BELIEVER'S AUTHORITY &PERSPECTIVE {EXCERPTS FROM THE LAST DISCIPLESHIP CLASS YOU WILL REALLY BE BLESSED BY} Luke 1019 & 2 Kings 2:14

The Old Testament did not use the term authority as the New Testament does and this does not mean authority is absent in the Old Testament. You find phrases like "under his hands" or "by the word of God". These are words that indicate AUTHORITY. But the word itself is not clearly stated as it is in the New Testament. This is not strange to the development of the Bible...The word and concept of Grace is fully manifest in the New Testament but it appears in a seeming "fragmentary" form in the Old Testament.

David said; " ...Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that you have brought me till now?" 2Sam 7:18. When you read statements like that , you understand that David was talking about grace. This is just in a fragmentary form...The fullness of grace is in Christ Jesus. Amen!

AUTHORITY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

The concept of authority in the New Testament is quite fascinating. The word itself is often used interchangeably with the word power.

What is Authority?

The word in Greek is exousia but it carries with it the essence of power.

COMMON MISTAKES WITH INTERPRETATION:

1. USE OF WORD STUDY: Some people will pick this word in Greek and form a sermon series on it but you cannot "hijack" the word and use an interlinear Bible or Greek Lexicon to arrive at the meaning of the word.Let me give you an example of the problem of word study. The word flesh in Galatians 5(sarx in Greek) is translated by many as FLESH which means the physical body and Paul says the flesh works contrary to God's Spirit and has been crucified. The problem with the use of the meaning of Sarx as exclusively meaning the physical body will contradict "The word became flesh and dwelt among us"- does that mean Jesus becoming flesh is bad and contrary? No! The context of Galatians 5 does not mean physical but the "SIN NATURE" and not physical body. Word Study may detour the contextual meaning.

Don't therefore hijack the word Exousia- authority as exclusively defined by its meaning outside of its USE in context.

2. USE OF WORD COUNT OR FREQUENCY: Some.others look at the frequency and use that as a way to interpret it. The challenge this raises is that the use of word count may not necessarily help establish its meaning.

Example is the word unknown Tongues (I have to use this example again)...how many times is that phrase mentioned? How many times is it mentioned in the Epistles? Just in one chapter. How many times is tithe mentioned in the Epistles? How many times is it mentioned in the epistles? Just in one chapter too.

Now you wonder why some Pentecostals "keep-on" with the degradation of the term Tithe and the overemphasis on speaking in tongues. I speak in tongues by the way and I have written an in-depth study of Tithe and you will be surprised at the perspective the New Testament authors have ( I encourage you to get a copy of that text and engage with the scriptures). You don't use word count to "decant" or promote a doctrine as valuable or invaluable.

These two PITFALLS are common and should be avoided when seeking an understanding of the phrase BELIEVERS AUTHORITY.

CAUTION-POSSIBLE PRESUPPOSITIONS TOWARDS AUTHORITY

1. Authority of a believer is often interpreted as a status tied to the length of years since conversion. The idea is that you have to be "Old" in faith to have authority.

2. Authority of a believer is tied to the physical age of the believer. A physically OLD believer can exercise Biblical authority. Hmmm!

3. Authority of a believer is tied to His Church position (ecclesiastical)- Pastors and elders have special enduement to exercise authority.

These presuppositions are built on the personality or physical status of a person. These are all easily resolved through the event of Acts chapter 3. Peter's first ministration after the departure of Jesus Christ and the enduement of the Holy Spirit-the Gift. Peter confessed; "“Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own POWER[PHYSICAL ABILITY] or piety [holiness- there long term relationship with God or special status] we had made him walk? "

Every physical/man made standard did not cause the healing. Should Holiness be thrown away- NO but it is not the ingredient. So dear "Pastor worshiper"- piety don't raise the lame. What then raised the lame in Acts 3? " And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all" Acts 3:16. James attested to this; "...call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up..."- James 5:15-16. THE PRAYER OF FAITH WILL RAISE THE SICK.

FAITH IS WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE NOT AGE. Praise God!

WHAT IS AUTHORITY?

Jesus Christ is noted WITH this distinguishing characteristic- Jesus Christ taught as one having AUTHORITY- Matthew 7:29

Jesus Christ called the man with an understanding of AUTHORITY a man of great Faith- Matthew 8:9-10

What then is authority? Remember we have to understand what a concept is by understanding it through the framework of the CONTEXT.

The context is the identification of a story, thought or idea as a coherent unit. The book of Proverbs is quite difficult to identity by context because a single verse can be a context and a chapter many contexts. But our focus is authority in the new Testament.

OUR TEXT:

LUKE 10:19-20; ""Behold, I have given you AUTHORITY to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you".

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

THE CONTEXTUAL USE OF THE WORD AUTHORITY OR EXOUSIA.

