His Authority Is Yours!

Few of us really grasp the awesome authority we have in Christ.

We may not look very impressive or strong on the outside, but we’ve been given a mighty badge of delegated authority. Remember, behind every policeman is the entire police force, the FBI, the National Guard, and the entire Armed Forces of the United States. The badge of delegated authority is far more important than an officer’s personal strength or power.

Jesus has given us His badge of delegated authority. When we submit to Jesus and act in His name, all the power and resources of Heaven are at our disposal. No enemy, including stress, anxiety, fear, or doubt, can stand against us when we’re truly submitted to Him!

In John 17:18, Jesus prayed to the Father, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” God sent His Son to earth for a clear objective: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). The “works of the devil” are the consequences of sin that entered the world through the disobedience of Adam and Eve: sin, sickness, relationship conflicts, and death.

Jesus was given all authority to accomplish His mission, and this same authority has now been given to us! Because Jesus sent us in the same way that His Father sent Him, we have been delegated all the authority that was delegated to Christ!

Frankly, this can be hard for most of us to believe. Why? Not because it isn’t clearly taught in Scripture! No, we struggle in grasping our full authority in Christ because it seems so contrary to our experience! In essence, we are saying, “I’ll believe it when I see it” while God is saying, “When you start believing it, you’ll start seeing it!”

The devil has intimidated many Christians into believing they are powerless against him. It’s like the scene from The Wizard of Oz movie when “the great and powerful Oz” is trying to terrify Dorothy and her friends. His fear tactics seem to be succeeding until Dorothy’s dog, Toto, pulls back the curtain. It turns out that the mighty Oz is just a feeble, old man.

Don’t let Satan scare you from boldly venturing into your promised land! God is bigger than any giant that seems to block your way! Because you’ve been given the authority of Christ, there’s no enemy that can stand against you when you pursue your destiny in His name!

Meditate on these verses about your authority, and tell us how they embolden your faith!

Week One
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18–19 ESV).

Week Two
And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases (Luke 9:1).

Week Three
And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6 ESV).

Week Four
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4 ESV).