369-The Lord's Prayer Series 10 - Heavenly Authority#
369-The Lord's Prayer Series 10 - Heavenly Authority
(JP 文字组 - shalom 整理）
Dear family, peace in the Lord, welcome to your arrival.
Next, we share the tenth lesson of the Lord's Prayer, Heavenly Authority.
Matthew 6:9-13:
9 Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. 10 May your kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen!
Let us pray together
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for preparing such a wonderful time for us to seek your word together. In life on earth, no matter the time, we have hope because we can pray to you. You are our provider and our protector. You bless every brother and sister who seeks you, giving us strength and provision. Bless this time ahead, thank you and praise you, in the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.
We share: Heavenly Authority
When praying, how can we believe that God helps us accomplish things? The help between people depends on two points: first, the ability; second, the willingness to help, both are essential. When we pray to God, we must be certain of His omnipotence. If our understanding of the Lord Jesus is somewhat one-sided or insufficient, we may not seek the Lord in everything. For example, some people think Jesus is only a healing God and will only rely on Him when they are sick; others think God is only a comforting God and will only come to Him when they are sad or troubled.
However, if we believe that God's authority fills the earth, and all things are under His authority, we will be willing to seek the Lord in any situation. Our Lord will accomplish things for us because of our faith, Amen. Therefore, those who belong to God have hope. We possess heavenly authority as children of God. When we accept the Lord Jesus, God gives us the authority to be His children. Since we have become children of God, we can pray to Him at any time, and He will listen to our prayers.
Hebrews 1:1-3:
1 In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
The Bible mentions many prophets in the Old Testament, using various methods to communicate with the ancestors of Israel, helping them understand this God and recognize this heavenly authority, so they could pray to God in everything. In the last days, God speaks to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. When we see Jesus, we see God's omnipotence. Our Lord has appointed Him heir of all things, and the world was created through our Lord. When you see Jesus, the radiance that comes from Him is the exact representation of God's being. Simply put, seeing Jesus is seeing God.
Our God sustains all things by His powerful word. The material world we see is actually determined by the spiritual realm; the existence of the material world is upheld by God's word, which can be called authority. The command of authority is that God speaks and it is done; He commands and it stands. In the beginning of Genesis, the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and God used His powerful command to create the universe, and we see the world, which has everything needed to sustain human life and living.
What other commands of authority are there? The words of God in the spiritual realm are also full of authority. In the unseen spiritual world, God's words continue to have an effect. Jesus came into the world, died for our sins, and rose from the dead three days later, cleansing humanity's sins. When Jesus completed this task, He also fulfilled a spiritual authority: all who believe in Jesus have their sins forgiven, and at the same time, all who believe in Jesus receive heavenly authority.
Jesus returned and sat at the right hand of our Father in heaven. He has risen from the dead, conquered the world, and defeated death. He has given this authority to all who believe in Him. Currently, God's authority is still at work; all things are under His authority. Knowing that the Lord you believe in has power gives you confidence to pray to Him. No matter what happens, when you pray to Him, our God will surely have the ability and willingness to help you, and He will accomplish the best for you.
David was a man of great faith in God. Let's see how David viewed our God. 1 Chronicles 29:11-13: 11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 12 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. 13 Now, our God, we give you thanks, and we praise your glorious name!
David had a deep understanding of our God. In David's view, greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty all belong to Him. Some people do not have a comprehensive understanding of God, so they lack humility before God and do not honor Him. For example, they may casually call God's name or even disregard Him, because they do not know the extent of God's authority. If you believe that the Lord you trust is the King of the world and the head of all things, your heart will naturally humble itself.
When you meet a king of the world, your heart is humble; how much more so with our Lord? Heaven and earth belong to Him; He is the head of all things, sitting in the highest position, which actually reveals His heavenly authority, Amen. David also recognized that wealth and honor come from God, knowing that sitting in the position of a king and enjoying this wealth and honor is a gift from God. Therefore, when we recognize God's omnipotence and how much He loves us, we are willing to pray to Him in everything.
You must know that praying to this God is your heavenly authority, which is equivalent to saying you can communicate with the King at any time and place, and this King is the head of all things, sitting in the highest position. You do not need to go through a middleman or face layers of restrictions; as long as you pray in the name of the Lord Jesus, our Lord will hear you. Although He is the head of all things, He has given you authority to pray to Him anytime and anywhere, Hallelujah!
