Authority # 1a
Last time we began talking about spiritual authority. We found out from (EPH 1:3) that CHRIST has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing. And 1 of those spiritual blessings is AUTHORITY OVER SATAN and over every demon, principality, and every fallen angel.
I. It says in (Matthew 28:18) “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power [authority] is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
A. Jesus had the authority to delegate His power.
1. That’s exactly what He did.
2. In the very next V (MAT 28:19) Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
a. Jesus is delegating his authority.
3. Then in (Mark 16 starting with V 15) Jesus told us to lay hands on the sick and to cast out devils, Again He was delegating His authority.
a. And in (Luke 10:19) Jesus said, “Behold, I give unto you power (or authority) to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
b. Jesus once again was delegating his authority and He was teaching us that we have authority over Satan and over every demonic activity that we may ever face.
i. We need to get this into our heart, into our spirit, so that we can walk in victory.
B. In (REV 19:6) It says “For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”
1. God is referred to as omnipotent, meaning “All powerful or almighty.”
a. When we use the authority that God has given us in the right way, we have all of God’s power behind us.
i. Notice I said, “In the right way.” We can’t go beyond the Word of God and expect God to back us up.
ii. We can’t demand Satan to do our work or bidding for us, and we don’t have authority over another person, nor do we have the authority over someone else who is walking in the flesh.
b. But When we say, “Satan come out in the name of Jesus” or “Satan stop what you’re doing in the name of Jesus,” Satan has to obey us. It’s the Lord Jesus that is the power behind our authority.
i. It’s not by our own power. (Zechariah 4:6) Says, “It not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” KJV
ii. But we are instructed in (Ephesians 6:10) “To be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” KJV
iii. When we are strong in the Lord we can step out and tell the enemy to stop in the name of Jesus, and he has to obey you.
2. (1 Peter 5:8) Says “Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” KJV
a. Satan does come on the seen and try to devour. It might be with sickness, poverty, depression, and so on.
b. But the very next V (1 Peter 5:9) tells us how to deal with Satan and how to have victory over him.
i. (1 Peter 5:9) says, “Whom resist steadfast in the faith.” KJV
ii. You use your authority over him in faith.
II. 1 thing that we have to realize is that not everything is a demon.
A. Don’t be on a demon hunt. That takes your attention away from God.
1 Many are seeking demon more than they are seeking God.
a. Jesus never sought out demons, but when He came across 1 he took His authority over him.
B. Many times we try to blame the devil for things that are the works of the flesh.
1. GAL 5:19-21
a. Sometimes there can be spirit behind these things, but generally they are works of the flesh.
i. Paul said in (1 Corinthians 9:27) “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.” KJV
ii. But when you do come in contact with an evil spirit, you have authority over it.
C. MATT 18:18
1. Jesus said whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
2. Let me ask you this, How do you bind Satan and his demons?
a. Can we just say I bind you Satan in the name of Jesus?
i. Yes, if we say it in faith. That’s using our authority over the works of the enemy.
ii. What does the word “bind” mean?
iii. It means, “To hold or restrain,” It also has to do with stopping someone from free movement. forbidden or permitted (from figure of speech)
b. To bind Satan is the same thing as commanding him to stop what he is doing in the name of Jesus.
D. MARK 3:27
1. The “Strong man” is Satan, or a demon.
2. The NIV translation of (Mark 3:27) Says this, “In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.”
a. In the Word, when a demon comes into a person to live there, he calls that “his house.”
b. We spoil his house and rob everything that he has or is doing by the authority in the Name of Jesus.
3. We need to use our authority over all the works of the enemy. Jesus has given us this authority so that we can do his work in this earth and so that we can live a victorious life.
III. EPH 1:18-23
A. In (V. 20), we see that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the father; that is The PLACE of authority.
1. In (V. 21) it tells us that God has set JESUS, “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.” NKJV
2. The source of our AUTHORITY is found in the RESURRECTION and the seating of Jesus at the Throne of God.
a. Or you could say, The source of our authority is found in the VICTORY of the Lord Jesus Christ over Satan.
B. Look at EPH 2:1-7
1. In the mind of God, when Jesus was raised from the dead, we were raised from the dead.
2. Not only did God raise us up together, but He also made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ.
3. Look at EPH 2:5-6 again.
a. When we realize that the authority that belongs to Jesus also belongs to us, our lives will be revolutionize.
C. We need to realize that we are 1 with the Lord.
1. (EPH 1:22) Tells us that Jesus is the head of the Church. And in (V 23) it says that the Church is the Body. We are the church.
a. (1 Corinthians 12:27) Says, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” KJV
b. (1COR 6:17) Says, “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.”
i. We are one with the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Back in (Ephesians 1:21-22) It says, “Far above (Jesus is far above) all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come: 22 And He put all things under his feet.” NKJV
a. We are His feet or His body.
i. That means every principality and power, Satan and all of his demons are under our feet.
ii. We have authority over them.
iii. Jesus has delegated his authority to us.
D. ROM 5:17
1. The Wuest translation says, “In life we will reign as kings through the One, Jesus Christ.”
a. The AMP. says the same thing.
2. ? How much AUTHORITY does a KING have?
a. All the AUTHORITY of the KINGDOM.
b. We have all the authority of the Kingdom of God, if we use that authority in the NAME OF JESUS and use it in the WILL OF GOD.
III. There is 1 important point that I want to make, and that is we must MAINTAIN BALANCE.
A. In EPH 1, and EPH 3, Paul prayed that we would have wisdom and understanding.
1. Error can be caused because of misunderstanding.
a. It seems like the apostles were always writing to the churches to correct some error that might have gotten in.
b. You can take just about anything to the extreme, and it will become harmful.
i. People could try to use their authority in an unscriptual way.
2. John Alexander Dowie crossed the ocean many times in his life. During his travels he encountered many storms, but every time a storm came up he rebuked it and it always ceased.
a. That's using our authority in a correct way.
B. That shouldn't surprise us. Jesus said in (JOHN 14:12) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”[1] (NKJV)
1. Jesus didn't just say that only a few would do these greater works.
a. He said, “He that believes on me would do these greater works.”
IV. EPH 6:12 (My bible says, Wicked spirits in the heavenly)
A. Notice that we may wrestle against all the different types of spiritual wickedness.
2. Let’s go on reading EPH 6:12-18
B. When we come in contact with these different demonic beings, we need to know that Jesus already defeated them.
1. (COL 2:15) “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. ”[2] (NKJV)
a. Now that Jesus has dethroned them, we can reign over them.
2. ADAM SOLD OUT.
a. Adam was the 1 in authority in this world, after Adam’s fall Satan became the God of this world.
b. Satan had a right to rule over us until we became new creatures in Christ. COL 1:12-13
c. In the Greek it says, “Who has delivered us from the AUTHORITY of darkness, and has translated {us} into the kingdom of his dear Son:”
B. Satan has no right to rule you or dominate you.
1. Sometimes people think that we will not be able to exercise our spiritual authority until we get in the Millennium.
a. ? Why will we need it then? Satan will be bound during the Millennium.
b. There won't be any need to exercise authority then, because there won't be anything here that will hurt or destroy.
2. No, we do have authority right now over Satan and all of his demonic forces.
i. If we want to have that victorious life we have learn to use our authority over Satan.
Authority #1a.docx
WOLCC Sun Am 12/15/96 & WOLCC Thurs 10/17/2002
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[1]The New King James Version. 1982 (Jn 14:12). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2]The New King James Version. 1982 (Col 2:15). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.