SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY

BY
AMUSU JOSEPH
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT
FOR COMPLETION OF LAY MAN PROGRAMME OF
MOUNTAIN OF FIRE AND MIRACLES MINISTRIES
NORTH CENTRAL REGION 5 KUBWA ABUJA
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CERTIFICATION
This is to certify that this project spiritual authority was carried out by
Amusu Joseph under my supervision.

SUPERVISOR H.C.D
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DEDICATION
I dedicate this project to the glory and honour of the triune God who
indwells the believers and delegated power to them to dominate, also to all
pastors and teachers of the word who teach and encourage members to
exercise authority in the earth today.
This delegated authority was given to every hristian so that the sic!
can be healed, finances can be loosed and those bound by other may be
free.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
All glory, honour, adoration and than!s go to the almighty father, the
giver of wisdom.
"y sincere gratitude goes also to my beloved wife "rs. #oseline
Amusu, where support and prayers have !ept me together, I ac!nowledged
the patience of my four good sons, "ichael, Joseph $Jnr.% Gabriel and
&remus. God bless you all.
I also appreciate the followings, our coordinator 'ister (unmi, brother
Adele!e, (ro. Ayeni, &astor Abraham 'ister (u!!y, (ro )wolabi, (ro
*aniel, (ro +nuoyibo and other pastors who are always there to teach and
encourage me and my colleagues not to give up but to push on. I am much
grateful to the authority for organi,ing the type of training for us to identify
our various ministries. "ay the good -ord bless you all.
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ABSTRACT
God.s Ama,ing plan for the salvation of humanity includes authority,
power, *ominion. Authority means lawful permission to execute power or
ability to bring judgment or justice for or against. 'piritual authority to
change your life to discover self, this delegated authority is given to every
hristian or believer as that the sic! can be healed, finances can be loosed
and those bound by satan may be free, author in hrist ma!es you
discovers powerful principles in your own life and ma!es us to live in victory
on the earth. This comes through the !nowledge of God, and through the
anointing of the /oly Ghost. The name /oly Ghost is available to you and
me today.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title &age .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. i
ertification .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ii
*edication .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. iii
Ac!nowledgement .. .. .. .. .. .. .. iv
Abstract .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. v
Table of ontents .. .. .. .. .. .. .. vi
CHAPTER ONE
0.1. Introduction .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0
0.0. &ower Authority and *ominion .. .. .. .. 2
0.2. &ossessing Authority .. .. .. .. .. .. 3
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 *oes the *evil /ave &ower4.. .. .. .. .. 5
2.0 The *evil 'how of &ower .. .. .. .. .. 6
2.2 *oesn.t /e /ave &ower4 .. .. .. .. .. 01
2.7 *evil /as 8o &ower to *o +vil .. .. .. .. 01
2.9 The Irreversible hange .. .. .. .. .. 07
2.3 If /e /as &ower .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 09
2.: Is Anyone As!ing the *evil the 'ource of /is Authority . 09
2.5 The *evil 'tole the Authority of "an .. .. .. 03
CHAPTER THREE
7.1. Jesus /as Authority .. .. .. .. .. .. 06
7.0. The Jews *idn.t ;now The 'ource.. .. .. .. 0<
7.2. Jesus Authority )ver 'pirit )f *eath .. .. .. 0<
7.7. /is Authority 'uspends &hysical -aws .. .. .. 22
7.9. /is Authority )ver +lements )f 8ature .. .. .. 27
7.3. )ther "en &ossess Authority .. .. .. .. 23
7.:. "oses &ossessed Authority .. .. .. .. .. 2:
7.5. Joshua &ossessed Authority .. .. .. .. .. 25
7.6. *avid &ossessed Authority .. .. .. .. .. 25
7.<. +lijah &ossessed Authority .. .. .. .. .. 26
CHAPTER FOUR
9.1. The Authority of the (eliever .. .. .. .. .. 2<
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9.0. "an.s *ominion at reation .. .. .. .. .. 2<
9.2. Jesus Gave &ower to the (eliever .. .. .. .. 71
9.7. The Authority Is In /is 8ame.. .. .. .. .. 77
CHAPTER FIVE
3.1. #elease =our >aith .. .. .. .. .. .. 75
3.0. onfess ?hat =ou (elieve .. .. .. .. .. 7<
#eferences .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 99
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0. INTRODUCTION.
Authority is used to exercise to power conferred on a person by
higher personality. It commands and receiver.s appropriate obedience, a
traffic officer may be smaller in stature, but as long as he wears his control
traffic, on his own, he has no might or physical strength to command
vehicles to move or stop.
/e relies absolutely on the power of the government. /e acts in the
authority the government has vested in the agency that he wor!s for and no
motorist dare disobey him.
In li!e manner every believer has been empowered by God and in
exercising this power, /e relies on divine authority to reign and rule on
earth, the authority is needs to enjoy the blessings which God declared
upon man when he created him Gen. 0@26 says, AAnd God blessed them
and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth,
and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the
fowl of the air and over every living thing that moved upon the earth.B
There exists the enemy whose activities are to steal, !ill and destroy
the blessings of God in the life of man /e $the enemy% wants to rob the
child of God of his benefits the power given o a child of God is the authority
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in his hands to stop the enemy in all his attac!s. The power to stand
against satanic attac!s and rule over adverse situations of life has been
vested in every child of God. /e uses this power to possess authority.
Jesus said, A(ehold I give you power to tread on serpents and
scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any
means hurt youB $-u!e 01@0<%. ?hat you need to exercise this power is
authority you are presently facing challenges, and will face even more as
times goes on, these challenges will threaten your existence, you need to
posses authority to withstand the demonic powers that are behind these
challenges and emerge victorious over themC you need authority to survive
odd times and strange ordeals of life.
"y earnest prayer is that God will ease our eyes of understanding to
open, give us the ,eal, the boldness, the faith to live by the word, possess
authority that will help us to fulfill our purpose in life, Amen.
1.1 POWER AUTHORITY AND DOMINION
"any times, the word power and authority are used synonymously.
To a large extend, they are different in their meaning. ?orse still they are
confused with another word dominion.
