Stange 12.4.2011
-God given authority.
- Throughout all the earth, we can see the great results of the work of Christ, and His salvation spreads to all nations and all people groups. The gospel is the power of salvation for everyone who believes to the Jews first and thereafter to the Greek, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written; but the righteous man shall live by faith. (Romans 1.16-17)
Downwards, I want to show that the authority Jesus has, he has made available for the Church; that means also to everybody who is born again and puts his faith in Him.
Matthew 28.18-20: And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying: All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Before Jesus left the earth and sat down by the right hand of the Father, he gave a commission to his disciples and this commission even is for the Church today.
The commission is possible to fulfil because all authority, both in Heaven and on earth, is given to Jesus. Because of that he tells us: Go therefore out!
Jesus paid the price that was necessary for the man to come back in right position towards God and get full restoration. Through what he did; through his death and resurrection, he demonstrated not only his power but he made it possible to cooperate with mankind, because through the Church he could continue to work out his power for salvation to all men.
So, also after he left; he still has authority even on earth through his body, which is the Church.
Because he got all the power; all the authority, we can go out. That means that we can make use of this power, and we do it by faith in the name of Jesus! The authority is within that name, because of what he did. In his name there is power: power for salvation, healing, deliverance, yes power to get part of all the promises in the Bible.
Through the blood of Christ we are partakers in the new covenant which is established in his blood. Therefore we are in covenant with the creator of the entire universe, and because of that covenant, he is standing together with you and me and all what he has is available for us.
In Mark we find the great commission with some other words: Mark. 16.15-18: And he said to them, go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. And all these signs will accompany those who have believed; in my name they will cast out demons, they will speak with other tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
This is what we are supposed to live in as believers; God’s purpose for our life.
David, he had a close relationship with the Lord and he knew how to use the name of God in battle. When he quickly was approaching Goliath, he said boldly: You come to me with sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. (1. Sam.17.45)
In the same way Peter was conscious to use the name of Jesus facing the beggar at the gate of the temple: But Peter said. I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene – walk!
Peter was the one who confessed clearly about Jesus: You are the Christ, the son of the living God. After that confession Jesus answered: Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father who is in heaven. Then he continued: And I say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. I will give you the keys for the kingdom of heaven and whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.(Matthew 16.16-19.
Israel and the Church are in covenant with the creator of the universe. God’s covenant partner concerning Israel is Abraham and concerning the Church; The Son of man. And the covenant with Abraham was supposition for the new covenant. Through the covenant with Abraham, God got the possibility to let his son be born in the family tree of Abraham (The Jews). And through Jesus, the Jew, can all people get access to what God has, including his authority. The salvation comes from the Jews but embraces all people groups. The gospel shall be preached for all people groups, Jesus said, and then the end will come.
Make use of your God given authority which is given you in Christ Jesus. Use his name; take on all the armour of God, according to Ephesians 6, and go into the battle! And then, be standing after being victorious in all things.
But don’t forget about preparing yourselves for the battle first. Under preparation we are receiving power, when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. Then we can be his witnesses, to the remotest part of the earth.
