?I’m a man under authority myself, and I have soldiers under me. I can say to one man ‘Go’ and I know he’ll go, or I can say
‘Come here’ to another and I know he’ll come – or I can say to my slave ‘Do this’ and he’ll always do it.”
Father I pray that you will reveal your word today in its fullest content as to how you revealed it to me. Let this teaching be a life-
transforming tool so that others will be blessed by it and be moved into the inheritance that you have ordained us to have. I ask
this in the authority found in the name of Jesus, amen.
As you may have already guessed this message is on authority and I feel under the times we live in; this lesson is VERY timely
and necessary. I have gathered together several scriptures on this topic both from the Old Testament as well as the New
Testament. All of us are under authority and all authority comes from God. Like it or not that is the way it is and how we respond to
authority determines where we are in the submission ladder. God has set up the authority chain of command and that chain is not
only in the world but is also within the church. It is from the church perspective that I will be writing from. God has established an
authority structure within his body, the church, with Jesus being the head over it.
Colossians 1.15-20, ?Now Christ is the visible expression of the invisible God. He existed before creation began, for it was through
him that every thing was made, whether spiritual or material, seen or unseen. Through him, and for him, also, were created power
and dominion, ownership and authority. In fact, every single thing was created through and for him. He is both the first principle
and the upholding principle of the whole scheme of creation. And now he is the head of the body, which is composed of all
Christian people. Life from nothing began through him, and life from the dead began through him, and he is, therefore, justly
called the Lord of all. It was in him that the full nature of God chose to live, and through him God planned to reconcile in his own
person, as it were, everything on earth and everything in Heaven by virtue of the sacrifice of the cross.?
Notice some words here in the following verse that I want to focus on for a minute. ?And now he is the head of the body which is
composed of all Christian people.? He says here the word, ?ALL? Christian people! Not just a few here and there in little pockets
but ALL Christian people. It would do us well to keep that in mind as we go about our day. Jesus is the head over the church and
if we are in Jesus then we are part of that church and we need to come in, sit down and enjoy what God has given us in Christ
Jesus. Ok, with saying that bit of advice and exhortation lets get back on track concerning authority.
We must be under authority both from outside the church body and within the church body. We cannot exclude the world from our
system, to do so is rebellion against God?s authority and as soon as we rebel then we lose the Spirit not to mention we also break
fellowship due to sin. We are to follow the laws of the land, and obey the rules and regulations if we want to live a stress free life.
Timothy 2:1-2, ?Here then is my charge: First, supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings should be made on behalf
of all men: for kings and rulers in positions of responsibility, so that our common life may be lived in peace and quiet, with a
proper sense of God and of our responsibility to him for what we do with our lives.?
Mark 13.34 (Phillips) “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his
servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.?
We have been given authority by God. He has
delegated to us authority and we are to handle that authority under the proper leadership that the Lord desires of us. We have
been assigned a work, (that only we can fulfill) and that work carries with it a delegated authority package to be used in the
fulfillment of that given work. Without the work we can?t really know our authority and without authority our work cannot be really
completed. Authority for the Christian is a helpmate to His or Her work. This is why authority is so vital in the work place of our daily
place in Christ. He, (Christ) is the Head over the church and He has left and has given us charge until He returns. We are not to
abuse our authority or treat it as if we are sole owners of it. Each of us needs to be in submission to authority and we need to
recognize God?s delegated authority within other members of the body of Christ. In order to have a perfect ?flow? within the church
we need to work within the framework of God?s order of command and to come under delegated authority in order to be in
compliance with the Supreme Authority, which is God. The problem in some churches today is a break down in the authority chain.
As a result of this breakdown we see confusion and abuse within the body of Christ. Nothing hurts the heart of the Lord more than
to see His children beating each other up over power control, and lordship tactics being carried out in the name of Jesus. God has
delegated to each of us a level of authority in order for our work assignment to be successfully carried on but when that work is
delayed due to inward fighting then the system breaks down and God?s work to the world is affected. The work that God has
ordained is that we believe on His only begotten Son. All authority that has been delegated to His church is for the express
purpose to bring men and women to a ?saving knowledge? of Jesus.
The sooner we realize that each of us in the body of Christ is there for a divine purpose and calling then the sooner we can have
a change in our conduct. Not all work assignments given to us by the Lord is what we personally would choose to do but in
obedience to His will we follow His instructions to the letter. In doing so we find ourselves enjoying strength and Spiritual Authority
that can be found no other way than by doing what He has called us to do. So, in order to be the best we can be, we must labor
for the master in the fields from dawn to dusk. Authority and delegated authority are two areas that we need to recognize and
submit to if we are ever going to maintain a blessing in church life. We submit to God?s Authority by submitting to His delegated
authority in His people, the church. We don?t submit to man but we submit to the Lord?s Authority within man. God has set up His
Authority both within the world as well as outside of it. As a result there is a biblical order that needs to be followed and to break
ranks from this order will cause anarchy and lawlessness.
