Q. Why
do I, as a born again believer, need to understand spiritual authority?
A. Because once one becomes a born
again believer, they come under the attack of the wicked one and the
believer must understand his position in Christ and his or her authority.
The whole world is being held captive by Satan's forces through false
leaders, prophets and teachers. Now, as a born again Christian, you have
entered warfare. Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the
rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places," and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, "For though we
walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strongholds;) Casting down imagi-nations, and every high thing that exalteth
itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ." Paul calls us soldiers in 2
Timothy 2:3, "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ," who fight the good fight of faith. 1 Timothy 6:12, "Fight the good fight
of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast
professed a good profession before many witnesses."
Q. What
must I do to be able to work these works of authority?
A.
Jesus said the work of authority begins with believing on
Him. John 6:28-29, "Then said they unto
him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered
and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he
hath sent." If you will exercise your faith in Jesus Christ as
the one who ultimately paid the penalty for your sins that you might have
life, the rest will follow as you learn God's word.
Q
.
Is
it important for me as a believer to be full of the Holy Ghost when
exercising authority?
A.
Yes, it is of the utmost importance. Examples in scripture of believers
exercising authority were always accompanied by the infilling of the Holy
Spirit. Acts 13:9-10,
"Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set
his eyes on him, And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou
child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to
pervert the right ways of the Lord?" Being full of the Holy
Ghost is important because it consolidates a oneness about being that is
essential in releasing power from our inner man. 2 Timothy 1:7,
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of
love, and of a sound mind," and Luke
4:18, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me
to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised."
Q. What
gives me the right, as a born again believer, to exercise authority over
sickness, poverty and demonic power?
A.
First of all, the fact that you have been justified by the shed blood of
Jesus Christ through your acceptance of His sacrifice for you. Secondly,
that he was raised from the dead. Romans 8:30, "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he
also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he
justified, them he also glorified), destroying him who had the power of
death," and Hebrews 2:14, "Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power
of death, that is, the devil." Jesus Christ was also manifested
for this purpose to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8,
"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might
destroy the works of the devil." Thirdly, the written Word of
God gives you this authority.
Q
.
Why
is it important for me, as a believer, to learn my rights and exercise my
authority?
A.
Because through the work of the cross, we have been put in right standing
with God, our Father, and have been given the privilege of being joint heirs
with Christ and as an heir of his Father. Romans 8:17, "And if children, then heirs; heirs of
God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we
may be also glorified together." These rights are being
challenged by the powers of darkness and by the world in general around us.
If we do not understand the authority we have, we will not be able to
exercise those rights - rights to peace, joy, love, prosperity, healing and
the blessings of Abraham, etc.
Q. Do
I have to be ordained or a special person with a degree in order to exercise
spiritual authority?
A.
No. The only criteria that you need to have for exercising the believer’s
authority is that of being a believer in Christ who is in right-standing
through the shed blood of Christ made right and standing in a position of
righteousness with our heavenly Father. This is the privilege of every
believer, but it is up to the believer to learn and exercise this privilege.
Q. What
is the reason for having such power and authority?
A.
Jesus said in Acts 1:8,
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea,
and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth," that
we might be witnesses for Him. That is the first reason. The second is that
we might take our stand in receiving the benefits of the death, burial and
resurrection of Jesus Christ in our lives and for our loved ones. Ephesians
6:12-13, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you
the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,
and having done all, to stand.
Q. Does
the authority of the believer apply to material things as well as spiritual,
physical and mental things?
A.
Yes. The spiritual dimension is a higher order of authority and supersedes
all other dimensions. From it, everything material has been created. Hebrews
11:3, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the
word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do
appear."
