Contributor: Leye Olayiwola
INTRODUCTION
It's the end of the First Quarter since we began our study on the "Believers Authority" by Brother Kenneth E. Hagin. It's been very revealing and empowering. We will be looking at the summary of all the studies, so far, in today's meeting. Fasten your seat belt as we take off on this memorable journey of the Believers Authority!
Lesson 1: THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVER [EPH.1:16-20; 3:14-19, LUK.10:19-20]
A) The Prayers of Paul (Eph.1:16-20; 3:14-19)
• We are encouraged to pray for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.” And for “the eyes of our understanding being enlightened”.
• We are also encouraged to pray “to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man”.
• We are also encouraged to pray “that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; that we, being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.
B) Dominion over Principalities, Powers, Rulers of Darkness & Spiritual wickedness in Heavenly Places; Eph.6:12,
• We need to realize that we have authority through Christ over all levels of the kingdom of darkness.
• Our wrestling is with evil spiritual forces.
• Those who live in Christ have been given every spiritual gift and are made alive and enthroned with Christ in the heavenly reality (Eph.1:3; 2:6).
C) The Authority of the Believer; Luk.10:19-20
• We receive this authority when we are born again. As we are made new creatures in Christ Jesus, we inherit the Name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we can use it in prayer against the enemy.
• We need to know what belongs to us. Jesus said, (John 8:32).
Lesson 2: WHAT IS AUTHORITY? [LUKE 10:19-20]
A) SCRIPTURE ANALYSIS
• Luke 10:19 says: "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."
Although the word "power" is used twice in this verse, 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...."
B) AUTHORITY DEFINED
• Authority is defined as delegated power; the power to give orders or make decisions: the power or right to direct or control someone or something.
The value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority. God Himself is the power behind our authority!
C) “SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS"
• In speaking about "serpents and scorpions," Jesus was talking about the power of the devil—demons, evil spirits, and all his cohorts. We need to realize that we've got authority over them!
• The believer who thoroughly understands that the power of God is backing him can exercise his authority and face the enemy fearlessly.
Lesson 3: GOD'S MIGHTIEST WORK God's [Ephesians 1:18-23]
A) GOD'S MIGHTIEST WORK (Ephesians 1:19-20)
• Verse 19: "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." In other words, there was such an overwhelming display of God's power in raising Jesus from the dead that this actually was the mightiest work of God ever recorded!
• God wants us to know that He has set Christ "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named...." (Eph. 1:21).
B) THE SOURCE OF OUR AUTHORITY (Ephesians 2:5-6)
• The source of our authority is found in the resurrection and exalting of Christ by God.
• When we realize that the authority that belongs to Christ also belongs to individual members of the Body of Christ and that this is available to us, our lives will be revolutionized! (1 Cor.12:12-14,27)
C) SEATED WITH CHRIST (1 Corinthians 6:17)
• We are one with Christ. We are Christ. We are seated at the right hand of the Majesty on High. All things have been put under our feet.
• Believers are very "cross" conscious and not "throne" conscious. We should not just remain at the cross. We need to go on to Pentecost, the Ascension, and the throne!
• The elevation of Christ's people with Him into the heavenlies clearly points to the fact that we are to sit with Him, sharing not only His throne but also His authority. That authority belongs to us! (Romans 5:17)
LESSON 4: MAINTAINING BALANCE [ECCLESIASTES 7:18]
A) WHAT IS BALANCE AND WHY DO WE NEED IT?
• Balance is “a state in which different things occur in equal or proper amounts or have an equal or proper amount of importance or in the correct proportions”. It also refers to an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.
• We need balance because the lack of it means we are thrown into extremes; and that is where the enemy wants us to be. (Eccl.7:18 NIV)
• We need balance because anyone can take any subject—including the authority of the believer—push it to the extreme, and it becomes harmful and ceases to bless. It's easy to get into the ditch on either side of the road—into excess, wild fire, and fanaticism.
B) EXAMPLE OF THE NEGATIVE EXTREME
• Reverend M. J. Divine, was an African American spiritual leader from about 1907 until his death. After studying these scriptures we have been studying begin to reason that: “If we are Christ, then I am Christ. Christ is God, so I am God." He founded a popular cult and his followers worshiped him.