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?e shall be examine the meaning of these words in a little detail and
conclude that without power authority is not derived and without authority
no one exercises dominion. It will be clear that translators of the 8ew
Testament inter changeably used power as authority and vice verse in
some scriptures.
1. POWER
&ower is the ability to do something in the context of our discussion,
only God has power, /e is the ultimate power. /e is the one that has the
absolute ability to do all things. /e is the almighty. *avid said, AGod has
spo!en once and twice have I heard thisC that power belongeth unto GodB,
$&salm :2@00%. All power derives from him. /e rules by his power $&salm
::@5%. +ven the civil government of the world derives their power from God,
that is why all men, especially children of God are enjoined to submit to
them, for there is no power, but of GodC powers that are ordained of God
$#oman 07@0%.
The constitution of any country serves as the supreme law from
which every operative of the government derives its power. This shown that
even the constitution indirectly derives its power from God.
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2. AUTHORITY
Authority, on the other hand is derived, conferred, or delegated
power. A person that is less superior to the one who has the power
exercise it. In fact authority is exercised on behalf of the person who has
power and has given it. As we noted above, God has the ultimate power,
every other person that possess authority has derived power from him.
"oses went before &haraoh and did many miracles, /e did not
possess the power for the feast in himself. God vested him with it, he was
only wal!ing in authority. /e was doing all he did on behalf of the owner of
the power. /e was an agent and God was the principal as lawyers say.
The Jews wondered at the miracles that Jesus did and as!ed A(y
what authority does these things and who gave thee authority $"athew
20@27%. I believe thus these things and who gave thee this power Jesus, as
a man was only using the power that he derived from his father.
. DOMINION
*ominion is authority to rule or be in control. 8ote the progression,
power is given, it is authority in the hands of the receiver who uses it to rule
in dominion. The exercise is dominion or rule over or control the traffic of all
road users by virtue of the power conferred on the traffic regulating agency
by the constitution of the country.
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It is therefore, obvious that without authority, dominion cannot be
exercised.
1.2. POSSESSING AUTHORITY
As it was pointed out, God is the only source of power every other
person on earth and in heaven derives power from him. It is authority to
them and by this, they rule in dominion over situation and forces that are
opposed to his order in their lives. This is processing authority failure to
possess authority, is a major reason for failure in the affairs of life.
?hatever you do not dominate will definitely dominate you, there is no
vacuum in life, life is in a flux of conflicting forces.
*oes the child of God have authority over forces that are opposed to
his well being on earth, the answer is AyesB we !now this from God.s orders
to man when he was created. God.s order who and it still is.
A/ave *ominionB $Genesis 0@26% God !new that there would be an
operation to this order that /e gave to man. Though the first couple was yet
to experiences any opposition, they had been eDuipped with the seed of
victory over all forms of opposition that would come. ?e shall discuss the
authority of the believer and its sources.
The only power that is against the order of God in man.s life is the
devil.s. /e $the devil% attac! man.s life directly through his organi,ed
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lieutenants, he also attac!s man indirectly through the worldly system
which turns man against God, and automatically into his $the devil.s%
enslavement, he also uses the wea!ness of man.s flesh to ma!e him $man%
succumb to his tric!s and viles, this is the way he steal, !ills and destroys
everything good in man as if he $man% does not have authority. =et the
scripture teaches that as the devil and his demons where at the mercy of
Jesus when he was on earth, so are they to every child of God that !nows
the authority that he has been vested with. ?ere the devil and his demons
at the mercy of Jesus4 The answer is a loud AyesB. /e !new that power
was conferred on him. /e used it as his authority to have dominion.
)ur aim is to assure the believer that he really has authority over all
the machinations of the enemy of his soul.
The believer is you, you are not at the enemy.s mercy, you can and
should stand up to his opposition in your life and put him where he belongs.
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CHAPTER TWO
2.0 DOES THE DEVIL HAVE POWER!
In our harles apps boo!s, he stated that people of the world have
not yet seen the authority given them through Jesus hrist, neither have
they accepted the authority that is rightfully theirs because of being born on
earth.
"an as created in God.s li!eness to have fellowship with deity. /e
was the crown of all nations. /e possessed abilities beyond our
comprehension, yet he failed because he bro!e God.s word, when Adam
bowed his !nee to satan, he lost his spiritual authority.
I am almost sure that you have never doubted that the devil has
power before now. *oes the devil have power4 Just li!e I did, until I started
to mediate on this chapter, you have always believed without Duestioning
that devil is very powerful. It appears that even some hristians, a good
number of us, fear the devil more than ever.
The tempo of prayers increases immediately the &astor raises a
prayer point against the onslaught of the devil, whether it is real or
imagined. ?e don.t ta!e time to study the nature and personality of the
devil. *on.t misunderstand meC I !now that the devil does a lot of things
against God and man!ind. Anywhere God.s wor! is, the devil is actively
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against it. The greatest wor! of God is man. Therefore the devil.s activities
are most pronouncements in the life of man and what he $man% does. This
is most clearly seen in his ability to successfully confuse +ve about God.s
purpose in their lives and their existence in the Garden of +den.
There are many mysteries that are waiting to unfold to us in heaven.
?hy God permits the devil to inflicts so much suffering on his children and
waste innocent lives is one of them.
2.1 THE DEVIL SHOW OF POWER
The devil does not have an iota of respect, even for God, he sees
himself as a rival god and will want to receive worship from men. /e
appeared in the conference that God was having with his Angels obviously
uninvited.
