from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church http://bit.ly/2WFNbNq
via IFTTT Authority. The authority to command others. Authority to command things unseen. How does this work? Paul spoke with authority and when he did, things happened. But why? Can anyone say anything and it "is done" as in this example? Jesus did say we would speak and those words would carry power. Are there limits? Can we speak anything and it instantly happens? Let's take a look at something closer to home. Human authority. Let's say as a everyday normal citizen, I see someone do something illegal. Do I have the authority to run up to that person and declare "you are under arrest!" ? I can certainly confront them, attempt to detain them, but I do not have the personally authority to arrest and jail them pending trial. I do not have the authority to "try" them and declare judgement. My personal involvement in the entire system of Justice is limited. In fact, most people when they see something illegal take place.... They call the authorities. How does one gain authority to act with authority against lawbreakers? Simple, they are granted that authority from some source of authority. Someone with authority must use that authority to grant authority. Perhaps it comes in the form of a badge, a title, a certificate, but it is granted by one already possessing authority. In other words, we can not give ourselves authority. That is what lawbreakers do, that is what dictators do. Self proclaiming authority over others is evil. As a follower of Christ then, our authority to command things comes from Jesus Himself. We do things in His name only because He has granted that authority upon meeting some conditions. One is that we do things according to God's will, not ours. Another is that we submit to the full leadership of Christ. Another is that we do not use authority for any sort of personal gain. There are several conditions that must be met laid out in scripture. Another analogy here is a bank account. I can not write checks out of your bank account unless first you authorize me with to do so at the bank. My name must be written down as an authorized agent. That grants me authority to spend money from your account as per any agreement between you and I. So, Paul's name was written down as one who could speak in Jesus name. Jesus granted that authority as long as Paul adhered to the conditions. The demons knew Paul. They knew he spoke in Jesus name, that Paul wrote checks from the bank of heaven. Paul was an authorized agent. Are you? Is your name written down as an authorized agent of Jesus? Do you have legal right to speak in His name? You do if you are truly repentant, washed clean of sin by the blood of Jesus, and filled with the Holy Spirit. But, you must still adhere to the conditions. Just because I can write checks off your account as an authorized agent does not mean I can do so to pay for my new million dollar home. Each individual expenditure must still be approved by you, the account owner. Each expenditure must adhere to your wishes. It is still, after all, your money and I am only authorized to spend it according to your wishes. So it is with Jesus authority. Being a child of God, washed in the blood, filled with the Holy Spirit gives us legal authority to speak in Jesus name. But each time we do so we must be led of the Spirit to do so. We must adhere to the conditions of scripture or suffer the wrath of God for misusing the great riches of heaven. So, yes, we can command spirits, we can declare things that come to pass. We have authority to act in Jesus name. But, we had better be praying without ceasing, daily repenting, dead to personal desires, and in constant communication with the Holy Spirit that guides us minute by minute. Jesus name is powerful. He is the creator of the universe. His word spoke all into being. He is the king of all Kings. And He grants us authority to speak in His name as Gods children washed in His blood. Be careful to use that authority wisely.
