are “in Christ”, for those that will receive it! 

·         1^st Corinthians 12:12: As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body:  so also is Christ.  Ephesians 5:30: We are members (parts; limbs) of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.  1^st John 4:17: As he is, so are we, in this world!!! 

Also, last but not least, the “source” of our authority is “the kingdom” [Jesus is that Kingdom]!

 Mark 11:1-11 [when He (Jesus) made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on the colt, the people were saying]: 

·         Vs 9: “Hosanna in the highest, blessed be the “kingdom” of our father David that cometh in the name of the Lord”. 

They were looking at Jesus and saying that!  So Jesus was and is the “Kingdom”, the “power” that dwells within us, that we might have victory over the devil, in every area of our lives!!!  Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1^st John 4:4).

·         Luke 17:21: Neither shall they say, Lo here:  or, lo there:  for behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 

The “Kingdom” that Jesus came preaching is the “power” of God resident within us through Jesus Christ.  He was the “kingdom” of God walking around on two feet!  So are we God’s kingdom, walking around on two feet.  What did God say to Israel?

·         Exodus 19:6: And you shall be unto me a kingdom of priest, and an holy nation.

We now are God’s Israel today, and His Israel (he will rule (as) God; to prevail) is not bound to the Middle East, but is all over the world!  And that same Word is for us today, we the Body of Christ is God’s kingdom of priests now!!

·         1^st Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

·         Revelation 5:10: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests:  and we shall reign on (over) the earth.  (Revelation 1:6)

“Kingdom” in Luke 17:21, is defined from a root word basili’a, meaning royalty, a rule, or realm.  It goes to another root word basileus’, meaning a foundation of power, and God's power is within His people by the Holy Ghost!

·         Luke 10:19: I give unto you power (exousi’a) [ability; force; freedom], to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

·         Acts 1:8: You shall receive power (dunamis) [miracle working] after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.

·         Romans 14:17: The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but peace, joy, and righteousness in the Holy Ghost.

·         1^st Corinthians 4:20: The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (dunamis) [miracle working].    

 “Kingdom” houses two words:  “king” and “domain”.  A king rules in His domain. 

·         1^st John 4:17: As he is, so are we in this world. 

Our ruling is not up yonder beyond the blue, but it is right here and right now that we are to be like Him!!!  We the body of Christ are Him in the earth and we must rule in our “domain”, “on the earth and over all creation” as the Adam race was doing before the fall.

·         Revelation 1:6: And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen / Revelation 5:10: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests:  and we shall reign on (over) the earth.

·         Revelation 19:16: And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 

In our theme scripture of Mark:1:14-20, Jesus came preaching “Kingdom”, which was the power and authority He used in verses 21-27, to deliver the man in the synagogue from the “unclean spirit” that had him bound.  Jesus avenged the enemy on the man’s behalf, meaning He cleansed and comforted him, by the “authority” of God that was in Him.  

·         Mark 1:22: And they were astonished at his doctrine:  for he taught them as one that had authority (exousi’a) [ability; privilege; skill; competency; capacity; capability; aptitude; know how]:  and not as the scribes.

Formerly the scribes were secretaries to kings [2^nd Samuel 8:17; 20:25; 2nd Kings 12:10; 22:3-12].  Later they were copyists and interpreters of the Scriptures and laws of Israel, keepers of all records and were the lawyers and schoolmasters in Israel [Ezra 7:6-21; Nehemiah 8:1-13; Matthew 23:2-34; Mark 9:11]. 

These guys were opponents of Christ along with the Sadducees and the Pharisees!  But Jesus used the Word of God to silence them:  Matthew 22:34: But when the Pharisees heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together (to question Him).  Vs 41-45 (Jesus questions them about “Christ”):  Vs 46: And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. 

He silenced them as well, with the Word of God!  God said He would do that for His people:  Luke 21:15: For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.  This is the "authority" God has given us through Christ Jesus against the enemy!

Back to Jesus using His “authority”!

Matthew 9:1-8: (Jesus heals the man sick of the palsy): 

·         Vs 6: “Arise, take up thy bed and go unto thine house”.  Vs 7: And he arose and departed to his house.  Vs 8: But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, which had given such power (exousi’a) [ability; privilege; skill; competency; capacity; capability; aptitude; know how; or authority] unto men.

If you noticed in Mark 1:23-27, especially in verse 24, that “unclean spirit” was talking to Jesus:  Vs 24: Saying, “Let us alone (it was more than just one spirit); what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth?  Art thou come to destroy us?  I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God”.

Those devils recognized who Jesus was, the Holy One, the Son of God!  They recognized that authority and that power He walked in because the spirit said, “Art thou come to destroy (apol’lumi) [fully destroy us; cause us to perish] / (ol’ethros) [ruin; bring destruction; death; destroy] us”?  They knew who Jesus was!

Act 19:11-17 (God does special miracles by Paul):  (the seven sons of Sceva were beaten by an evil spirit):  Vs 13: Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches”?  Vs 14: And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.  Vs 15: And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you”?  Vs 16: And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

We don’t want to be like the sons of Sceva, unrecognizable by evil spirits, but we want to be like Jesus and Paul, so that when those devils come into our presence or we go into the presence of where those evil spirits are, they will recognize us as well!!  And we can use the same “authority” and “power” God has given us to deliver ourselves and others as well!!  Hallelujah!

·         Luke 10:19: Behold, I give unto you power (exousi’a) to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy:  and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

·         Acts 1:8: You shall receive power (dunamis) [miracle working] after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you!

The difference between “authority” and “power” is this:  authority is the exousi’a or the ability, capacity, liberty, right, and freedom to use the power!  Power is the dunamis (strength; might; a miracle itself), as a result of using the authority!

A police officer can walk out into the middle of the street and raise his or her hand and stop traffic.  It is not that he or she has “so much power”, but it’s “the authority” they have that we respect.  And the officials of that city in which they work will stand behind them when they are operating in accordance with the law.  God has given us, the church, His power and the authority, through His Son Jesus the Christ and the Holy Ghost, and we allow the devil to back us in a corner.  It is time for us the church to stand up in the power of the Almighty God and take our authority and rule and reign in the earth over all the powers of the devil now!! 

So people of God, AS A BELIEVER, TAKE YOUR AUTHORITY TODAY!!

Pastor Gracie Perry