What is Authority?
By Lucia M. Claborn
The translators of the King James Version translated many words consistently; however, they didn’t do this with the Greek words for “power” and “authority.”
Just one example of this is in Luke 10:19, “Behold I give unto you POWER to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the POWER of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”
In this verse, “power” is used twice; two different words are found in the original Greek. What Jesus actually said was, “I have given you AUTHORITY to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the POWER of the enemy.”
When Jesus is speaking about “serpents and scorpions,” He’s talking about the power of the devil and evil spirits. We need to realize we have authority over all of them! As believers who completely understand the power of God is backing us up, we can exercise our authority and face the enemy fearlessly. Now you may be asking yourself “what is authority.” Authority is delegated power.
Let me give you an example of delegated power. We have construction workers building a major road in our city. This past week I saw a policeman standing in the middle of the road stopping traffic with his hands. This man didn’t have the physical power to stop vehicles if the drivers chose not to stop; however, he wasn’t using his own strength to stop them. He’s exercising the authority invested in him by the city government that he’s serving. People recognize that authority and stop their cars.
By that same example, there’s authority vested in us by Jesus when we are born again! That’s why I wanted to make sure all of us are born-again believers listening today. In Ephesians 6:10, Paul told the church “to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” That means you can step out in front of the devil, hold up your hand, use your God given authority, and tell him not to come any closer!
Another example I like to use of exercising our authority is when a dog comes on your property and you don’t want him to be there, what do you do? You stomp your foot and yell, “Get!” What does the dog do? If you say it like you mean it, the dog is going to run away. This is what we have to do with the devil! Rise up and exercise your authority by saying, “Get! Get your hands off my stuff!
How many of you are facing uncertain situations in your life? Maybe it’s cancer, (that’s always a scary word), tumors, high blood pressure, depression, financial strain, marriage challenges — “you fill in the blank with the symptoms coming against you or your family.” I’m sure you’ve prayed and asked Jesus to heal you, and you believe He’ll do it, and you’ve stood your ground, only to still have symptoms your body or life.
Before I share a dream with you that Brother Kenneth Hagin had that will help you get victory over your symptoms, I want you to know that if you have a dream and you don’t know the meaning of it immediately, forget it. If you wake up and know what it means, God is speaking to you through your dreams as He talked about in Joel 2:28.
Brother Hagin had been challenged with physical symptoms that he’d prayed and ask God to heal him of, and then he stood his ground. In the dream Brother Hagin had, he and another preacher were walking on something similar to a big parade field with stands on both sides of them. As they were walking along talking, the man jumped and shouted, “Look!” Brother Hagin turned and saw two ferocious, roaring lions. The man with Brother Hagin started running and then he started running. Brother Hagin stopped and told the man they were too far away from the stands to reach safety. There was no way for them to escape the lions. Brother Hagin stopped dead still, turned around, and went back to meet the lions. They came toward him with their fangs bared, roaring. He was trembling where he stood as he told them “I resist you in the Name of Jesus. In Jesus’ Name you can’t hurt me!” He just stood there. They ran right up to him like a couple of kittens, sniffed around his ankles, and finally frolicked off, paying no attention to him.
The physical battle Brother Hagin had been fighting for six weeks was won at the moment he turned and faced the lions head on, because he had stood his ground and didn’t give in to the symptoms. He said instantly the symptoms disappeared and he was all right. As a side note, remember that the devil’s weakest moment is when you turn to face him.
The Bible explains this very situation in 1 Peter 5:8-9 in the Message, which says “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up, keep a firm grip on the faith.”
Ephesians 6:10 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Many people read this verse and think the Lord is telling them to be strong in themselves, but the Scripture doesn’t say a word about being strong in yourself. It says to be strong in the Lord.
How many times have you heard people say, “I can’t take it any more, I don’t care if I can make it or not? I’m here to tell you, you can make it! Don’t even think about not making it! Be strong in the Lord. Be strong in the power of His might, not your own power or might.
First John 4:4 says, “My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world.”
The power that’s in you is greater than the power that’s in the world, because the power that backs your authority is greater than that which backs your enemy’s authority.
The Holy Spirit wants us to know that the power on earth invested in the Name of Jesus Christ and obtained by Him through His overcoming the enemy belongs to the church. Exercise that authority, because it belongs to you, and in this life we shall reign by Christ Jesus.