Authority of Christ

Man was created from the dust of the ground; woman was created from the rib of man who came from the dust of the ground. All men and all women had their beginning from the dust of the ground and an overwhelming majority of them think they are qualified to sit in judgment of the word of their creator. It’s incredible — pieces of dirt tossed here and there by every gust of wind arrogantly forming opinions of the word of God. Not only this, but many of these pieces of dirt think they have all authority in heaven and on earth. They are adamant about it.

I grieve for my fellow pieces of dirt. Most of them don’t have a clue about the God they think they are serving. They read His word and see all the miracles Jesus performed and they immediately want that same power, so they pick and choose verses of Scripture to convince themselves that they have a right to that power. They then preach and teach it to others even though they themselves can’t even make it rain, much less raise the dead and heal the sick.

When I say most of them don’t have a clue about the God they claim to serve, I mean they appear to be unaware of who He really is. They seem to think of God as an acquaintance to hang around with. They crave the power He has, and want what they mistakenly assume is rightfully theirs. In other words, they act like spoiled brats.

They are so busy telling themselves and others they have the authority of Christ, that humility escapes them. Rather than learning obedience from the things which they suffer, they barrel against suffering by twisting the Scriptures they think prove they are equal with God in power and authority. They run from adversity claiming promises, rebuking, declaring, and decreeing. They use every trick they can find to escape the discipline of the Lord. They don’t care about God, they just want His power so they can breeze through life without any consequences. These people are what the word of God calls hypocrites and illegitimate children. Again, humility escapes them.

When I was born again I could not help but walk in humility. I had experienced the presence of the Son of the living God. I walk that way to this day. I have tasted the compassion of God’s mercy and the generosity of His grace, and the infinite depths of love that spring from both the Father and Son. How can one not walk humbly before Him?

I would never claim a promise from such a loving Father, even in the name of His Son. I can’t think of anything lower than a human being demanding something from Him, as if he had a right to it, or declaring and decreeing that He make something happen for them.

Dear ones, the Holy Spirit does so much more than hand out gifts. He leads us down the path of submitting to the Lord and learning obedience from the things which we suffer. He does this for our good, that we may share God’s holiness, Hebrews 12:10. It is without a doubt the Holy Spirit is powerful, but He uses His power in a myriad of ways. He is our Comforter and our Guide into all the truth. He is holy; He is holy; He is holy; how dare someone attempt to use Him to make himself appear spiritual.

As for those who claim to have the authority of Christ, Jesus lived a life of suffering and obedience and was crucified and raised from the dead before He was given all authority in heaven and on earth. These people think they can just lay claim to the authority given Him after He had fulfilled the perfect will of God. How arrogant is that?

Some might call attention to Jesus giving authority over all the power of the devil to the twelve and the seventy. But He had to give them authority because they were separate from Him. Since the day of Pentecost, we are no longer separate from Him. We are now members of His risen body, the church, a new creation. We now walk by faith in Him and in His name, not by authority.

Why would anyone need authority if they have faith in the name of Jesus? Peter said the lame man at the gate of the temple was made whole by faith in the name of Jesus. He said nothing about authority. Doing something in the name of Jesus is not doing it with His authority; it is doing it through faith in His name.

Peter made this perfectly clear:

In Acts 3:6, Peter spoke to the man who had been lame his entire life and 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!”

Then in Acts 3:16, he explained how the healing of the lame man was accomplished:

16 And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

So all who think they have the authority of Christ are just spitting in the wind, and, at the same time, raising themselves up to a lofty place, which will one day bring punishment upon themselves:

2 Corinthians 10:5-6,

5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

Woe to those who do not learn to obey and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ:

Hebrews 12:8,

8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant

Category: Authority of Christ

Spoiled Brats