The discussion between him and God led to the trail of Job. =ou
!now how much job lost to this trail. /e lost everything including his very
health in Job 2@5 we read Aso went 'atan forth from the presence of the
-ord and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his
crownB. /e was able to persuade ;ing *avid to ta!e a census of the nation
of Israel, against God.s instruction and against the wise counsel of his
servant. 0 hro. 20E0 says Aand 'atan stood up against Israel and
provo!ed *avid to number IsraelB. =es it was the nation of Israel that he
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stood against because God, who would not condone disobedience in man,
punished the nation of Israel with a plague that !illed many thousands of
them for this misdemeanor $Fnacceptable%. ?hy could satan successfully
tempt *avid to do what led to the death of so many thousands of men that
were made by God4 ?as it because *avid did not use his authority, or
didn.t thin! or !now that he had authority4
'atan met Jesus, the son of God to tempt /im in the wilderness. /e
aimed at derailing God.s plan for the salvation of man!ind by as!ing /im to
jump down from a height in order to demonstrate that /e was the son of
God. (ut for the -ord.s constancy of purpose and use of authority, he
would have had his way. The -ord used /is authority to put him in his place
$"athew 9@0E00%. At a time 'atan desired to have Apostle &eter to Asift you
as wheatB. =ou must have experienced the devil.s sifting at a time. It is a
very difficult thing, /ad Jesus not prayed for &eter, the purpose of the devil
would have prevailed over that of God $-u!e 22@70E70%. /e $'atan%
succeed in his ploy to ta!e former Apostle Judas Iscariot to hell. -u!e 22@7E
9 says, AThen entered 'atan into Judas surnamed Iscariot being one of the
number of the twelve. And he went his way and communed with the chief
priest and captained, how he might betray him unto themB.
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2.. DOESN"T HE #DEVIL$ HAVE POWER!
?ith all these feats would you say that the devil has no power4 If he
has no power, what has he been using4 If he has power, from where did
he get4 In an earlier chapter, we have established that God is the ultimate
power sources. All power is derived from him and it is used as authority by
others in order to have dominion. *id God give -ucifer, as he was !nown
before his fall from grace to become satan, power to do evil4
2.%. DEVIL HAS NO POWER TO DO EVIL
>irst, we shall prove that he does not have power to do evil, /e is not
a parallel godG /e could not originated his own power $&salm :2@00% say
AGod hath spo!en once, twice have I heard that power belongeth unto
GodB. As we have established power in exercised in the hand of the
receiver as authority. If he doesn.t have power by himself what is the
source of the authority is using4 ?e must understand that angels are
messengers of God. They serve /im in different capacities. They ta!e
orders from him. &salm, 017@21 says A(less the lord ye his angles that
excel in strength, that do his commandment hear!ening unto the voice of
his wordB. They have great strength which is not theirs, but given to them
by their creators, the strength is for carrying out their responsibilities. They
do his commandmentsC they are bound to obey what he says. They do not
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have any power to do what he does not instruct. Therefore seeing that the
activities of the devil are against the will of God, /e $God% could not have
given him such power. ?hy would God give him power to oppress his
children at all4 /e was of the same status as the ArchEAngel Gabriel who
heads angels that carry good messages to man!ind. Gabriel brought
answer to *aniel.s prayer for the people of Israel $see *an <@20%. /e
brought the good news of the yetHtoHborn John the (aptist and Jesus
hrist $-u!e 0@0<,71E70%. The ArchE Angel "ichael heads Angels that fight
wars on behalf of God for man!ind. /e came to help Gabriel the angel that
was bringing a message about Awhat shall befall the people in the latter,
daysB to *aniel, when the latter was ambushed by satanic rulers that were
called the &rince of &ersia and the prince of Gracie $*an 01@07,02%.
Also the ArchEangel "ichael headed the warning Angels that dislodge
satan and his cohort from heaven $see #evelation 02@5%. -ucifer also as an
arch angel was charged with the business of /eading the angels that
praised and worshipped God and for properly leading other singing angels.
In the scriptures that teach the fall of -ucifer, there is nothing to show that
he had power that was different from that which was for singing. /e was
only wise and beautiful. +,e!iel 26@02 says Athou sealeth up the sum full of
wisdom and perfect in beautiful was the anointed cherub that coverethB.
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/e was not anointed for other assignment than to do his service of leading
other angels in praise and worship to God $see verse 09%. ?e also !now
that the greatest pipe organ ever, was made into him the day he was
created. 'ince he was the leader, he was the most eDuipped.
/is wisdom and beauty must have given an inflated image of himself,
/e then pushed against God. Angel could be independent in their thin!ing.
/e said in his heart. AI will ascend into /eaven, I will exalt my throne above
the stars of God, I will sit upon the mount of he congratulation in the sides
of the north, I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be li!e the
most /ighB $Isa. 09@07% ?hen used in the negative sense wisdom and
beauty can win accompliances into crime. (ible scholars agree that the
former Arch angel -ucifer lured a third of the total angels in heaven into his
revolt. #ev. 02@9 says AAnd his tail draws the third part of the stars of
heaven and did cast them to the earthB.
Absalom, the beautiful son of !ing *avid, used his beauty and
wisdom to discredit his father. /e embraced and shoo! hands with the
Israelites and !issed them as they came to justice, until persuaded them to
support him to dethrone !ing *avid. 2 'am. 03@: say, AAnd on this manner
did Absalom to all Israel that came to the ;ing for judgment so Absalom
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stole the hearts of the men of IsraelB. Absalom succeeded in his bid. I
believe he learned this from satan.
2.5. THE IRREVERSIBLE CHANGE
God cast out -ucifer from heaven into the earth. /e became satan,
oppressor, the devil, chief doer of evils. /is acompliances were also cast
out with him, they became demons, evil spirits. They could not do good
anymore but evil continuously. /is beauty and wisdom became cunning,
subtlety, viles, devise, tric!s, which all mean deception. These are now his
stoc! in trade, not power. /e depends on people falling for all these tric!s
and subtlety to get them into trouble. This he does by tempting man!ind.
"an.s inadeDuate !nowledge of him and the pleasure of flesh are his
greatest tools. ?hen a man falls for his tric!s, he $the man% has offended
God. /e has committed a sin which attract punishment from the just God.
Thus, satan relies on the disobedience of man to bring man into judgment
with God. /e does not have any power to force a man to sin if the man
does not cooperate with him.
God has said to him AI will destroy theeB $+,e!iel 26@0:% and he did.
-ucifer which means son of the morning became satan. The adversary or
oppose. /is former beauty and wisdom, having been corrupted now lure
people away from God. ?hat a destructionG
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2.&. IF HE HAS POWER
?e are not faced with the thought that the devil did not have any
power to do evil of his own and had not received it from the creator, yet his
activities are !nown and recogni,ed even by the -ord Jesus hrist. ?hat
power or authority does he operates if he has any.
