Spiritual Authority

How important is authority, can we just take it or leave it, is it just one of these doctrines that it’s nice to know but has no real relevance?

Rom 13:1-6 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. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

Authority wasn’t man’s idea, man didn’t think of it, the devil didn’t think of it, it was God’s idea, right from the beginning God ordained authority to be in operation in the earth.

Gen 1:26-28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Dominion: 7287 radah (raw-daw');

To tread down, i.e. subjugate or bring into subjection. KJV translates it as: have dominion, prevail against, reign, bear rule, over take.

Subdue: 3533 kabash (kaw-bash');

To tread down; negatively, to disregard; positively, to conquer, subjugate, violate: KJV translates it as: bring into bondage, force, keep under, subdue, bring into subjection.

Man was created to have and to walk in authority. That is the reason man is always trying to be in authority or trying to be a leader, whether it is over his wife, or his family, or his friends, or his workmates and that is why some people are bullies, etc.

Matt 8v5-10… If you want to walk in authority in the earth then you must be rightly related to authority, not only to those above you but also to those who are called to serve under you. This centurion was rightly related to those in authority over him, but he was also rightly related to his servant… he went looking for Jesus on behalf of his servant… not “so what if he dies, there is plenty more where he came from”.

Num 12v1-16, Moses married an Ethiopian woman it wasn’t lawful for him to marry an uncovenanted woman (Ex 35:12-16, Deut 7:1-4) Miriam took it upon herself to judge the man of God and not only that she persuaded Aaron to come with her…not only was she in rebellion but she was dragging others into it also. Moses was wrong for what he had done but it wasn’t Miriam or Aarons place to judge him, they were called in authority under him.

V3 Moses was very meek, more than any man on the earth…he was submitted to God…did he do wrong? Yes! But God doesn’t look on the outward but God judges the heart and Moses heart was submitted to God.
V6 God speaks to the prophets in dreams and visions, Miriam was a prophet.

V7-8 Moses is faithful…with him I will speak mouth to mouth…
God called them out…Moses, Aaron and Miriam and he judged between them publicly so that all the people would know.

Notice that as soon as Miriam and Aaron repented God gave them back their original authority… Miriam continued to be the prophet of God and Aaron continued to be the High Priest.

Heb 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

1. Every ministry or church must have a revelation of spiritual authority. Without it there is just anarchy…everyone doing what he pleases.
2. All ministries that are God appointed have spiritual authority…corporate anointing, authority to delegate men and women to do the work of the ministry.
3. Every one of us must find out where we are called to in the body, find out who we are called to serve under and also who we are called to serve over…note serve over not rule over. The plan of God while it includes you it includes you as you submit to the authority of those that God has called you to work alongside.
4. No one is ready to walk in authority until he has first learned to walk under authority.

Men in the bible like…Noah, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Elijah and Elisha were men who walked in great spiritual authority and they all had men submitted in authority under them.

Noah…Gen 9:20-27 Noah sinned before God, but that didn’t change his position of authority.

V1 God told Noah and his sons to go and replenish the earth…v20 instead Noah planted a vineyard and became a farmer. Noah became drunk and was uncovered in his tent…Did Noah do wrong? Yes! He did.

V23-25 Ham sinned against him and he and his descendants were cursed, he set in motion a destiny for his whole lineage, maybe he repented, we don’t know but the curse remained.

V22-23 Ham told his two brothers but they didn’t participate in the sin. Serve with those that are in authority with you but if they sin do not get involved, to participate or to judge.

When you touch the man of God you touch the anointing on his life.

Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Lev 10:1-3 Nadab and Abihu were the sons of Aaron. Aaron was the one commanded to offer the burnt offering unto the Lord…Ex 30:7-10. Aaron was the one in spiritual authority, no one else was to offer fire on the altar and his sons knew it.

1. They tried to take his position of authority by offering on the altar he was commanded to.
2. We cannot violate someone else’s altar or take the position of authority that God has given them.
3. Sometimes we think to ourselves “I could do that” or “I could do it better than him” that is a dangerous place to be.

The position of authority is God’s choice and if we disagree with God’s choice we are disagreeing with God.

Isa 14:12-16 Satan rebelled against God’s authority…right in the beginning everything was submitted to God and everything in the universe was in perfect harmony…one day the devil decided he was going to have his own authority and rebelled against God. From that day on there is rebellion in the universe. The best way for us to be free from the devils snare is to submit ourselves to God’s authority and to the ones that God has placed in authority over us.