David realized that this God has power and loves him so much. God can govern all things, filled with great power, and He can give people greatness and strength, Amen. When we are weak or fail, it is not scary; we must look up to our Lord in everything. He can make you great, make you victorious, and is willing to bless you. When you realize this, your heart will always be filled with faith. You know He loves you and is willing to bless you, Amen.
Our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name, sincerely thanking our Lord, because you have truly experienced this God. I hope brothers and sisters can experience this God in their lives. When encountering situations, pray to Him, seek with faith, and after experiencing this God, your gratitude to Him will not be a formula or imitation; it will be genuine, having seen Him in life and knowing how much He loves you. Praising Him and honoring Him will all come from the heart, Hallelujah.
Share the first point: The authority of Jesus is great, and He has given this authority to us.
Matthew 28:16-20:
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
During His three and a half years on earth, Jesus trained twelve disciples. Except for Judas Iscariot, the eleven disciples faithfully followed Jesus. Before Jesus returned to the kingdom of heaven, they went to the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. As Jesus was about to leave, He entrusted them with authority. Brothers and sisters, the authority of Jesus is great; all things belong to Him. Before leaving, He gave that authority to His people.
Verse 17 says, they saw Jesus and worshiped Him.
At that time, Jesus had already risen from the dead, and the disciples had seen the authority of the resurrected Jesus. They spent about forty days together, having witnessed Jesus healing people, delivering people, and performing many miracles. They now acknowledged that God is His Father, and He is the Son of God.
Although many people also saw Jesus, some still doubted. We do not need to discuss those who doubted, because doubt prevents the authority from manifesting its power in you unless you believe that God has given you this authority. Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Jesus rose from the dead, cleansed humanity's sins, and took all authority in heaven and on earth into His hands. This means that no matter what happens, when you pray to the Father in heaven, our Father is willing to give to you and willing to listen to your prayers. You have the authority to pray to Him, and our God also has the authority to bless you.
Verse 19, therefore go and make disciples of all nations.
What Jesus said to the disciples was also, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. I now give this authority to you, so you also go and do such things, preaching the gospel to all nations and making them disciples of Jesus." When we baptize others in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, or pray for others in the name of the Lord Jesus, the authority of the Father is manifested in us, Hallelujah.
In verse 20, teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.
How can we manifest God's authority? Believing in Jesus does not mean praying at home every day: "Lord, give me the power to perform miracles, let me turn a rabbit into a sheep today, how fun would that be!" No, God's authority is not for such things. Jesus gave us authority so that we can do things like Him, which is to preach the gospel to all nations, deliver people, and teach people using the words of Jesus. When we do not preach ourselves but only the words of Jesus, the power of God's authority is manifested through those words.
Why do so many miracles happen in the field of ministry? It is because we follow God's words, and the authority of those words is manifested through the disciples of Jesus, Amen. When Jesus walked on earth, He preached the gospel of the kingdom, taught people in synagogues, and healed all kinds of diseases. If you also do such things, honoring the Lord and telling the world what Jesus has done for them, that Jesus has forgiven their sins, and as long as they are willing to accept Jesus, He will give them the authority to be children of God. Preaching the gospel of God is using the authority of Jesus, and you will also see the power that comes from this authority.
Finally, God gives us a promise: "I am with you always, to the very end of the age." This "always with you" refers to experiencing God's presence in the field of ministry, during the process of preaching the gospel. Jesus was able to perform miracles in the past, and you can too; this is the application of authority, Hallelujah! Jesus gives us authority to help people, to preach the gospel, and to deliver souls. If the authority is misused, the power of Jesus' authority will not be visible. For example, cursing people in the name of the Lord Jesus will have no effect because God does not do such things, Amen.
Let’s look at another passage, Matthew 10:5-8:
5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Do not go on the road to Gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan city, 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you received; freely give.
Jesus chose these twelve people to preach the gospel, not to let them learn everything before preaching, but to let them learn while using it. During the three and a half years, Jesus did not let the disciples be filled with the Holy Spirit or receive various gifts to do the work. Instead, He let them first understand God's authority and see how Jesus used God's words. Then He gave authority to these twelve disciples and let them go out to use the power of God's words. So when these twelve went out, Jesus said, "Do not go on the road to Gentiles." What does this mean?
At that time, Jesus' ministry was mainly focused on the Jews, so He did not want the disciples to exceed this scope. After His death and resurrection, God said, "You will preach the gospel to the ends of the earth," but before that, there was a scope of ministry. If at that time, there were disciples who did not listen and ran to Samaria or throughout Judea to use God's authority, they would not see the realization of that authority. Therefore, when we seek God, we should not act according to our own will but follow God's way.