2.' IS ANYONE ASKING THE DEVIL THE SOURCE OF HIS
AUTHORITY
As the -ord Jesus was wal!ing in authority over all the wor!s of the
devil, healing people that were sic!, raising the dead, giving sight to the
blind, raising the lame to wal! and casting out demons from their victims.
The Jews were astonished. They as!ed him the source of his authority. A(y
what authority doest thou these things4 And who gave thee this authority4
$"ath. 20@27%. If the Jews as!ed Jesus the source of his authority, why is
no one as!ing the devil the source of his4 Is it because we believe that the
authority of Jesus has its source in God, that we believe in him if we !now
the true source of the devils authority apart from the fact that it is not from
God, we would be more emboldened to tal! the spiritual warfare to his
gates. #emember that God promised Abraham that his seed shall possess
the gates of his enemies $see Gen 22@05%. ?e are the seed of Abraham.
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Gal 7@ 2< says AAny if ye be hrist then are ye Abraham.s seed and heirs
according to the promiseB.
2.(. THE DEVIL STOLE THE AUTHORITY OF MAN
?e are gradually closing in on the devil. ?e are discovering that the
big belly he has made himself could actually be punctured and deflated.
>riend, you shall noon be exercising your authority over him and his illegal
authority, if authority is illegal it is no authority.
God made man and gave authority and dominion over all that he had
made. God said Alet us ma!e man in our image, after our li!eness and let
them have dominionB $Gen 0@0:%. *avid the psalmist, by Gods inspiration
said, AThou madest him to have dominion over the wor!s of they hands,
thou hast put all things under his feetB $&salm 6@:%. This authority however
excludes angels man is a little lower than angels $&salm 6@3%. The
exclusion doesn.t include 'atan and his demons because they are fallen
angels. The devil has always been a thief as far bac! human history dates.
After being thrown out of heaven, he was at the Garden of +den. /e had
lost all the angelic glory. In the Garden of +den he deceived +ve, by telling
her that the fruit of the tree was good for food. That is the lust of the flesh, it
was pleasant for the eyes that the lust of the eyes. It was to be desired to
ma!e one wise, that the pride of life. +ve bought into the devils tric!s and
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pronto, she too! the fruit of the tree and ate it. &oor Adam, he so much
loved the wife that he did not Duestion her sudden decline from following
God.s instruction that they both heard and !now. 0 Timothy 2@09. AAdam
was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in transgression, he
willingly disobeyed GodB. The deed was done.
+verything, the first man received from God he surrendered to the
devil including his authority. That is how the devil stole the authority that
God gave to man. /ear what he told Jesus during his temptations, AAll this
power will I give thee, and the glory of them, for that is delivered unto me
and to whomsoever I will give itB $-u!e 9@:%. Jesus !new that what the devil
said is true, he did not refute it. The devil therefore had legal authority to
rule over the world. Adam, the former god of this world willingly
surrendered his authority to him.
In summary, the devil satan in all his doings is using a perverted
authority. God initially gave him power for praise and worship, but his
rebellion perverted it. "usic is a veritable tool by which the devil lures the
youth into destruction nowadays. 'ome goes for the relish of beauty
pageants. (ut praise God, we have the last Adam Jesus hrist the son of
God who had defeated him in his tric!ery and wrested the stolen authority
xxiii
out of his hand and has handed it over to those who believe in him, $see 0
orinthian 03@93% /A--+-FJA/)))
xxiv
CHAPTER THREE
.0. JESUS HAS AUTHORITY
?hen Jesus the son of God came to the world /e stripped himself of
all the power of divinity so that he could totally identify with man!ind as a
man. The miracles that he did were done in his capacity as the son of God,
but as a man who was empowered by God. /is father. /e possesses
authority and used it in order to rule over the devil, the chief opposition to
God.s rule.
Jesus was born as a baby, he was in his foster father.s carpentry
wor!shop until it was time for him to start his ministry. /e could not do any
miracle until he was empowered by God. Thus, at his baptism in water by
John the (aptist, /e was coming out of the water AAnd lo the heavens were
opened unto him and he saw the spirit of God descending li!e a dove and
lighting upon himB $"atthew 7@0:%.
There and then he received the power from God to do all /e did. 8ow
you can understand what the apostle &eter said in Acts 01@76 A/ow God
anointed Jesus of 8a,areth with the /oly Ghost and with power@ who went
about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God
was with himB. Jesus was anointed or empowered by God. God was ever
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with him as he went about using this power as /is authority, over all things
that were contrary to God.s order. ?herever the power of God is being
manifested, it is God that is at wor!, and not the person, who is just a tool
that is being used to do the wor!. Jesus, in manifesting the power of God
conferred on him was performing in authority.
.1. THE JEWS DIDN"T KNOW THE SOURCE
?hen the Jews didn.t !now the source of Jesus. authority they !ept
as!ing him Awho art thouB /e explained to them that both his words and
actions were all what he got from his father. They were not really his. /e
said, AI have many things to say and judge of you, but he that sent me is
true, and I spea! to the world those things which I have heard of him. ?hen
ye have lifted up the son of man then shall ye !now that I am he and that I
do nothing of myself, but as my father hath taught me, I spea! these thingsB
$John 6@ 2:, 26%. God was in Jesus to do all the spea!ing and the wor!ing.
Jesus was spea!ing and doing the things and the enemy seemed not to
exist.
.2. JESUS AUTHORITY OVER SPIRIT OF DEATH
Jesus also exercised his authority over death. /is friend -a,arus
became sic! and died. The -ord deliberately got to his house four days late
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after he had been dead and buried. /is body was at an advanced state of
decomposition. ?hen Jesus told his relations to open the grave, one of
-a,arus sisters, "artha, warned that the body was already stin!ing@ A-ord
by this time he stin!eth for he had been dead four daysB $John 6@7<%.
