AUTHORITY - Part 4

Bad authority and good are the same

Submission to authority, good and bad, spiritual and secular is all the same to God. If we understand authority we understand God’s heart and the way He works.

Romans 13:1-2
[1] Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. [2] Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
There is no exception to submission.

1 Peter 2:18-20
[18] Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. [19] For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. [20] But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

In essence, there is no good authority in the world anyway because it all falls short. So if God did not want us to learn about authority He wouldn't have left us to live out our natural life before going to Heaven.

Submitting to authority is submitting to God! I know it's tough. It took me 10 years to understand it but oh what freedom there is in it now! Do it brothers and your life will change.

God respects authority

1 Corinthians 2:6 AMP
Yet when we are among the full-grown (spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding), we do impart a higher wisdom (the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden); but it is indeed not a wisdom of this present age or of this world nor of the leaders and rulers of this age, who are being brought to nothing and are doomed to pass away.

Ephesians 3:9-10 AMP
Also to enlighten all men and make plain to them what is the plan regarding the Gentiles and providing for the salvation of all men of the mystery kept hidden through the ages and concealed until now in the mind of God Who created all things by Christ Jesus. The purpose is that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere.

God has authority over the cities, not Satan. The reason the cities have the depravity that they have is because churches do not stand on the authority of this verse.
For instance, it is useless to bind Satan in a church. Only the pastor can because only he has authority. We can bind lying spirits or spirits closing the pastor's ears but we cannot rebuke other spirits from acting against the church. God does not violate the rule of authority chain of command.


NEXT TIME: during this season of Easter and Passover, we'll start a new series: SALVATION!

Andy De Campos

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AUTHORITY - Part 3

PREVIOUSLY: We talked about the importance of recognizing the need to be under authority in the local church.

Here we deal specifically about recognition of authority and how that affects our power.

Recognizing the real authority

Nehemiah was charged with building Jerusalem (5th century BC). He was charged to do so by the king and he was confident that this was God's will. He had great responsibility in carrying this message to the people and convincing them of his mandate.

Nehemiah 2:11-12 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

Nehemiah recognized that, event though he had permission from the King, the real authority was from God and that was what he transmitted to people.
Also, the king may have given him permission but it was God that would give him success.
Conclusion: permission + success = authority.


Nehemiah 2:18-20I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?” I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”

So authority becomes much more than we initially think. It is an identity, but an identity based on permission and success. It is prophetic identity that we stand on. Authority then gives us assurance of victory.

Not Recognizing the enemy's authority

David, before he was King, had to fight Goliath, the Philistine, who everyone was terrified of. David was not afraid because he was backed up in knowledge. He knew who his god was and that He was in charge and on the side of the Israelites.

1 Samuel 17:26Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?

David links identity with authority and with power. By not recognizing the authority of the enemy army David also did not recognize their power.

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NEXT TIME: we'll will conclude this series mentioning bad authority, God and Satan.

Andy De Campos

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AUTHORITY - Part 2

Last time I punted out some definitions of they concept of authority within the Christian life. Now I will start getting down to specific and practical application of what this means or how we go about it.

Affirmation 

By being seated with Christ, we have the power to influence circumstances call into being thing that were not (see Romans 4:17).

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

[11] Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. [12] It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” [13] Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” [14] No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

Submission to a pastor 

Authority only functions properly when we are properly submitted. With submission to our local spiritual leader comes protection.

Jeremiah 23:3-4

[3] “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. [4] I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing, ” declares the Lord.

Ezekiel 34 shows how "the Lord will be Israel's shepherd". All you need to know about unity in your local church under your pastor is here! It shows the importance to be rightly connected to the church body and to receive a pastor, as your pastor. There are 10 blessings that we have just because we are submitted to a Pastor who loves us and is submitted to authority, like us.

10  blessings when you are submitted to a pastor:

     1.    Peace

     2.   Divine protection

     3.   Showers of blessing

     4.   Financial increase

     5.    Yokes of bondage will be broken

     6.   Deliver you from Believers who have mistreated you

     7.   Deliver you from heathen that have mistreated you

     8.   No fear

     9.   Dramatic Finacial increase

    10.  No shame, God will be with you and  they shall know that He is the Lord God almighty!

Accepting authority from a pastor and staff

Proverbs 10:8

The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

We have a private measure of anointing and a public higher measure which is made for use in the church. To activate that public anointing we have to be submitted to the church. We submit publicly and reap publicly.

We need to be under authority no matter who we are because there needs to be an inflow for us to have an outflow.


NEXT TIME: Recognizing real authority and how it is linked to power.

Andy De Campos

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