Thus, when sending these twelve people out, He said, "Do not go on the road to Gentiles; do not enter a Samaritan city; rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
At that time, the Israelites were the scope of Jesus' ministry. How should they do it? As they go, they should proclaim, "The kingdom of heaven has come near!" Because the Jews knew the law, they were waiting for the Messiah's arrival. Telling them that the kingdom of heaven has come near and that they should repent is something they can understand. If this message were applied to the Gentiles, they would not understand at all and would not see any power in those words. However, the people of Israel were different; they had been waiting for the Messiah's arrival because they were suffering and had no hope. As soon as someone proclaimed such a message, the people would definitely come to seek God.
This is why John the Baptist preached in the wilderness, shouting, "The kingdom of heaven has come near; you should repent!" The people of Israel, from the high-ranking officials to the commoners, went to John the Baptist because they knew the law. As soon as such a voice came out, the people knew that God was speaking to them. However, if you place that ministry in the land of the Gentiles, no one would know what you were doing. Therefore, when using the authority of God's words, wisdom is needed. Speak spiritual words to spiritual people, and do not give spiritual words to worldly people because they will not understand. Using professional terminology to explain to non-believers will not work because they simply do not understand.
For example, if you tell a non-believer about Emmanuel, they might think it is a horse. When we talk to them, it is better to directly tell them that Jesus loves them; they might understand that better. At that time, Jesus told the twelve, "Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." As they go, they should proclaim, "The kingdom of heaven has come near!" When they preach like this, they are using heavenly authority. During the preaching process, they can heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, and cast out demons. This authority will be manifested, Amen!
God's words should not be misused; they must be applied in the right place. When a person can understand and receive them, the effects of that authority can be realized. Moreover, when the disciples of Jesus did these things, Jesus told them, "Freely you received; freely give." Do not add anything to God's words that makes people feel that receiving the gospel is difficult or that healing is hard to attain. We should let people know that it is easy to receive the gospel. The gospel is free because it is the best and most precious; we cannot afford it, so God gives it to us for free. In the world, God gives us many things that are the most precious, but they are all given to us freely: air, rain, sunlight, all the best things are given to us freely.
The authority in the spiritual realm is used in the same way. God gives the best things to His children, allowing us to go to the field of the gospel, proclaim His grace, and when we preach His words, the power will be manifested through us, Hallelujah! When we accept the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. No matter where we go, the Holy Spirit is with us. When you call on God, He will help you, guide you, and comfort you.
Let’s look at another passage, Luke 10:17-19:
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
Jesus not only chose twelve disciples at that time, but later many people followed Him. Jesus appointed seventy-two people, sending them out two by two to preach the gospel. This can be understood as the process of preaching the gospel, which is actually using this heavenly authority. The disciples were not sent out as weak individuals but as children of God, going out with authority. You should think of yourself this way: you are using Jesus' authority, not as a weak person, but as the Most High Lord has placed His power upon you.
These seventy-two went out two by two and quickly returned to report to Jesus, joyfully saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Why could these demons submit to Jesus' disciples? It is not because they feared these people, but because the name of Jesus carries authority! When these disciples used the name of Jesus, the demons were cast out.
In the four Gospels of the New Testament, you will find that when Jesus cast out demons, He did not make a big fuss or exert great effort. He simply said, "You unclean spirit, come out of this person and do not enter again," and the demon had to come out. It is not the loudness of the voice that scares the demons, but the words carry authority, which is heavenly authority, Amen. A truly powerful person has authority in their words; it does not necessarily mean they speak very loudly.
In the Bible, there is a centurion whose beloved servant was sick and about to die. When he came to find Jesus, his faith was very great. He did not ask for anything else, nor did he ask Jesus to lay hands on his servant to pray. He said, "Lord, just say the word, and my servant will be healed!" He did not ask Jesus to shout several times; he just wanted Jesus to say one word. He knew that when Jesus spoke a word, it issued heavenly authority, and that word would surely come to pass.
Why did this centurion have such faith? Because he often used authority. Do you understand? The centurion commanded a hundred soldiers. Whatever he wanted to do, he just had to say to those around him, "You go do this." He did not need to let all one hundred people hear or watch them do the task because he knew that the words he spoke carried authority, and those below him would be punished if they did not listen! Therefore, he spoke and fully believed that the task would succeed. He thought of God's Son, Jesus, in this way: He would say one word, and his servant would surely be healed. This is the application of authority!