The -ord however assured her that with her faith in God authority
could be exercised over the personality that man!ind fear most, the spirit of
death. Jesus had said, A>or as the >ather raiseth up the dead and
Duic!eneth them, even so the son Duic!eneth whom he will as the >ather
hath life in himself, so hath he given to the son to have life in himselfB $John
3@2C2:%. /is >ather gave him power over death, /e could, therefore recall
the spirit of any dead person from the world of the dead to rejoin the body
no matter the space of time between when death too! place and when he
saw the dead.
Jesus only needed to wal! in authority to exercise dominion over the
spirit of death. /e called out the spirit of -a,arus. John 00@97 'ays A/e
cried with a loud voice -a,arus come forthB. The dead man regained
physical consciousness, the decomposition disappeared. "aybe had all
parts of his body replaced with spare parts from God.s store or new ones
were made. The burial clothes on him were still intact. Those joyful
relations had to free him from them. 'omeone has said that if Jesus had
xxvii
not mentioned the name of -a,arus, many other dead persons would have
risen from the dead as well. I believed this because /e has authority over
the spirit that is holding the captive in the world of the dead.
?e have it on record that Jesus also raised a twelve year old
daughter of Jaisus from the dead. /er father had come to reDuest that
Jesus would come to heal her when she was critically sic!. The -ord was
delayed on the way to their house by another need for healing the girl died.
A message came from the house, to dissuade the sad father from bringing
Jesus to the house, since according to them, all hope was lost. (ut hope is
never lost by those who !now, the resurrection and the life. Jesus told the
man to ignore the discouraging message and only believe. /e said A>ear
not believe only and she shall be made wholeB $-u!e 6@31%. To Jesus, the
girl was sleeping and would be wo!en up. To the consternation of the
parents of the dead girl, she arose as Jesus hold her hand and said A"aid
AriseB. /er spirit came bac! into her body.
Also a widow in 8ain was going to bury the corpse of her only child
when Jesus met the funeral procession. Jesus comforted the weeping
widow, touched the cas!et and said Ayoung man, I say unto thee arise, and
he that was dead sat up and began to spea! $-u!e 5@09E03%. It seems to
prove that God is always timing miracles to show how much a man who
xxviii
has faith in him can do@ the one who wal! in authority is from above and
A/e cometh from above is above allB $John 7@70%. ?hether the person has
been dead for days and buried li!e -a,arus or that she has just died li!e
Jairus. daughter or he is about being buried the authority of Jesus over the
spirit of death remains most potent.
.. HIS AUTHORITY SUSPENDS PHYSICAL LAWS
Jesus authority is not only in the spiritual realm alone. The raising up
of the dead also demonstrates his authority over physical laws. The laws of
nature.
?hen physical body dies, it must be decomposed. /ow can a
decomposing body become living and fresh all over. "any physical laws
must have been suspended. The authority that Jesus carries suspends
them because it supersedes them.
This is what happens when a miracle of healing occurs naturally if a
disease is not treated properly, it progresses and may claim the life of the
sufferer. If spiritual authority is exercised and the disease ceases the
authority must be stronger than the law of progression that wor!s the
disease. /ow does a withered hand or leg become normal. In the healing
of the woman with an issue of blood, Jesus felt a spiritual motion in his
xxix
body. /e said, A'omeone hath touched me@ for perceive that virtue $power%
is gone out of me $-u!e 6@9:%. The virtue went on to stop the physically
uncontrollable flow. It overpowered what could have !illed the woman
untimely.
.%. HIS AUTHORITY OVER ELEMENTS OF NATURE
Jesus wal!ed in authority over the elements of nature. /e was in a
boat with his disciples when a great storm of wind came raging. This could
have capsi,ed the boat but when he was wo!en out of sleep by the
frightened disciples. A/e rose and rebu!e the wind and said Aunto the sea
peace be still and the wind ceased and these was a great calmB $"ar!
9@7<%. =ou can not rebu!e a person that is above you. 8either can you
order circumstance that are beyond you. The element of nature li!e winds
and storms and dangerous movement of the sea have physical laws
governing them. Jesus exercise his authority over such physical laws and
the element obeyed him. This was a great marvel to his disciples, they
exclaimed, A?hat manner of man is this that even the wind obey himB
$"athew 6@25%.
=ou don.t have to have any !nowledge of physics to !now that you
will thin! if you step unto a river. (ut Jesus wal! on the sea to rescue his
xxx
disciples from an imminent danger. )ne of them, &eter, was so surprised
and enthused that he reDuested that Jesus should ma!e him wal! on the
sea as well. At Jesus word of authority the sea was once more made solid
for &eter to wal! on A/e wal!ed on the water to go to JesusB $"att. 09@2<%.
Those who wal! on authority don.t depend on their own ability but the
ability of the one who had delegated power to them.
-ater Jesus said something that is very remar!ed about authority in
the hands of those who would believe in him. /e said, Averily, verily I say
unto you, /e that believeth on me, the wor!s that I do shall he do also@ and
greater wor!s than these shall he do. (ecause I go unto my >atherB $John
09@02%. /ow would believers in him do what he did, and more than /e did,
without using the resources available to him. This is why it is vital for every
believer in Jesus to understand that he or she has power that Jesus gave
him or her and to wal! in it. Are you confused to read that Jesus gave
power to believers in him4 ?hy isn.t it called authority4 The power of God
became authority in the life of Jesus but it is power when he gave it to
believers so that it might be authority in their hands.
?hen it was time for Jesus to go to heaven. /is disciples watched
him move upwards into the s!y until he went out of their sight. This is
xxxi
historical. Acts 0@< says AAnd when he had spo!en these things while they
beheld, he was ta!en up and a cloud received him out their sightB. /e
actually moved up against the law of gravity.
=ou will remember that God too! +noc! to heaven without dying $see
Genesis 3@29%. Also +lijah went to heaven by chariot and horses of fire
transport. +lisha, his successor saw it and cried Amy father, the chariot of
Israel and /orsemen thereof and /e saw him no moreB $2 ;ings 2@02%.
+lisha witnessed what the disciples of Jesus experienced as their master
was ta!en to heaven.