FOUR CONTEXTUAL USES:

1, Authority can be used as the ABILITY TO COMPLETE and action.That means it is already started and you are authorized to finish that task- Examples are Matthew 9:6-8 and Luke 10:19

2. Authority can be the permission to act without hindrance- Romans 13:1, Romans 9:21 and in John 1:12. When you accept Jesus Christ you have the permission to act as a Child of God without hindrance.

3. Authority can be used to stand for Government or even parental rule- Luke 20:20, Ephesians 1:21.

4.Authority is also used as the permission to perform something- Matthew 21:23- Jesus was asked by whose authority he drove the marketers out of the temple. Paul also used authority in this sense in 2 Corinthians 10:8; "For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame".

Now in the context of Luke 10:19 it means the permission to complete an action. The success of that action is dependent on the preceding action and the person who gives or bestows the permission. Jesus Christ talked about how that task He authorizes began. Jesus Christ said "he was there when satan fell like lightening" - HE ALREADY SAW SATAN DEFEATED now the disciples are merely completing the action. Therein lies the GUARANTEE OF our success over ALL the power of the enemy.

WE COMPLETE THE ACTION JESUS BEGAN AND COMPLETED. We are like Armour bearers in the Old Testament, the enemy is incapacitated by the master warrior and the Armour bearer just finish the work by delivering the final blow.

Our cross reference is in 2 Kings 2:14- Elisha called on the God of Elijah to part the Jordan river just as Elijah did. Elijah began the task and Elisha just used the same authority to complete the task.

BUT...

Jesus Christ says this authority is accompanied by a perspective; "“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven"- Luke 10:20

Jesus Christ says the real joy should not be in the manifestation of authority over spirits (demons) but in the name written in the book of life.

OBSERVE

Name is WRITTEN but Jesus Christ had not yet died. Hmmm!

LET US COMPARE...

Moses said; ""But now, if You will, forgive their sin-- and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!"- Exodus 32:32.

BIG QUESTION?

When did God write names in His BOOK when Jesus Christ had not yet died and raised to have our names in God's book of life? Hmmm!

LET'S TAKE IT FURTHER...

Psalms 69: 28; "May they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded with the righteous." Even the author of Psalms say the name can be blotted because it is already written.

Paul attested to the writing of names in Philippians 4:3; "Yes, and I ask you, my true yokefellow, to help these women who have labored with me for the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life."

God wrote it and it seems it can be blotted out? How and why will it be blotted out?

ANSWER:

REVELATIONS HELP OUT...

The Book of the Revelation says; " And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire"- Rev. 20:15

IMPLICATION

The name is already written but the name can be blotted out.

Revelation 20:15 says THE NAME WILL BE SEARCH FOR AND IF NOT FOUND, then the person is doomed. The scriptures say God does not want ANYONE to perish. Everyone is written in the book according to divine plan but the righteousness of God through Christ determines is the name will remain or vanish..

NOT THE LAW BUT BY FAITH

The Old Testament saints by faith received the righteousness of God through the promise of Jesus the Christ- the law did not save them but faith did.

Galatians 3:11 says, “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The righteous shall live by faith.'" The law is called by Paul a "“tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Gal. 3:24).

“The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith” (Galatians 3:8-9).

The name stays when faith is applied and righteousness is bestowed.

The disciples must understand these truth. grace grants us instant and permanent guarantee- YES INSTANT AND PERMANENT GUARANTEE that our names will remain.

SO THERE IS

1. THE IMMEDIATE PERSPECTIVE- AUTHORITY TO FINISH THE TASK OF JESUS who saw Satan already defeated and that guarantees that we can trample over scorpions, snakes and all the power of the enemy because we are just completing the victory Christ already secured for us. The death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ grants us the privilege to execute total victory. This victory is not a maybe- IT IS GUARANTEED but there is also

2. THE ULTIMATE PERSPECTIVE- Our authority finds full and real joy in our relationship with Christ who guarantees that our name is written in the book of life forever. Our names in the book of life by faith received through our relationship with Christ is the focus.

WE ARE NOT DEMON CONSCIOUS- WE ARE RELATIONSHIP CONSCIOUS. We don't make demons and casting our devils our focus, we make our inter-connectivity with God through Christ our focus. praise God!

Imagine spending one hour listening to demons possessed person confess- no demons are not our focus- JESUS CHRIST IS ALWAYS THE FOCUS.

We are not deliverance ministers- where is that in the Bible. We are ministers of reconciliation- 2 Corinthians 5:19.

We are MINISTER OF RECONCILIATION...when we declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ' death, burial and resurrection and demons show up, we cast them out and go back to our focus- GETTING MEN RECONCILED TO CHRIST.

Have you been reconciled? Have you ever called upon Jesus Christ to save and secure your name in the book of life? You can now by asking Jesus Christ to take over your life and repenting of your sins. If you do this- you have the AUTHORITY overall the power of the enemy in Jesus Christ name. Don't worry- Jesus already incapacitated the enemy, you just claim your victory and finish the task. Shalom!

(c) Bishop Ponle Alabi copeainc