Brothers and sisters, the seventy-two were like this. After going out, they commanded the demons to leave in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the demons left. They saw a sick person and said, "In the name of the Lord Jesus, leave this sickness," and the sickness had to leave. Because these seventy-two saw how Jesus used authority, they also learned to live using this authority, Hallelujah! You do not need to have believed in the Lord for a long time or followed Jesus for a long time; as long as you believe, you already have this authority. John 1 clearly states that to all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God. What is the characteristic of the children of God? It is that God's authority is upon you, and you can use your Father's authority, Hallelujah!
Jesus said to these seventy-two, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." What happened? When the disciples used Jesus' authority to do the work, the power of Satan began to fall. Can you see this from the spiritual perspective? When you pray blessings for yourself or your family, God's blessings come upon you, and the power of the evil one falls away from that place. When you lay hands on someone and pray in the name of the Lord Jesus, the power of the evil one falls away from that person. When you realize you have this heavenly authority and go to do things, it will be different.
You cannot have a trial-and-error attitude: "I'll try it and see if the name of Jesus works." Holding a doubtful attitude diminishes that power. You cannot say to God, "Does it work? If Jesus doesn't work, I'll try another god." This is not acceptable, brothers and sisters; you must be certain that you have heavenly authority. Otherwise, the devil will deceive you, and you will become uncertain about whether you have this authority.
Luke 10:19 clearly states: "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions."
Brothers and sisters, Jesus clearly stated to the seventy-two, "I have given you authority." Do you know that God has given you authority? What does Matthew 28 say in the last chapter? "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." When Jesus sends you, He has already given you authority. Moreover, your understanding of Jesus now is greater than that of the seventy-two. The seventy-two had a relatively limited understanding of Jesus, yet they were able to use such authority. How much more so for you now?
Therefore, before you use authority, you must first believe that heavenly authority is already within you, and this authority is as great as Jesus' power, Amen! This authority allows you to trample on snakes and scorpions. In the Bible, the snake represents the devil. Snakes and scorpions refer to those dark forces or poisonous things that are harmful to us.
The authority God gives us is to trample on snakes and scorpions. What does this mean? It means you can easily overcome them! This is the authority God has given you. Many believers in Jesus magnify the power of the devil, as if overcoming the devil's power is extremely difficult, as if they have to battle the devil all night long, and only after much effort can they win. Some people pray, "I was exhausted last night! The devil tormented me, and I couldn't sleep at all. Finally, early in the morning, I overcame it..."
Every time we hear such words, we feel sad. What is being said here? When a scorpion crawls back and forth in front of you, how much strength do you need to overcome it? Do you need a whole night? Or an hour? Some say it is too simple; you can just step on it with one foot. That's right! Actually, Jesus says these words to tell all who believe in Him, "I have given you authority to easily trample on snakes and scorpions, these dark forces, these poisonous things. You can easily overcome them by the power of Jesus."
Later, it also says, "and to overcome all the power of the enemy."
Although the devil has some power, Jesus' power is greater, Amen. Therefore, do not always describe how powerful the devil is or how formidable the dark forces are, or how terrible your situation is, or how the mountain has crushed you. You should instead reflect on how great the authority Jesus has given you is, Amen! You may indeed feel pressure, but the authority God has given you has long surpassed that, Hallelujah!
Nothing will harm you. We must see in the spiritual realm that God has already given us this heavenly authority, Hallelujah! It has nothing to do with personal ability, appearance, or how long one has believed in the Lord. It is like an identity or a credential; as long as you have that credential, you can function anywhere. The name of Jesus has such power; no matter where or when, His power will not diminish! Amen!
God has given you this heavenly authority, so you should meditate on this authority more. If you feel weak recently, that’s okay; recharge by reading the Bible and meditating on God's words. If you do not know what to do now and lack certainty, you can pray to the Father in heaven. You can pray in the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will remind you again through God's words, letting you know the authority you possess. Once you understand, go and do things, and you will see the results of the ministry. Hallelujah!
Share the second point: We live with the authority of Christ.
Mark 16:15-20:
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name, they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and He sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His word by the signs that accompanied it.
This has been ongoing until now. Jesus told the disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. When Jesus sent the disciples out, He had already given them authority. It is not by the personal effort or ability of the disciples that things are done, but by the power of Jesus. Therefore, this is similar to the past envoys; it does not depend on the height of the person. As long as you hold the imperial edict, no one dares to look down on you! Because the power you hold is great, no one dares to despise it.