.5. OTHER MEN POSSESS AUTHORITY
There is a world between obeying instructions and acting by the
power you are vested with. God instructs his servants to do some acts
which must happen. /owever, servants of God too act in accordance with
the power. /e has conferred on them when they do so, they are wal!ing in
authority.
?hen God sent "oses to the hildren of Israel and &haraoh, /e
instructed him to perform three acts that would prove that God has sent
him. /e was to throw down his shepherd staff when he pic!ed it up. Again
he would put his hand in his armpit it would be leprous on withdrawing it
xxxii
and become normal as he put it there ones more. /e would also pour the
water on the 8ile on dry ground and it would become blood $'ee +xodus
9@7E<%. God assured him that one or a combination of these acts would his
commission to the Israelites.
.&. MOSES POSSESSED AUTHORITY
"oses exercised his authority as a servant of God as the recessions
reDuired. )ne such occasions was when some men, numbering about two
hundred and fifty under the leadership of ;orch, *athan and Abiram
challenged his authority. They gathered themselves together against
"oses and Aaron and said unto them, Aye ta!e too much upon you, seeing
all congregation is /oly everyone of them and the -ord is among them@
wherefore then, lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the -ord
and when "oses heard it, he fell upon his face $'ee 8umbers 0:@7E9%. The
mee!est man on earth was angry. Fsing his authority, /e decreased that
these men would be punished with an uncommon mode of death $see
8umbers 0:@26E71%. As soon as he stopped tal!ing, the ground under them
opened and swallowed them alive with everyone and everything that
belonged to them. "oses authority was A/ereby ye shall !now that the -ord
has sent me.B In other words, the proof of this commission was the
fulfillment of whatever he said. Those who are sent are empowered.
xxxiii
.'. JOSHUA POSSESSED AUTHORITY
Joshua too! the mantle of leadership from "oses, a tie came when
he had to confront five !ings of the Amorites who had come to fight Gibeon,
a new colony of Israel God fought on Israel.s side but it was getting star!
and the battle still on. Joshua, in exercise of his authority made an unusual
reDuires to God.
/e said in the sight of Israel, A'un, stand still upon Gibeon and thou
"oon in the valley of AjalonB, the sun and the moon stood in their courses
for about a whole day $'ee Joshua 01@02E09%. The scripture records that no
other man had received an answer to prayer from God li!e this. I believe
that this comment may no more be applicable as greater wor!s than the
-ord Jesus did are being done, in ore days according to this word since he
left. "en and women of God are using their authority to rule over
circumstances, the devil and his demons.
.(. DAVID POSSESSED AUTHORITY
*avid was a man who understood such authority. /e used it
freDuently. In his travails when ;ing 'aul hunted his life, he spared the
latter.s saying that he would not stretch his hands against the -ord.s
anointed but he used his authority to curse 'aul.
xxxiv
*avid said furthermore as the -ord liveth, the -ord shall smite him or
his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and perish $I
'amuel 2:@01%. 'aul and his sons descended into battle and perished as
*avid said.
.*. ELIJAH POSSESSED AUTHORITY
The prophet +lijah used his authority too, when he saw the spate of
ungodliness in Israel. /e loc!ed the heavens over the land for three and
half years and !ept the !eys in his poc!et. 0 ;ings 05@0 says Aand +lijah
said unto Ahab as the -ord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand there
shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my wordB. /e later
brought rain to the land by his prayer. God did according to his prophet.s
word. +lijah exercised authority over the elements of nature $I ;ings 06@90E
93%.
(rethren, our -ord Jesus hrist possessed authority. The prophets
and the apostles wal!ed in authority, if we live in the word of God. Abide by
the word, with total commitments bac!ed by faith, we shall possess that
authority.
xxxv
CHAPTER FOUR
%.0. THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVER
The lord Jesus gave an account of his stewardship to his father. This
is recorded in the seventh chapter of the boo! of john. /e said he had
given the words that his father gave him to his disciples. $'ee John 05@6E
09%. Then he said that he had also given them the glory that his father gave
him Aand the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them that they
maybe on, ever as we are oneB $John 05@21%.
The glory that ma!es the father and the son one should be in the
ability to dominate every force that is opposed to God.
%.1. MAN"S DOMINION AT CREATION
At creation, god gave man dominion over all he created he even had
this in mind before aerating man. /e created man after, he decided t give
him dominion. Genesis 0@2:E26 says Aand God said, let us ma!e man in our
image after our li!eness and let them have dominionB. 'o God created man
in his own image, in the image of God created him, male and female
created them and God bless them, and God said unto them, A(e fruitful and
multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominionB.
xxxvi
As a result of the fall in +den, man lost the dominion Jesus came to
restore it at alvary. All things without any exception are subjected to
Jesus. /e brings the captain of their salvation, became totally identified
with the redeemed man. /ebrew 2@00 says Aboth he that sanctified and
they who are sanctified are all one for which cause he is not ashamed to
call them brethrenB. As he became totally identified with man for his
redemption, the redeemed man also became totally identified with his
victory over the devil and all his demons. /e is now seated together with
Jesus in the heavenly places for above principalities and powers and
dominions $+phesians 0@0<H22, 2@9E5%.
%.2. JESUS GAVE POWER TO THE BELIEVER
As we have said earlier, the father gave the son power which formed
/is $'on.s% authority on earth. In "athew 26@06 we read Aand Jesus came
and spo!e unto them saying all power is given me in heaven and in earthB.
The only reason a believer needs authority is to be in control over
what is not God in his $believer.s% life and to his behalf. This I believe is
what is contained in part in the Glory that the -ord Jesus handed over to
his disciples. ?hat he handed over to his first set of disciples is what /e
also handed over to us since we are to !eep the forces of dar!ness at bay
xxxvii
as we occupy the sphere of authority till /e comes. ?e don.t have less
authority than /e had to dominate the forces of dar!ness. In fact, he said
Averily, verily I say unto you he that believeth in me the wor!s that I do shall
he also do and greater wor!s than these shall he do, because I go unto my
fatherB $John 09@02%. /ow would we do greater wor!s than /is with less
authority than /is4 That is not realistic, the demons in the end E time
appear to be more wic!ed than before. God is ever releasing greater power
upon his children to !eep the devil in chec!.
