Walking in the authority Jesus gave you, releases God’s power over demons and influence with people. Learn to walk in your authority as a believer.
Authority means “power to command” devils. It also means “the ability to influence thought, opinion, and behavior.” (Merriam Webster Online Dictionary) Jesus gave you His authority to have power over devils and influence with people.
0:00 Walking in Jesus’ Authority Releases God’s Power
0:45 The Day Demons Came to Church
3:54 What the Bible Says About Your Authority
5:03 Even The Winds And The Waves Obey You.
6:19 Agatha’s Intercessors and the Typhoon
7:44 Activation
*The Day Demons Came to Church
I tell the story about the morning a demon possessed woman came to our small, country church and how through using the authority Jesus gave us, she was delivered and born again. This scene wasn't in Hong Kong or China, where I had several encounters with demons, but in a small, country church in the Northeastern U.S.
Some people will struggle with this story because I openly talk about demons and some Christians really don't believe in them or that we have authority over them. They are real. But we don’t need to run away from them. We have authority over them. The Bible says so.
Matthew 10:1, 7-8 NIV
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, a drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Luke 10:19
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.
And after Jesus rose from the dead, he told his disciples: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Matthew 28:18
Then he told them to go in that authority and make disciples of all nations.
*Even The Winds And The Waves Obey You.
Jesus was sleeping in a small boat as he and the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee. A violent storm hit them. The disciples were terrified the boat would sink. They woke Jesus up.
Mark 4:39-40 completes the story. “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Jesus was actually upset with his disciples. He expected them to take authority over the storms of life, just as they would later cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead. They clearly didn’t understand – not yet. But later they would.
Jesus had just shown them that he had dominion, he had authority, over the earth and everything in it – even storms.
He gave that authority to you, to me, to even the least of believers. If we have faith and walk in Jesus’ authority we will release God’s power to deal with problems and situations including demons and the storms of life.
*Agatha’s Intercessors and the Typhoon
Years ago, while living in Hong Kong, I had the privilege of attending a small dinner with Dick Eastman, international prayer leader and President of Every Home for Christ. Dick told this story.
Agatha Chan, a prayer leader in Hong Kong, invited Dick to conduct a conference on prayer. Dick came to Hong Kong. But before the conference, they got news that a powerful typhoon was coming directly toward Hong Kong. It would hit while the conference was in session.
Hour after hour the typhoon drew nearer. Agatha Chan gathered a group of intercessors who prayed and took authority over that typhoon. At the last minute, the typhoon made a radical turn and missed Hong Kong altogether.
The conference went on as scheduled.
I was amazed as Dick told this story. I had gone to that prayer conference. Suddenly, this story came alive to me. I had been there. Like most people, I was surprised when the typhoon made a sudden, unpredicted turn and veered away from us. That was very unusual. I didn’t know why it turned until Dick told us.
Agatha and her intercessors went to Jesus, picked up His authority, and used it over that typhoon so many people in Hong Kong could develop deeper prayer lives. That was a great conference.
God’s plan from the very beginning was to give you and I the authority of Jesus, to be used for God’s glory and to destroy the works of the devil. God has never changed His plan. You have Jesus’ authority.
ACTIVATION:
You need to believe that your simple faith brings all the authority of Jesus rushing to help you. When you exercise this authority, you release God's power. Go, walk in the authority Jesus gives you. Be bold. Command the storms in your life to go away. Walk in Jesus’ authority, releasing God’s power into your life and the lives of those you love.