You are doing things with the authority of Jesus, Hallelujah! We preach the gospel to all creation with the authority of Jesus, and do not mistake your enemy. Our only enemy is the devil, so to overcome the devil, you can use the authority of Jesus.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. When we preach the gospel to people, there will always be some who believe. This authority we tell some people is, "I know this authority is truly great." Some may say, "Aren't you talking nonsense?" Some believe, and they will be saved! If they do not believe, then this authority will not be manifested in them. Signs will accompany those who believe; everything is related to faith, and this authority is related to faith, Hallelujah!
If people do not believe in this authority, they will not see the effects. Unlike some things in the world, first believe that the authority of Jesus is already upon you, and the Holy Spirit has already dwelled in your heart. Continuously know Jesus and be more certain that this authority is upon you. When you go to do the work, you will see the results: in the name of Jesus, cast out demons, speak in new tongues, pick up snakes, and if you drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt you; when you lay hands on the sick, they will get well. These are all applications of authority.
Dear family, some may say, "You say casting out demons in the Lord's name is an application of authority. How can speaking in new tongues also be an application of authority?" Because God has given you a privilege; all who believe in Jesus, if willing, God will give you the gift of tongues. Isn't that authority? This is also an application of authority. Do not understand that using authority means only casting out demons or healing the sick; it is not necessarily so.
This authority may prove your identity while allowing you to speak the words of the kingdom. With the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, you can feel peace and joy, and then you are filled with faith. This is all an application of authority, heavenly authority. You can pick up snakes; if you drink any deadly poison, this refers to being in the field of ministry. If you encounter danger, our God, His authority can help you pass through safely; you will not be harmed by these poisons, Amen.
After Jesus spoke to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God. Jesus sitting at the right hand of God does not mean He has no authority. The book of Romans tells us that Jesus is still interceding for us, giving you strength so that you can have faith to use His authority to overcome the power of the devil. Many times, we always doubt. When we doubt, we become weak, and when we are weak, we start to have all kinds of negative thoughts. At this time, Jesus prays for you; or some people encourage you and comfort you through God's words, helping you to recognize the authority God has given you. When your faith is restored, you can overcome your circumstances.
In verse 20, the disciples went out and preached everywhere.
Everyone must remember that miracles are not received by waiting at home, nor is it by praying every day, "Lord, show me a miracle so I can see you, and I will believe you..." It is not like that, brothers and sisters. You will see the power of authority in the process of using God's words and preaching the gospel. The authority of God is mainly used in the ministry of saving souls, Amen. It is not for personal use to satisfy one's vanity. Many spiritual gifts were present in the Corinthian church, but because they did not know how to use this authority, they misused it and attacked each other, leading to many being weak, sick, and many dying young. It seems that this authority was of no benefit to them.
At first, Jesus sent the disciples out to preach the gospel. What is the purpose of preaching the gospel? To save souls, to release souls, to let people know what Jesus did on the cross. Such ministry will surely bring comfort to others. The Lord worked with them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it. Simply put, if you believe this word, this word has power and authority. When you apply this word to yourself or others, and that person also believes, they will see that this word is true and will produce miracles because there is no word from God that lacks power.
John 14:12-16:
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. 15 If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.
This is the authority Jesus gives us. He clearly tells us that whoever believes in Him will do the works He has been doing. So you should carefully look at what Jesus did on earth. He preached the gospel of the kingdom, taught people in synagogues, and healed all kinds of diseases. We should also do such things to see the authority truly manifested.
You may ask for anything in my name, and I will do it. This also refers to the field of ministry. When you encounter problems or difficulties, pray to God, and God helps us, fulfilling a certain prayer. You will see that God is truly with us. Because of such things, we give glory to our Father in heaven, Hallelujah! So Jesus means that whatever you ask in His name, He will do it. This is the application of the name of Jesus. The authority God gives us is sufficient for us to overcome many things in life.
If you love me, you must keep my commands. Brothers and sisters, read the Bible more to understand how to apply God's laws. If you misuse authority, it will not work, Amen. When you accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart. The Holy Spirit also accomplishes all things through the words of Jesus. It is not that God can accomplish all things apart from the Bible; no! All things accomplished by the Holy Spirit will not contradict the words of Christ. The authority God gives us is to build people up, not to destroy them.