?e have authority over all power of the devil demons are evil spirits,
'atan is their /ead this means this means that 'atan is an evil spirit too.
/e is the /ead of the realm of wic!edness. These forces are those we
wrestle with $see +phesians :@02%. (ut Jesus is the head of all principalities
and power $see ol. 2@01%, so are we too. /e rules over them and has
subjected them to us.
?e coEruler with him. ?hen the lord ordained his apostles he gave
them power to cast out all evil spirits from the life of anyone they
tormented. "athew 01@0 says AAnd when he had called unto him his twelve
disciples, he gave them power against unclear spirits, to cast them out and
to heal all manner of sic!ness and all manner of diseaseB.
xxxviii
?hy didn.t he send them out to preach alone and leave them
helpless about the unclear spirit4 The unclear spirits cause the sic!ness
and disease as well as the unbelief in men. &eter said A/ow God anointed
Jesus of 8a,areth with /oly Ghost and with power who went about doing
good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil because God was
with himB $Act 01@76%.
?ithout exercising authority over this unclear spirit the root of their
oppression will be firm in the victim.s lives and bodies. 'pecifically the lord
charged the apostle. And as ye go , preach, saying the !ingdom of heaven
is at hand, heal the sic!, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils,
freely ye have received, freely giveB $"athew 01@5E6%.
The power that the -ord gave to the apostles had not been
withdrawn, more so when believers in every century have to confront the
devils and his cohorts. As the word of the lord was passed to us through
these apostles, so was the power over forces of dar!ness because we
have believed the lord through their words $John 05@21%.
?e also inherited the power that enables them to hold the fort for
him. It is authority in our hand to exercise dominion over evil forces. The
apostles went out preaching and profitably using their authority. The -ord
xxxix
sent out another set of seventy disciples with the same authority, they
came bac! with this testimony A-ord even the devils are subject to us
through thy nameB $-u!e 01@05%. After this testimony came or more specific
statement of transfer of power form the lord to his early disciples and by
implication to you and me. Jesus said A(ehold I give unto you power to
thread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and
nothing shall by any means hurt youB $-u!e 01@0<%. The authority of the
believer is over all the power of the enemy without any exception.
%.. THE AUTHORITY IS IN HIS NAME
The testimony of the seventy disciples was Athe devils subject t o us
through thy nameB $-u!e 01@05%. This was before the lord started to teach
specifically that the disciples could pray to the father in /is $Jesus name%
name. also the apostle john saw a man that was not in their fold casting
out devils in the name of Jesus, he promptly reported this to the lord. -u!e
<@9< say Aand john answered and said, master we saw one casting out
devils in thy name and we forbade him, because he followeth not with usB.
These two instances show that the lord must have taught his
disciples that the power he gave them was in his name. After /is
resurrection, he declared that some signs would authenticate the believed
xl
faith as they proclaim the Gospel. These signs shall be commanded in my
name. +very believer has the authority in the name of Jesus to case our
devils. The authority is in /is name.
The authority to bind and loose powers belongs to God only $&salm
:2@00% he gave it to the son $"att. 26@06%, the son gave it to those who
believe in him $-u!e 01@0<%. The believer will be exercising it by binding the
unclear spirits that desecrate their lives and those of their loved ones and
loose the grace and goodness of God upon themselves and others as well.
This is the use of our authority as God.s stewards much of heavenly
bounty, we would enjoy on earth depends on our understanding and
practical application of the principle of binding and loosing which Jesus
spelt out in "att. 06@06, Averily I say unto you, whosesoever ye shall bind
on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto, that if two of you shall agree on
earth as touching anything that they shall as!, it shall be done for them of
my father which is in heaven. >or where two or three are gathered in my
name there am in their midstB. An individual believer can bind whatever on
earth and loose whatever in heaven.
xli
The -ord extended the same authority to all believes and the prayer
of binding and loosing becomes more Duic!ly effective and believes join
their faith together to bind the common enemy and loose the common
blessings. >or this purpose the -ord said that he would manifest /is
presence where believers gather together in /is name Afor where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of themB
$"att 06@21%.
God, spea!ing through the prophet Isaiah said Ano weapon that is
formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against
thee in Judgment thou shall condemn, this heritage of the servants of the
-ord and their righteousness is of meB $Isaiah 39@05%.
=ou have the authority to neutrali,e spiritual forces that come
against. =ou in any form, you have the authority to cancel whatever satanic
pronouncement has been made against you. Then authority is your
heritage, a dictionary defines heritage as the history, traditions and Dualities
that a country or society has had for many years and that are considered
an important part of its character.
It is the history, tradition, Duality and character of saints of God to
Duench all darts from the !ingdom of dar!ness and !eep evil tongues Duiet.
xlii
The scriptures above tell us that the source of this heritage is God, Atheir
righteousness is of meB. This means God puts his saints in the position to
do this. ?hy won.t you start to exercise your God given authority, today
and now4
xliii
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0. RELEASE YOUR FAITH
>aith plays a vital role in the exercise of authority. God can do all
things by prayer and faith brings /is hand down to them. It is written is not
an empty phrase because of the personality behind it, about /is word, God
said for Aas the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven and returneth
not tither but watereth the earth and ma!eth it bring forth and bud, that it
may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater so shall my word be that
goeth out of my mouth, it shall not return unto me void but it shall
accomplish that which I please and it shall prospect in the thing whereto I
sent itB $Isaiah 33@01E00%. Again /e said for I will hasten my word to
perform it $Jeremiah 0@02%.
That is why you most meditate on the scripture for the /oly 'pirit to
give you a rhema, the revelation or current application of it. Though *avid
did not say Ait is writtenB, he had experienced God in his victories over the
lion and the bear both of which he !illed with his bare hands.
/e conseDuently asserted to 'aul that, Athy servant slew both the lion
and the bear, and this uncircumcised philistine shall be as one of them,
seeing he had defied the armies of the living GodB $I 'am 05@7:%. /e, thus
xliv
acted in faith when he ran to ta!e on the giant on the later drew near him.