C) EXAMPLE OF THE “POSITIVE” EXTREME
• The only reason why a “positive extreme” may exist is solely because of lack of knowledge. (Romans 10:2; Proverbs 19:2a). For instance, in 2004 a Taiwanese man jumped into the enclosure of lions in a zoo and shouted, "Jesus will save you!" Cable TV stations showed the lion ripping off the man’s jacket as he stood in a grassy enclosure that held two of the animals.
D) EXAMPLE OF THE BALANCED
• John Alexander Dowie, a Scotsman who received a revelation about divine healing while ministering before the turn of the century in Australia, crossed the ocean many times during his lifetime. He encountered many storms, but said every time a storm came up, he did what Jesus did: He rebuked the storm and it always ceased. (John 14:12).
LESSON 5: BREAKING THE POWER OF THE DEVIL [EPHESIANS 6:12; COL.1:12, 13]
A) THE FALL OF THE FIRST ADAM - ADAM'S TREASON (Genesis 3:1-6)
Following are Satan's strategies;
• Deception (vs 1): Satan knows what God said, however, in order to get Eve's attention, he deliberately twisted the truth.
• Imperceptions (vs 3): It was never mentioned in Genesis 2:16-17 that God said to Adam not to touch the tree. Lesson here is never stay in the vicinity of what you should be avoiding. Sin is subtle and we therefore need to always be sensitive or perceptive.
• Opposition of the Word (vs 4): Satan will always counter or oppose the Word of God in our lives, howbeit subtly. God says "the wages of sin is death" and Satan says "the wages of sin is pleasure"
• Prioritising Pleasure (vs 5): This is one of the wiles of the devil. He only lay emphasis on the good side (pleasure of sin). Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.(
• Abominable becoming Acceptable (vs 6): When you "walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners and sis in the seat of the scornful" long enough, evil things become naturally good and attractive to you.
B) THE VICTORIOUS RISE OF THE SECOND ADAM (1 Corinthians 15:45-47)
• Our New Spiritual Nature (1 Cor.15:45): Man was created, originally, a spirit-being, in the image of God. After the fall of first Adam, he died by loosing this spiritual nature. Thank God for Jesus Christ, the bible says He become the life-giving spirit. Through this, we have regained our God-nature, our victorious nature. (1 John5:4)
• Conferred Power & Authority (Luke 10:19): Our new creature nature has conferred on us Power and Authority over serpents and scorpions. Serpents and scorpions are symbolic of the inferior power of the enemy (Satan). Take note of the word "have given". This simply means we (believers) already have this Power. We are not going to have it.
LESSON 6: AUTHORITY NOW [EPHESIANS 6:10 - 18]
A) A FEW GROUND RULES
• We must remember that although we are in the world, we are not of the world. (John 17:16)
• Satan's running a lot of what is here on earth, but he's not running everything! And definitely not you and me! (Romans 6:14)
• He's not running the Church. (Matt. 16:18)
• He's not dominating us; we can dominate him. (Luke 10:19)
• We have authority over him! (Luke 10:19)
B) DEALING WITH IGNORANCE
• The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. There are even sincere Christians who believe that demons or the devil do not really exist, but are metaphors for serious human problems.
• Added to this is the erroneous belief that there is nothing we can do about him! But Ephesians 6:10-18 paints a different picture.
• We need to build these truths into our lives by meditating and feeding upon them until they become a part of our consciousness. (Luke 10:19)
• Naturally speaking, we eat certain foods every day because doctors tell us we need certain vitamins, minerals, etc., to build strong bodies. There are spiritual "vitamins" and "minerals," so to speak, we need to take every day, too, to be healthy Christians. (John 8:32)
C) WHY GIVE POWER AND AUTHORITY THAT CANNOT BE EXERCISED?
• All the authority that can be exercised upon the earth has to be exercised through the Church (you and me), because Christ is not here in person—in His physical body. (matt.28:18)
• The Church in this century does not have less authority than it did right after Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and seating at the Father's right hand. If it has less authority today, it would have been better for Jesus not to have died. But no, bless God, we have authority.
• Exercising or taking authority implies rebuking, commanding, binding, casting out, loosening and giving orders in Jesus’ name! The devil may try to challenge your authority by his cunning suggestions but we know that when a king gives an order, he knows it's going to be carried out.
