Check Point (Authority)

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by Jason McKinnies
This journey that we find ourselves on as Christian, isn’t always an easy journey. There are valleys, mountains, difficulties, trials, and tribulations. There are also victories, joy, peace, and blessings. How we handle each of these seasons of life makes a difference.
The Bible describes us as a people who are on a journey, we are traveling from this place to another place. The old timers used to say, “we are just pilgrims that are passing through.” Often times our journey, can be a difficult one, filled with unexpected seasons, unexpected trials, and unexpected circumstances. Conditions on this journey are consistently changing.
Often a bump, a pothole, or trials will shift the load that we are carrying, or damage the vehicle that we are traveling in. So it’s important to stop at points of time and check the load or check vehicle that we are traveling in. Every now and then you have to do a self evaluation of the areas of your life. We have a check point…
A check point is a place along a journey where the traveler will stop to inspect or be inspected to ensure that the vehicle and the load that they are carrying is suitable to continue the journey.
We are need to do some checking, inspecting, examining, and verifying of what we believe, how we believe, and what we are doing with those beliefs.
We need to check on how we are doing with submitting ourselves to authority, handling those that are in authority, and understand that as a believer we have authority.

Romans 13:1-2

1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

 

  1. The One Rule World (Adam & Eve) –Genesis 2:16

Many people view God as a God of rules and regulations; however, when He set the original world up it had only one rule. There was complete freedom except for that one rule don’t which was don’t eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Life was good until their attention was moved from their freedom to the rule.

 

  1. Authority Issues are Spiritual Issues –Romans 13:1-2, 1 Peter 2:13-14

1 Peter 2:13–14 

13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 

 

If all authority comes from God and God is behind all authority, then an issue with authority is a spiritual issue. You cannot be right with God and rebel against authority that God has placed over you. Many people believe that true freedom is living without authority. That is a lie that will rob you of freedom. Real freedom comes from living under God’s authority. Breaking rules, violating laws, or having no rules at all will not bring freedom.

 

  1. If you want to have authority learn to live under authority –Matthew 8:5-10

Everybody answers to someone. Even Jesus did! Jesus who had all authority (Matthew 28:18) to heal the sick, raise the dead, calm storms, and command demons to flee had an interesting take on the Authority that He had.

 

Matthew 8:9

9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me.

 

As the centurion watched Jesus exercise His authority, He realized that He must be under a greater Authority as he was. The authority that Jesus was operating under came from God, He was under an authority, therefore He had authority. Notice that Jesus didn’t rebuke the centurion for the observation about being under an authority.

 

Matthew 8:10

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!  

 

  1. Rebelling against authority is a battle that you’ll never win –Jonah 1:1-3, 2 Samuel 11

Rebelling against authority will always have consequences. God never blesses rebellion. If you are struggling against authority or trying to find ways around the rules, understand that authority never goes away and a struggle with authority is never ending. You will never win. The great tragedy is that rebelling or resisting God’s authority is resistance to the One who loves you the most and has your best interests in mind.

 

  1. The Daniel Plan –Daniel 6

What do you do when an Authority requires you to go against the commands of God? Most of the examples we have in the Old and New Testaments, both men and women, did two things:

 

  1. They addressed the authority directly with their intention of not obeying.
  2. They willingly accepted the consequences of disobedience.

 

One notable exception was Daniel. Daniel was faced with a dilemma. He was ordered to do something against God and against his conscience. Daniel made his intentions clear and was willing to suffer the consequences. He also offered an alternative that was agreeable to the king. By providing this plan, Daniel didn’t sin and he didn’t rebel. Instead he was saved, delivered and promoted.

 

  1. Authority is always linked to obedience –Luke 2:51 & 4:1, John 17:4, Mark 14:49, Matthew 17:27, Acts 5:29, Hebrews 13:17

Adam was disobedient and lost his authority. Jesus provided the perfect example if you want to operate in authority. You must submit to the authority you are under.

 

  1. Authority and Power–Luke 10:19, Acts 3:1-8, Luke 9:1-2

God has given us power and authority.

 

Luke 9:1-2

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 

Matthew 10:1

And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 

Matthew 10:7-8

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.  

 

Jesus gives us spiritual authority (Hebrews 2:6-8, Luke 10:18-19)

Adam had authority in the physical realm (Gen 1:27-28)

We have authority over the enemy (2 Peter 1:3)