I realize I am perhaps talking about a difficult subject here yet authority today is not being carried out in some churches due to
control and abuse of power. This needs to be addressed even though it is an unpopular subject. People who have been abused
by misuse of authority will no doubt have a hard time understanding authority in the church today. The reason for this abuse of
authority is because the church workers carrying out the church work are out of step of Spiritual Authority but instead the work is
being carried out within the works of the flesh.
Galatians 5:15-26 ?But if freedom means merely that you are free to attack and tear each other to pieces, be careful that it
doesn’t mean that between you destroy your fellowship altogether! Here is my advice. Live your whole life in the Spirit and you
will not satisfy the desires of your lower nature. For the whole energy of the lower nature is set against the Spirit, while the whole
power of the Spirit is contrary to the lower nature. Here is the conflict, and that is why you are not free to do what you want to do.
But if you follow the leading of the Spirit, you stand clear of the Law. The activities of the lower nature are obvious. Here is a list:
sexual immorality, impurity of mind, sensuality, worship of false gods, witchcraft, hatred, quarrelling, jealousy, bad temper, rivalry,
factions, party-spirit, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like that. I solemnly assure you, as I did before, that those who
indulge in such things will never inherit God’s kingdom. The Spirit however, produces in human life fruits such as these: love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, generosity, fidelity, tolerance and self-control – and no law exists against any of them. Those who
belong to Christ have crucified their old nature with all that it loved and lusted for. If our lives are centered in the Spirit, let us be
guided by the Spirit. Let us not be ambitious for our own reputations, for that only means making each other jealous.?
So you see, abuse of power comes forth as we carry out the Lord?s work within the framework of the flesh. This is where abuses
are recorded and hearts and lives are destroyed. In order to be productive as a unified body of believers we need to be in
compliance with God?s chain of command in all areas of the church life. In the local church a break down of command will always
bring confusion and anarchy to its congregation. The number one sin that threw Lucifer from Heaven was his desire to over throws
Gods position. How much more then do we need to be careful that we don?t abuse our power by usurping authority over
delegated authority in the church today. Pride and self-serving agendas has overtaken some leaders in the church today and they
have position themselves over God?s authority by trashing God?s delegated authority within vessels of His Son. This is a great
hindrance to church life today and it cast a shadow over the churches ability to function in a gospel preaching witness to the
community. As long as there is power struggles and splits with the chain of command there will be a stoppage of the work of the
Lord in that particular body. Therefore we need to re-examine our heart and fall down on our faces before the Lord and call out to
Him to convict us of sin and pride. If we are going to ever be usable as a body in the local church then we need to repent of the
sin of rejection of God?s authority. As long as we go about establishing our own authority apart from submission to God?s
delegated authority then we will have no part in doing the work of the Lord.
So, if the chain of command on the local level is not biblical then what do we do? Well, we need to first of all pray and bring this
need to the Lord and then proceed from there. We then must address the problem to the local church and call for a accounting of
deeds being done in the local body with the intention of bringing about a solution that is centered on repenting and forgiving. We
must not break away from the local church but rather we need to bring the word of the Lord to that assembly. If the people have a
heart for the Lord then they will hear His word in the Spirit. If they don?t hear His word then the Lord will establish His Word with a
back up.) I personally believe if we as a people don?t repent of the sin of control and rejection of God?s authority then He will send
a ?Eli?s purge? upon them.
?And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, (church) at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall
tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an
end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves
vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be
purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.? (1 Samuel 3)
God will send a purging to remove the false leaders who have extracted life from the Church through rebellion and resistance. He
will remove the dross from off the hearts of His people and take away all branches that are choking off the life of the Church. None
of us will escape the purge but we will be better as a result of it. Yes, we will go through a pruning back but only for the purpose of
more fruit production. Those of us who refuse to be melted down but continue to harden ourselves under the hand of the Lord, will
do so to our own hurt, we will be tossed aside for later burnings. I know this is a hard word from the Lord to share today but it is a
good word as well. Search me Oh God and try me and see if there be any wicked way in me. Cleanse me O Lord and I shall be
whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart and restore a right Spirit within me. This should be our hearts cry today in light of the
message I shared. The time has come for us to be in a state of repenting and soul searching. God will establish His Word and His
Authority will be set up within His chain of command throughout the land. Make no mistake about it, God is the final Authority and
He will replace any and all authorities who are not in working order. We need to take heed to His commandment and follow His
steps. May God bless you today and make His face to shine upon you and cause you to walk in the ways of the Lord, amen and
amen.Back to Devotionals Page
type=”submit” value=”Press here to tell a friend about this site!”
name=”Submit”>