LESSON 7: HOW TO DEAL WITH THE DEVIL [JOHN 14:13-14]
A) A SUBTLE WEAPON OF THE ENEMY – “UNBELIEF & DOUBT”
• Unbelief and doubt especially against the ability of the Almighty God, His promises and our position in Christ is a subtle weapon the devil uses against us. We usually don’t easily identify it because it’s not aggressive!
B) DEALING WITH THE DEVIL AND HIS OPERATIONS
• Operation #1: He sends evil (temptation) ahead. Targeting our minds and using the weapon of lies and deception (Genesis 3:1-7) - (a) Counter temptation with the word of God (Matt.4:1-11); (b) Look out for the way of escape (1 Cor.10:13); (c) Don't meddle with Evil (1 Thess 5:22)
• Operation #2: He sends his agents (demons, sickness) to steal, kill and destroy. Targeting our bodies using the weapon of suffering and afflictions. (John 10:10a) - (a) Take authority over them (Luke 10:19; Acts 3:6).
• Operation #3: He toils with our emotions – our wills using the weapon of pride - (a) Give no room for the works of the flesh. (Eph.4:26-27); (b) Run from sin. (1 Corinthians 6:18a; 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Corinthians 10:14). You don’t get any brownie points for hanging around sin!
• Operation #4: Discouragement! - Refuse to be discouraged!
• Operation #5: He engages himself (but only when you give him a foothold)- (a) Resist him by first submitting to God (James 4:7); (b) Use the Blood (Rev.12:11); (c) Set him up - against the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 59:19b).
LESSON 8: FAITH'S ROLE IN AUTHORITY [MARK 9:17-29]
A) THE RELATIONSHIP
There is an important link between faith and exercising authority! The understanding of this is mostly the missing link why some Christians cannot manifest in their authority. Authority is only realized through faith in God’s Word; therefore, authority and faith must go hand in hand working together.
B) FAITH GIVES ACCESS TO AUTHORITY
• Faith is involved in exercising spiritual authority by providing access to authority. And authority will not become a force within us until we take God‘s Word to heart and obey it—through Faith. (Mark 9:17-29)
• Authority is exercised with confidence not doubt or timidity. Authority comes from the heart not from the head. Authority demonstrates and speaks in accordance or agreement with God‘s authority.
C) AUTHORITY IS HINGED ON KNOWLEDGE
• Our authority is dependent upon our knowledge and understanding of the situation we are in. Without knowledge, it is impossible to have faith. (John 6:69)
• The opposite of knowledge is ignorance; and that is a realm the enemy wants people to live in! If Satan can get us to believe that this authority was only for a certain few disciples and apostles then and not for us now, we will have doubt in exercising it.
D) PITFALLS TO LOOK OUT FOR
• Faith Based on Manifestation
• Discouragement
• Failing to Obey Authority
LESSON 9: EXERCISING AUTHORITY [EPH.1:19-22, 2:4-6]
A) Christ’s Position with God; Eph.1:19-22
• When Jesus rose from the dead, he already defeated the host of hell according to Col.2:15
• Then God raised Him and seated Him at His right hand in heavenly places, the position of authority and power.
• His position and authority is far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. All other authority is made subject to Christ.
• This authority is exercise on earth through the name of Jesus Christ which is above every name. (Phil.2:9-11)
B) Our Position in Christ Jesus; Eph.2:4-6
• The moment we are born again, our sins are not only forgiven, we are also made a new creature. (2 Cor.5:17).
• Our new identity in Christ Jesus made us to be joint heir with Christ and heir of His father. (Romans 8:16-17)
• This new positional reality was confirmed when Jesus rose from the dead and we were raised and seated with Him in heavenly places. In the mind of God, we were raised when Christ was raised. When Christ sat down, we sat down, too.
C) The Authority of Our Position; Luke 10:19
• Our authority to trample on all powers of the devil is because of our seating position in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph.2:6)
• Christ is not only seated at the right hand of the Father, above all the powers in Satan's realm, but we're there, too, because God "hath raised us up together." Not only have we been made to sit, but notice where we are sitting: "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion...."
• All the authority that was given to Christ belongs to us through Him, and we can exercise it. We help Him by carrying out His work upon the earth.
