The Authority of the Believer:Lesson 4
The bases of this study from the Word of God came through a missionary to China. Bro. John A. MacMillian. The Lord has used his writings to stimulate faith in the body of Christ so that we as the children of God might exercise our God given authority in this world to glorify the Name of Jesus.
How the power of the devil was broken.
Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. NKJV
These evil spirits are fallen angels that were dethroned by Christ’s, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God Almighty. Now the very least member of the body of Christ
has authority over them.
Col 2: 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. NKJV
In Genesis the third chapter, Adam committed high treason and rebelled against God’s Word. Satan then became the god of this world. And he will remain so until Adam’s lease runs out.
Eph 2:1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, NKJV
We see that Adam gave dominion over the earth to Satan. That included the entire human race but through Jesus Christ God has redeemed us from his satanic kingdom of darkness and when we were born again we became children of God’s kingdom of light.
Col 1:12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. NKJV
The Father gave His Son authority and power to establish His kingdom again in the earth.
Matt 28: 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. NKJV
Our Lord Jesus Christ gave that authority to the Body of Christ.
Luke 10: 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” NKJV
* The black sheep of the family gets saved.
* The vision of the dragon and the sword
* The insane woman delivered by the authority of the faith command!
Remember, all of God’s authority must be exercised by faith ! Notice that in John 14:13 Jesus Himself gets involved, not as a petition but rather as a demand. Strongs Exhaustive Concordance renders reference # 154 and # 4441 : The Greek verbs to ask are strictly a demand for something due as rights and privileges .
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. 13 And whatever you ask { demand } in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask { demand} anything in My name, I will do it. NKJV
Note: we are not demanding something of God, we are demanding it from the devil !
Acts 16:16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune‑telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 And this she did for many days But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. 19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. NKJV
Notice that in John 16 the word ask is used to convey the idea of: petition, request, obtaining favor. The Heavenly Father is part of this illustration but not in John 14.
John 16: 23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. NKJV
When Jesus was tempted by the devil, His defense against him was the Word of God.
Luke 4:1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.
3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”
4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” 5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw yourself down 11 and,
‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” NKJV
Our weapons against the devil are the same as Jesus used……The Word of God !
1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. NKJV
2 Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, NKJV