Let’s look at a passage, 2 Corinthians 10:4-8:
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. 7 You are looking at things as they are. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. 8 For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.
This is Paul’s encouragement to the Corinthians. He saw that the people in the Corinthian church were misusing authority, not building people up but rather destroying each other. Paul tells them that our weapons of warfare are not of the flesh. How do we overcome the devil? I have already mentioned that it is by using the name of Jesus.
The name of Jesus can break down every stronghold before the devil, demolishing every argument and pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. It can take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. If someone is disobedient, they will not see the manifestation of this authority. The Corinthians were unwilling to obey Christ and used their gifts to attack each other, so they did not see the great power of authority manifested. Paul saw this and knew how to use this authority. Therefore, he said, "I am ready to punish every act of disobedience once your obedience is complete."
Here, the disobedient people refer to those false teachers who were disobedient and led some people astray. They claimed to belong to Christ. Therefore, Paul told them to think again about how they belong to Christ. If you belong to Christ, why would you do things that destroy others? The Lord gives us authority to build people up. When has He ever destroyed anyone? Even when He rebukes people, it is to hope that they will repent and receive His life.
Everyone must remember that if authority is not applied in our lives, it may be misused. God gives us all authority to build people up, whether to build yourself or to build others, but it must not be used to destroy people, Hallelujah! I hope everyone can understand this. If you follow God's spiritual laws and the laws of using authority, you will see this authority released correctly.
It is like everything in the world has rules and laws. If you violate them, you will not see the effects manifested! You cannot expect water and fire to coexist; that is impossible, brothers and sisters. You must use God's authority to do things that do not contradict God's words; otherwise, the authority will not be visible in you, no matter how many gifts or abilities you have. The authority God gives you is meant to build others up. If you have the heart to build others up, to make others better, to benefit others, and have a compassionate heart, then God's power will be manifested through you, Hallelujah!
Finally, let’s look at a passage, Ephesians 4:11-13:
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
In the world, God has established many positions for us and has given different roles to different people. But regardless of how many positions there are or how much authority God has given us, all these spiritual gifts we use are meant to build up the body of Christ. God has given apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Is there a greatest position? There is no distinction of size; it is like asking which is more important, the hand or the foot? They are equally important and indispensable. The hand and foot need to work together to accomplish things that individual body parts cannot do. Therefore, Christians need to be united in Christ, pray for each other, and build up the body of Christ, so we all benefit. If we attack each other, bite and devour one another, we will ultimately fail.
Therefore, regardless of how many positions there are or where God’s authority is applied, we must fulfill the ministry. What does "each doing their part" mean? It means that whatever position or gift God has given you, work together with others to build up the body of Christ, which is to build others up, Amen.
Teachers have their way, pastors have their way, and apostles have their way. Until we all reach unity in the faith, that is, each of us may have different understandings of Christ, but in different fields, using the authority Jesus has given us will ultimately lead us to know the Son of God, grow up, build others up, comfort others, and be united together, thus growing into the fullness of Christ, Hallelujah! Therefore, the heavenly authority God gives us is to build ourselves up and also to build others up.
If you do not know how to do it, you can pray to our Father in heaven. When you are weak, we need others to use Jesus' authority to comfort us and build us up. Brothers and sisters, Jesus teaches us how to pray. He knows we will certainly have weaknesses, but at the same time, He restores our faith through His words.
Every time we come before Him, we know we possess heavenly authority. When we see the weak, we can help them. When we are weak, we can also pray with our fellow believers, standing together and moving forward. Thank you, praise the Lord. Therefore, in prayer, brothers and sisters can be united; in prayer, many grievances can be resolved; in prayer, we can love one another.
Brothers and sisters, when many people pray together, their relationships will grow closer. When you think of prayer, you may know we are praying to God, but when you pray with brothers and sisters, the heavenly authority will operate among you, and your relationships will grow closer, and you will also build each other up. Thank you, praise the Lord. I hope brothers and sisters can encounter situations, have hope, and pray to our Lord.
Let us pray together
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for comforting us through such words, for the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever. You know we will encounter temptations and problems on earth. We possess heavenly authority, not to destroy people, but to build them up, to bring comfort and the good news of Christ to people. Heavenly Father, I learn to use this heavenly authority, not only to build myself up but also to build those who listen to me. Thank you and praise you. I am willing to be a channel of blessing. In the new week, I will live with the glory of Christ and the authority of Christ, experiencing your great power and building up those around me. All glory belongs to you. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.