Authority (Part 2)

God is still seeking for someone to go forth with His authority:

Isaiah 6:8 "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?"

God gave a measure of His authority to men and women in Old Testament times, but the full revelation of His power and authority came through Jesus Christ.  Jesus knew He had this authority according to Matthew 28:18:

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth."

Jesus continually demonstrated that He had authority:

Matthew 9:6 "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith He to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house."

Jesus received His authority from God and with it He triumphed over all the powers of the enemy.

Jesus is the head of all principality and power declares Colossians 2:10 because as Verse 15 says, "having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."

Jesus is under the authority of God and in authority over all other powers and authorities.  Jesus has delegated authority to you as a believer in Mark 13:34:

"For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left His house, and gave authority to His servants, and to every man His work, and commanded the porter to watch."

You come under the authority of Jesus and, by doing so, you are also under the authority of the Father.  Believers are people of spiritual authority who are under authority. 
 
God is YOUR source of power:

Colossians 1:16 "For by Him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in earth, visible, and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:  all things were created by Him, and for Him."   
 
God is also the power behind all authority structures He has established in the world:

Romans 13:1 "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.  For there is no power but of God:  the powers that be are ordained of God."

In addition to the supreme authority of God, believers are under other structures of authority He has established.  These include authorities in the home, Church, work place, and government. 
  
Each person's situation differs from others.  Some women have no husband.  Some people do not work and have no master or employer. They are not involved in these structures of authority.  But it is important to recognize the structures which do relate to you because God has established them. You must be under the  authorities He established in order to function in authority.  Legitimate authority is always delegated from some source.

When you are under authority, you have a legitimate source from which your own authority is derived.  For example, the wife in a home derives her authority from the husband.  The deacons and elders in a Church derive their authority from the men God sets in spiritual leadership over them.  An employee has limits of authority set by his employer.  But all these chains of command lead ultimately to God, who is the source of all authority.  

All authorities are instituted by God.  When tracing  authorities back to their source, we always end up with God.  Because of this, rebellion against authority hinders the flow of God's power in your life.  When you rebel against those in authority you are actually rebelling against God:

Romans 13:2 "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation."

To be a person of authority, you must be under the authority of God and of those whom God has sets over you. In our denomination that means my Administrative Bishop and our General Overseer. You may not always agree with those in authority, but you honor them as they obey God's Word.