Power is given, but the authority to use that power is earned. Believers are able to use the power by growing spiritually in kingdom authority. The Spirit prepares sons to operate in kingdom authority. He takes the things of Christ and shows them to believers and prepares them to grow and overcome demonic forces. The centurion had great faith because he understood authority (Matthew 8:5-13). Believers who understand authority also have great faith. In this study, you will understand kingdom authority and how you can grow and operate in this authority.
Introducing the Authority of Jesus Christ
Jesus was resurrected from the dead with all authority. He told the disciples, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). All authority includes both his eternal authority as God and his incarnate authority as God’s Son.
From the beginning, Jesus Christ operated in the form of God with all authority. Then he emptied himself to come to earth and save mankind from a devil’s hell. He gave up everything to be born as a human being and became fully obedient to God even to a criminal’s death on the cross (Philippians 2:7-8). The authority which Jesus gave up to save mankind has been restored to him.
Jesus Christ’s Authority in Heaven as God
In eternity, Jesus Christ was the word of God. “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God (John 1:1). The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).
In the beginning, Christ was with God creating all things (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2). Nothing was created without him. Furthermore, Christ sustains the created universe. In Christ “all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). Christ “upholds all things by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3).
Jesus Christ’s Authority on Earth as the Son of God
Jesus could do nothing on his own, but he had authority over everyone. Jesus said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). The Father gave Jesus total authority over humanity (John 17:2). He used this authority in several important ways.
- His Authority over Nature
Jesus controlled the wind and the sea. When a storm raged over a boat in which Jesus and his disciples were crossing the sea, he ordered the wind to stop and the sea to be calm, and “the wind died down and it became perfectly calm” (Mark 4:39).
- His Authority over All Creatures
Jesus controlled all animals, including the fish of the sea. He told Peter that the first fish he caught would have a coin in its mouth that could be used to pay their taxes (Matthew 17:24-27). He told the disciples who had fished all night without catching anything where to cast their net so as to catch the fish (John 21:4-6).
- His Authority over Sickness
Jesus healed all kinds of sicknesses and diseases and healed all the sick. Jesus healed “every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23-24). “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38).
- His Authority over Death
Jesus raised three people from the dead. The daughter of Jairus was still laying in her parent’s home when Jesus brought her back to life (Mark 5:21-43). The body of the widow’s son was about to be buried when Jesus brought him back to life (Luke 7:11-15). Lazarus had been dead four days before Jesus called him out of the tomb (John 11:43-44).
- His Authority over Demons
Demons recognized Jesus as the Son of God and submitted to his authority (Matthew 8:28-34). He delivered men who were possessed by many demons and restored them.
- His Authority over Angels
Jesus could have summoned “twelve legions of angels” to deliver him from being crucified (Matthew 26:53). Any angel would have been powerful enough to deliver him.
The Authority of His Head and Body
When Jesus was resurrected from the dead, both his head and body with many members were resurrected. “He is also head of the body, the church; and he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead so that he himself will come to have first place in everything (Colossians 1:18). Both his head and body were raised to a position of authority at the right hand of God. God raised Christ from the dead and “seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:20).
The body of Christ has many members. “We, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Romans 12:5). All believers died with Christ and were raised with him. “All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death” (Romans 6:3). “If we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:5). All believers have been seated in heavenly places in a place of authority at the right hand of God in Christ. God gave us a new life together with Christ and “raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5-6). The body of Christ has the same authority as Christ himself for there is no difference in authority between the head and the body.
The body of Christ has been buried with Christ, raised with him, and seated with him at the right hand of the Father. This union with Christ is the source of each believer’s potential authority. The measure of authority a believer walks in depends on his/her spiritual growth.
How to Grow in Kingdom Authority
Many things are involved in the spiritual growth process, including God’s word, being led by the Spirit, prayer, praise, and worship. The key to growing in kingdom authority is God-ordained relationships. These relationships help unlock all the factors contributing to spiritual growth and kingdom authority.
Kingdom authority flows out of ordained spiritual relationships. We call these relationships grace joints because they are built and sustained by God’s grace. The body of Christ is joined together through the support and contributions of every joint (Ephesians 4:16). Spiritual growth occurs as the joints supply grace to one another. These joints are believers whom God supernaturally connects. When each joint works properly, God increases the body of Christ in love. Grace joints are important in the kingdom because growth only occurs at the joints. Christ uses joints and ligaments to hold his body together, as God causes it to grow (Colossians 2:19). Growth in kingdom authority occurs only on grace joints.
