Authority and Power

 

In the simplest terms, our authority and power come from Christ Jesus to do whatever He calls upon us to do for Him.

 

He has been given all authority and power in heaven and on earth. He has the name above all names as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

 

 

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

Matthew 28:18 KJV

 

 

 

Power: in some versions translated “authority”

    • Strong’s Number 1849

https://www.biblehub.com/greek/1849.htm

Strong’s Concordance

exousia: power to act, authority

Original Word: ἐξουσία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: exousia
Phonetic Spelling: (ex-oo-see’-ah)
Definition: power to act, authority
Usage: (a) power, authority, weight, especially: moral authority, influence, (b) in a quasi-personal sense, derived from later Judaism, of a spiritual power, and hence of an earthly power.

 

HELPS Word-studies

1849 eksousía (from 1537 /ek, “out from,” which intensifies 1510 /eimí, “to be, being as a right or privilege”) – authority, conferred power; delegated empowerment (“authorization”), operating in a designated jurisdiction.

In the NT, 1849 /eksousía (“delegated power”) refers to the authority God gives to His saints – authorizing them to act to the extent they are guided by faith (His revealed word).

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Thayer’s Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1849: ἐξουσία

ἐξουσία, ἐξουσίας, ἡ (from ἔξεστι, ἐξόν, which see), from Euripides, Xenophon, Plato down; the Sept. for מֶמְשָׁלָה and Chaldean שָׁלְטָן; power.

    1. the power of rule or government(the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed (generally translated authority));
    2. universally: Matthew 28:18; Jude 1:25; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 17:13;

 

 

 

The Father gave all authority to Jesus, and so much so, that one cannot know the Father unless Jesus decides to reveal the Father to the individual.

 

All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Matthew 11:27 KJV

 

 

He passes that authority and power onto His disciples, the Body of Christ.

 

 

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. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Luke 10:19-20 KJV

 

 

He gives us the power to tread “over all the power of the enemy”. Our rejoicing for this is to be that we are in Him; just as our power comes from Him. So, who or what can stand against us?

 

 

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31 KJV

 

 

The first lesson here is that we have no authority except that which comes to us from Jesus Christ, the Son. Thus, Christ is the head, and we are His followers, the body. The body has a voice, but it must be aligned with the head, the mind of Christ. Through faith and faithfulness as we persevere over time, we are becoming more like Christ Jesus through our sanctification, gaining greater position and authority as we walk with the Lord. They, position and authority, are His to give, not ours to take. But give them He will, as we learn to walk with Him, gaining the mind of Christ.

 

Every believer has some sort or level of authority. It is as we grow that the sort of authority we have may change or increase in different areas and the level increases as we learn to walk in that authority. The most important increase, however, is the depth of our intimacy with Almighty God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Obedience, thanksgiving, love, and humility are the ways we exhibit the intimacy of our relationship with God.

 

We are to be God’s yes and amen. Amen: A word of biblical Hebrew origin, expressing an affirmative response or agreement. Its basic meaning is “so be it” or “it is so”. It also means “certainty” or “truth”. We affirm the word of God, “truth”, and the will of God, “so be it”. Amen and Amen. We are to be His yes and amen people who come into agreement with Him, His word, and His will.

 

Jesus Christ also described what His disciples will do. Are we those “who have believed”, as described by Jesus?

 

 

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Mark 16:17-18 KJV

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measurable Power

 

 

Measurable, accumulative amounts of power exist in the realm of the spirit.

  • Certain amounts must be released in order to accomplish certain things.
  • Different levels for different situations.
    • For both power and faith.

 

 

But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Mark 6:4-6 KJV

 

 

  • Sufficient power was released to do a few healings but not enough to do miracles.
  • Differing amounts are needed for different situations.
    • The problem wasn’t with Jesus.
      • The amount of power and authority He possessed hadn’t wavered, nor changed, nor had His faith wavered.
    • Their unbelief blocked enough power which prevented a miracle.

 

  • Likewise, our corporate faith level, when we gather, affects what Holy Spirit can accomplish.
  • Like the disciples in Matthew 17:14-21.
    • This required more power than they possessed.
    • A man whose son was possessed and often fell into the fire.

 

  • We are the conduits of God’s power.
    • Typically, it does not happen simply by our asking Him to do it, but in partnering with Him, as conduits of His power.
    • His desire is for us to release the power into the situation.
    • Often not once and done, but consistently releasing power until what has been asked for is completed.

 

  • Also, the prayer of agreement multiplies power and is often needed.

 

  • Elijah labored in prayer diligently even though it was:
    • God’s timing.
    • God’s idea.
    • God’s will.
    • God’s promise.

 

  • Not casual prayer, but fervent prayer.

 

 

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

James 5:16-18 KJV

 

 

  • So why did he have to pray fervently, seven times?
    • He had to persevere until his intercession released enough power into the heavens to produce the rain.

  

  • God’s power is not limited.
    • He chooses to work in the earth through humans.

 

  • Daniel’s prayer was responsible for the releasing of the angel.
    • It also contributed to overcoming the spiritual warfare.

 

  • Perseverance in prayer is to release more of God’s power.

 

 

 Ekklesia Part Three – A Deeper Look

A look at who we are in Christ. As His Ekklesia, and as the Body of Christ, we act under His authority and in the power of Holy Spirit to carry on with the work of the Kingdom of God.