/e was totally persuaded that the battle was the -ord.s and he would
surely defeat Goliath for him as /e $the -ord% defeated the lion and the
bear.
8ow this is the way you should wield your authority absolutely
believing that the forces of dar!ness will submit themselves to you. It is
written that, A'trangers shall submit themselves unto me as soon as they
hear, they shall be obedient unto me, strangers shall fade away and shall
be afraid out of their closed placesB $2 'amuel 22@93E9:%. The word is the
-ord.s and not yours. It most be repeated by all that are concerned
because it shall not return unto /im void, but it shall accomplish his
pleasure and proper in the things to which he sent it $see Isaiah 33@00%.
The -ord Jesus demonstrated his faith lesson when he cursed a fig
tree in the presence of his disciples were surprised to see the tree had
dried up from the root the next morning. The lesson is A/ave faith in God,
for verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, (e
thou removed and be cast unto the sea and shall not doubt in his heart ,
but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he
shall have whatsoever he saith, therefore, I say unto you, what things so
ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, shall have
xlv
themB $"ar! 00@22E29%. If you will boldly declare what has been written
about you by your authority that is rooted in your faith, you will see your
answer carried out.
5.2. CONFESS WHAT YOU BELIEVE
It was not at the instant that Jesus cursed the tree that the disciples
saw it dry up. The word nevertheless too! effect immediately it was out of
the masters lips. The -ord absolutely !new it was done, but such absolute
confidence may be lac!ing in you. 8evertheless your word is ta!ing effect
the time it is spo!en in faith. Jesus could not doubt but you canG James said
that, Aa man who doubts is li!e a wave of the sea that is driven about by the
wind and tossed up and down. /e cannot receive anything from the lordB
$James 0@:E5%. onfession sustains your faith till what you decree
manifests in the physical. =ou confess the word to sustain your faith so as
not to lose your victory. onfession is saying that what God says shall
unfailingly be. It.s consenting with God. It destroys doubt and ma!es God
bigger than what.s not /im. I can.t explain how Abraham !new that he and
Isaac would comebac! from the mountain where the latter was to be
sacrificed. 8either can I explain how Abraham !new God would provide a
lamb for himself as he told Isaac. I only !now that God repeatedly told him
that he would give him a seed through whom he establish /is covenant
xlvi
and bless and the whole world. /e !new that God could not double tal!. /e
must have reasoned, A/ow would Isaac be sacrificed to God and still be a
blessing to the whole world4 Isaac will be alive anyhowB.
The writer of /ebrews commented on this hi /eb. 00@0<, A$Abraham%
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from dead, from
whence also he received him in a figureB Abraham !ept confessing all
these things as he undertoo! his journey of obedience. onfession must
have strengthened his faith till what he believed God happened. This is
how powerful confession is. #om 9@21H20 Ahe staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief but was strong in faith, giving glory to God ad
being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to
performB.
/ow was best would he have been praising God than telling people,
whether they cared to hear it or not, that God would do what he said
without fail. This is confession. (elieving it is done. To be great one must
be a servant the authority whom God appoint must have a spiritual
bac!ground, he must drin! the cup, that is absolutely obey God.s will and
he must receive the baptism, that is accepted death in order to release life.
/e must also not have any intention of exercising authority on the contrary,
he must be prepared to serve as the servant and slave of all. In other
xlvii
words he possesses spiritual ground on the one hand the spirit of humility
on the other because he does see! to be authority God can use him as
one. It is relevant to tal! about authority, if the cup is not drun! and the
baptism is not received, to who is truly humble and considers himself unfit
for anything except to be servant of all, to that one the lord announces that
he may be great.
The condition for authority is conseDuently a sense of incompetence
and unworthiness. >rom the bible, we can conclude that God has never
used a proud soul, the moment a person become proud, at that moment he
is laid aside by God. /is hidden pride sooner of later will be revealed
through his words, for words do not cease to lea! out. At the future
judgment seat of God, even the humble will be greatly surprised and if that
be true, how much more shall be the horror of the proud on the day.
?e must sense our incompetence, because God only uses the
useless, polite diplomacy is not the thing here, rather is it having a sincere
sense that we are but unprofitable servants. Through we have tended the
floc! and tilled the field, yet in coming bac! we still ac!nowledge ourselves
as unprofitable servants. ?e do not forget to stand on the ground of a
servant. God never entrusts his authority on the self righteous and the self
xlviii
competent, let us reject, pride, learn to be humble and gentle and never
spea! for ourselves. -et us learn to !now ourselves in the lights of God.
>inally the lord said Afor the son of man also came not be ministered
unto, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom for manyB. The lord
does not come to be authority, he comes to serve H the less one is self H
conceited and the more he is humbled the more useful he will be, the more
self important and self discriminating one is the less he is useful. )ur -ord
ta!es the form of a slave being born in the li!eness of man. /e never
stretches out his hands to grasps authority for it is given to /im by God.
The -ord Jesus was exalted from humbleness to the highest. This is his life
principle. -et us not stretch forth our canal hands to grasp fleshly authority.
-et us be slaves of all until one day God entrust us with a particular
responsibility. Thus shall we learn to represent God. /ence ministry in the
basic authority ministry comes from resurrectionC service comes from the
ministry and authority from service. "ay the lord deliver us from high
mindedness.
/ow serious will be the judgment upon those who grap God.s
authority with their canal hands. "ay we fear authority as we fear the fire of
hell. To represent God is not an easy thing. It its too great and too
marvelous for us to touch. ?e need to wal! strictly in the way of obedience,
xlix
the path for us is obedience, not authority. It is to be servant, not to be
heads, to be slaves, not to be rulers. (oth "oses and *avid were the
greatest authorities, yet they were not people who tried to establish their
own authority. Those today who desire to be in authority ought to follow
their footsteps. There should always be fear and trembling in this matter of
being authority.
l
REFERENCES
apps, . $0<<9%. =our 'piritual Authority. Ar!ansab@ +ngland. apps
&ublishing.
Jayeoba, A.I. $2102%. ?al!ing in Authority. ?orld Aglow (oo!s.
8ee, ?. 'piritual Authority. Joy Fnlimited &ublishers.
li