God uses spiritual people to help mold and fashion his kingdom leaders. He used Samuel to help transform David from a shepherd to the king of Israel. “Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward” (1 Samuel 16:13). He used Elijah to help transform Elisha from a farmer to a mighty prophet in Israel. Elisha received a double portion of Elijah’s anointing, making him doubly blessed in life and ministry (2 Kings 2:9-14). With the double portion, Elisha was able to perform twice as many miracles as his spiritual father, Elijah.
God connected Saul (later called Paul) and Barnabas with a small group of teachers and prophets in Antioch (Acts 13:1-12). These men were together ministering to the Lord and fasting when the Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). Then they fasted, prayed, laid hands on them and sent them away. This sacred ceremony represented a rite of passage for Saul and Barnabas, marking a new stage in their lives and ministries, as well as in the body of Christ. It was the birth of foreign missions. Only after that ceremony did these two men become known as apostles and begin to operate in great kingdom authority. Afterwards, Saul became known as the Apostle Paul. As they shared the gospel, they encountered demonic opposition. The first man who openly opposed them was struck blind at Paul’s command. The governor was amazed at what he heard and believed the gospel.
God assigns you to build personal relationships with some people but not all those with whom you come in contact. You are responsible only for “those who are allotted to your charge” (1 Peter 5:3). It is very important to seek the Lord to determine whom God is assigning to you. Growth in kingdom authority occurs with your unique allotment, not with the masses of people.
Reign in Life with Authority
Believers can exercise kingdom authority in this life. “Those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17). They are destined to reign on the earth by King Jesus and through the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God supersedes and has dominion over the kingdoms of this world (Revelation 11:15). Jesus Christ shall reign as King forever.
Jesus Christ delegates authority to his subjects as his ambassadors on the earth. “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). As an ambassador of Jesus Christ, you are to obey the King and speak his word. More specifically, you are to exercise his authority.
What authority do believers have? As ambassadors of Jesus Christ, believers have the same authority on the earth as he exercised as the Son of God. Believers have been given authority over sin, flesh, sickness, disease, and poverty. They have authority over angels and authority over demons. Like Jesus, believers have authority to destroy the works of the enemy. “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). God wants to purify the mind of believers, so he has given them authority over their own thoughts. Take every thought captive.
Personal Story about Growing in Kingdom Authority
As Sherry and I began to seek the Lord, we were both filled with the Spirit. The Spirit began to open up God’s word to us. In man’s religious system, no one wanted to train us up and release us into our purpose. They wanted to use us to their own advantage. The Spirit showed us that we needed a spiritual father to encourage and help us.
We prayed and asked the Lord to send us a spiritual father. Then we were introduced to an apostle who was willing to work with us. He showed us how Paul and Barnabas were set apart to do God’s work. Then he said it was time for us to be set apart so we could do the work we were called to do. The Lord joined our hearts together, and he became our spiritual father. We began to mature spiritually as we went to be with him and he came to be with us. He also sent several ministers to help us mature. We developed personal relationships with many of the people who were connected with our spiritual father.
The celebration of our rite of passage into maturity occurred at an international meeting of apostles and prophets. Our spiritual father asked the apostles and prophets to lay hands on us and to send us forth to do the work we were called to do. There was a shift in the heavens that day, and doors began to open up for us. Since then, we have been ministering with authority and power in many nations.
Conclusions
The body of Christ has been given authority to bring God’s will and kingdom to the earth so that he would be glorified. Individual believers grow spiritually in authority to use the power of God. They need to be taught and equipped to walk in authority. God-ordained relationships are the key to spiritual growth and authority. Believers grow in authority as they receive from spiritual people and pour out into the lives of others. Each joint supplies the word and grace. As believers operate in kingdom authority, they are able to destroy the works of the enemy.
Rule the moment! Rest in your position in Christ, destroy the works of the devil, and lead others into a position of authority.
Study Questions
Are you in a position to grow in kingdom authority? Assess your potential for growth by considering your circle of acquaintances. These are the people who are speaking into your life and those with whom you have influence. Do the following conditions apply to you? You are the most influential person in your circle. The people in your circle are often in turmoil and distracted from the things of God. You are happiest when things are peaceful because you do not want to challenge people. You do not consider the people around you to be honest, spiritual and/or growing in the things of the Lord. If some of these conditions apply to you, it is time to make some major changes in your relationships.
#1 What would confidence in Christ’s total authority unleash in your life?
#2 Who are the pioneers in your circle who challenge you in the area of kingdom authority?
#3 What areas of authority do you want increased in your life?
#4 What is your plan for increasing in kingdom authority?
#5 How can you help others understand kingdom authority?