When you find the place where God has called you and you begin to submit yourself to those in authority over you, the same anointing they carry is transmitted to you and you begin to walk in the corporate anointing of the house.

The degree that you submit to authority is the direct proportion that the anointing, the gift and the call of God will operate in your life…obedience is better than sacrifice.

Joshua served under Moses and he became a mighty man of God.

Ex 24:13-18 Moses was in the glory for 40 days and Joshua was with him.

Ex 33:11 God spoke to Moses face to face and Joshua was with him…

Joshua reaped the benefit of Moses anointing.

Elisha got a double portion because he was faithful to serve Elijah.

1Kings 19:19 Elijah and Elisha…2 Kings 3:11 Elisha poured water on the hands of Elijah or he served him, for 19 years. 2 Kings 2:9 double portion. Twice as many miracles…

If you are rightly submitted to the person in authority over you, you are in submission to the call of God in his life and you will receive the blessing.

1 Sam 15:22-23 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Num 16:1- 33 Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled against Moses.

1. V2 they rose up against Moses…they rose up…not promoted.
2. 250 of the princes, famous and men of renown…these were leaders, but they were not submitted…might does not make right. Korah, Dathan and Abiram took men, they convinced them to follow…get away from people that speak against leadership.
3. V3 “you take too much on yourselves…” It was God that had appointed Moses…he didn’t ask for the position of leadership.
4. V5-7 Each of you bring an offering and we will see whose offering God accepts.
5. V9 Is it a small thing that God has set you apart to serve the ministry…do you not have any respect for what God has called you to?
6. V10 They wanted the priesthood for themselves…
7. V11 For this cause ye are gathered together against the Lord…
8. V12 Moses called them and they wouldn’t even come.
9. V14 You have not brought us to a land with milk and honey…12 days journey but again because of rebellion they had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years…supernatural provision, miracles everyday, no one lacked anything
10. V15 Moses asked God not to respect their offering…

Eph 4:11-13 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

God has placed his authority in the church and if we are to grow up in Christ and come to the unity of the faith and into the knowledge of the son of God and unto the fullness of the stature of Christ…we need to be in submission to those in authority.

You don’t need to submit to everyone who has a title only those in authority over you. Some people want to be called pastor or apostle but a tree is known by its fruit…1Thes 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; if we don’t know them then it is ok not to submit to them or use titles until God shows us their work.


1 Cor 12:4-6 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

1 Cor 12:28 And God hath set some in the church… The decision is God’s, the offices or anointings are decided by Jesus and the gifts are given by the Holy Spirit.

Matt 16:18 Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it…it is Jesus church, he can build it anyway he wants…he can put anyone in any position of authority he wants.

V19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…not the keys to the kingdom but the keys of the kingdom or insights into how the kingdom works…one of these is spiritual authority.

James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

We need to decide to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Prov 18:16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men. If you are truly called no one can stop you, God will find a way to promote you.

Make a decision to serve God where you are and allow God to have his perfect work.

Hab 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it”.

Find out where you are called to serve and run with the vision.

Great post Elim!

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Paul speaks of the hidden man of the heart. That is the You that is in you. The visible you is not the You that puts you over. It is the unseen You who wins the fight. - E.W. Kenyon

what part of the next sentance did you not understand? here I will help you, I'll make it bold 4 u.
speaking of authority, have you bothered to read the guidelines for posting in the Word of Faith forum?
I did not notice your shield?

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That just confirms my point... authority comes from God, most people reject it because they think it is a new doctrine but in fact the oldest doctrine in the word of God is authority...

You are absolutely right! Authority comes from God and the origin of it was given to us in the garden, so it is one of the oldest doctrines around. People reject it due to the fact they are either ignorant or just don't believe it.

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I've found that people just don't want to be submitted to any authority other than their own. Lost is the concept of making Jesus LORD over your life, it's become a catch phrase that "Jesus is Lord of my life!". Watchman Nee wrote a great book on this, called "Authority and Submission".

I love it!

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I agree, authority, government etc. all comes from God and the very first sin was due to Satan tempting Eve into making herself authority over God.

I don't know what you mean by people "rejecting" it though, other than of course each of us rejecting authority in our own lives (that's what sin is). Do you mean that doctrinally people are rejecting it in some way?