Spiritual Authority

I.       The Issue of Authority

A.   The Keys to the Kingdom Of Heaven

·         Revelation 3:7 "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:  These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. (NIV)

·         Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (NIV)

·         Matthew 18:18-19 "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. (NIV)

The keys that unlock the prison doors and set the captives free and that open the doors to the kingdom of heaven are in the hands of Jesus.  These keys are His authority, power and love.  What the Lord has done is to give us these keys, His authority, power and love.  The result is that if two of us on earth agree about anything we ask for in prayer (assuming we are asking according to His will and His heart), it will be done for us by the Father.  Prophetic intercession releases God to do what He is longing to do.  Using His name, the name of Jesus (i.e. appropriating His authority, power and love) we can bind (to bind, to tie, fasten with chains, to forbid, prohibit, declare to be illicit) and loose (to loose any person tied or fastened, to loose one bound, i.e. to unbind, release from bonds, set free, to do away with, to deprive of authority, to declare unlawful, to break up, demolish, destroy) things on the earth and they will be bound or loosed in heaven.  We have the authority to "bind the strongman" and plunger his house (Matt. 12:29).  We have the authority to bind people to the Lord.  We have the authority to loose people from the bondages of hell (1 John 3:8) and to loose the love of God and the power of the cross into people and situations. 

B.   The Issue of Authority

 God originally gave mankind the authority over all the earth.  Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."  When mankind (Adam and Eve) disobeyed God and obeyed the devil in the Garden of Eden they gave this authority away to Satan.  Obedience creates authority.  It cost God His son's life to take this authority back from the devil.  This is the power of the cross; the power of the Blood of God spilled at Calvary.

1.    What happened to Satan at the cross?

·         He was stripped of his authority and disarmed - Col. 2:15.

·         His works were destroyed - 1 Jn. 3:8; Mk. 16:17-18.

·         So the enemy’s weapons and authority are gone, but he still deceives  (he gets us to obey by deceptions and lies -Gen. 3:13).

·         Revelation 20:3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

·         John 8:44 -  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

2.    What happened to us at the cross?

·         He delivered us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of Light - Col. 1:13-14.

·         He gave us the power to live the life He called us to live - 1 Jn. 4:4.

·         He gave us back authority to exercise on the earth -Lk. 10:19.

·         We exercise our authority by obedience.  Legal authority must become exercised authority.

·         In the book of Acts, God gave us the power to exercise our legal authority.  We must activate our will and choose to exercise our authority.  We must pursue the enemy, confront the enemy, and finally “arrest” the enemy.  It is the dunamis power of God that is within that is the power to enforce Jesus’ victory on the cross.

3.    Now all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus.  He in turn now gives it to all those who are His disciples, His Bride, the sons and daughters of God in order that they can continue His work on earth; making disciples of all nations and destroying the works of the enemy.

·         Matthew 28:18-19 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

·          1 John 3:8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. (NIV)

4.    The power and the right to exercise that power, which is authority, that has been released to the saints of God to use on earth is to be used for specific things.

·         It is authority over evil spirits, demons and the power of the enemy:  It is also authority over sickness and the authority to heal diseases. 

·         Matthew 10:1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

·         Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,

·         Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

·         Mark 6:7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.

·         Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

·         It is the authority to bind and to loose things on earth.

·         Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

·         It is the authority to encourage and build up the saints of God on earth.

·         2 Corinthians 10:8 For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

·         Titus 2:15 - These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

·         It is the power and authority to be His witnesses in all the earth.

·         Acts 1:8 -  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."   (Matt. 28:18-19)

·         And to those who are over comers and do His will to the end, He will give power and authority over the nations.

·         Revelation 2:26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations -- (NIV)

·         The Church, Jesus' bride, is to rule and reign with Him as kings and priests.  Lk. 12:32, Rev. 3:21, 1 Cor. 6:2-3, Jn. 17:22, Rom. 8:17, 1 Pet. 2:9.