Activating the Authority of the Believer in Christ

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound concept of the authority of the believer, emphasizing that this authority is not merely about acquiring knowledge but about activating and applying it in our lives. The analogy of a key card was used to illustrate how believers often possess the access to divine authority but fail to utilize it effectively. This authority, rooted in our identity with Christ, is not something we earn but something granted to us through our relationship with Him. Jesus, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, has chosen to share this authority with us, empowering us to carry out His work on earth.

We delved into the importance of understanding that our authority is not for personal gain but for fulfilling God's purposes. Jesus' words in John 14:12 remind us that we are called to do the works He did and even greater works, not by our own power but through the authority He has given us. This authority is meant to be exercised in alignment with God's will, and it is through this alignment that we can see His power manifest in our lives and the lives of others.

The message also highlighted the significance of asking in Jesus' name, understanding that this is not a magical formula but a call to align our requests with His will and purpose. The condition, intention, and implication of Jesus' words were explored, emphasizing that our prayers and actions should be rooted in His mission to bring healing, hope, and transformation to the world.

Ultimately, the challenge is to recognize and activate the authority we have been given, to walk in it boldly, and to be agents of change in the world. We are reminded that this authority is not contingent on our own abilities or righteousness but is a gift from Christ, meant to be used for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom.

Key Takeaways:

- Re-emphasizing Authority: The authority of the believer is not about acquiring new knowledge but about re-emphasizing and activating what we already know. It's about moving from mere information to transformation, where the Word of God becomes a living and active force in our lives. [04:12]

- Identity and Authority: Our authority as believers is rooted in our identity with Christ. We are not the source of authority; Christ is. By being in Him, we are granted the right to exercise His authority, which empowers us to overcome sin and the works of the enemy. [17:09]

- The Power of Asking in Jesus' Name: Jesus invites us to ask in His name, aligning our requests with His will and purpose. This is not about fulfilling personal desires but about participating in His mission to bring healing and transformation to the world. [25:15]

- Walking in Greater Works: Jesus promised that those who believe in Him would do the works He did and even greater works. This is a call to step into the authority and power He has given us, to be His representatives on earth, and to carry out His mission with boldness and faith. [32:46]

- The Implication of Authority: The authority given to us by Christ is meant to be exercised for His purposes. We are called to be agents of change, walking in His power to bring about His will on earth. This requires us to recognize the authority we have and to use it effectively for His glory. [43:47]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [04:12] - The Authority of the Believer
- [17:09] - Identity and Authority
- [25:15] - Asking in Jesus' Name
- [32:46] - Greater Works
- [40:12] - The Power of His Name
- [43:47] - Walking in Authority
- [52:43] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 14:12-14
2. Matthew 28:18-20
3. Mark 16:17-18

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Observation Questions:

1. What analogy was used in the sermon to describe the authority believers have but often fail to use? How does this analogy help us understand our spiritual authority? [04:12]

2. According to the sermon, what is the relationship between identity and authority for believers? How does this relationship empower us in our daily lives? [17:09]

3. In the sermon, what does asking in Jesus' name signify, and how is it different from using a magical formula? [25:15]

4. What did Jesus promise believers in John 14:12, and how does this promise challenge our understanding of what we can achieve through faith? [32:46]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of authority being rooted in our identity with Christ change the way believers should view their spiritual responsibilities? [17:09]

2. What might be the implications of Jesus' promise that believers will do greater works than He did? How should this influence the way we approach our faith and actions? [25:15]

3. How does the sermon explain the condition and intention behind asking in Jesus' name? What does this reveal about the nature of our prayers and requests? [32:46]

4. In what ways does the sermon suggest that believers often underutilize their spiritual authority? How can recognizing this lead to a transformation in how we live out our faith? [43:47]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a situation where you felt powerless. How might understanding your authority in Christ change your approach to similar situations in the future? [04:12]

2. Identify an area in your life where you have not been exercising the authority given to you by Christ. What steps can you take this week to activate that authority? [17:09]

3. Consider your prayer life. Are your requests aligned with God's will and purpose? How can you ensure that your prayers are in line with Jesus' mission to bring healing and transformation? [25:15]

4. Jesus promised that believers would do greater works than He did. What is one specific action you can take this week to step into this promise and be an agent of change in your community? [32:46]

5. Think about a time when you hesitated to use the authority given to you by Christ. What held you back, and how can you overcome that hesitation in the future? [43:47]

6. How can you remind yourself daily of the authority you have in Christ and the responsibility to use it for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom? [43:47]

7. Identify a person in your life who needs to experience the power and authority of Christ. How can you be a vessel of God's love and authority to them this week? [52:43]

Devotional

Day 1: Activating Divine Authority in Daily Life
The authority of the believer is not about acquiring new knowledge but about re-emphasizing and activating what we already know. It's about moving from mere information to transformation, where the Word of God becomes a living and active force in our lives. This authority is like a key card that grants access to divine power, yet it often remains unused. Believers are encouraged to move beyond simply knowing about this authority to actively applying it in their daily lives. This involves recognizing that the authority is not earned but is a gift from Christ, meant to be used for His purposes. [04:12]

"For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power." (1 Corinthians 4:20, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life have you been relying on your own strength instead of activating the divine authority given to you through Christ?


Day 2: Identity in Christ as the Source of Authority
Our authority as believers is rooted in our identity with Christ. We are not the source of authority; Christ is. By being in Him, we are granted the right to exercise His authority, which empowers us to overcome sin and the works of the enemy. This identity is not something we achieve but something we receive through our relationship with Jesus. Understanding this identity is crucial for believers to walk confidently in the authority that has been bestowed upon them. [17:09]

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

Reflection: How does your understanding of your identity in Christ influence the way you approach challenges and spiritual battles in your life?


Day 3: Aligning Requests with God's Will
Jesus invites us to ask in His name, aligning our requests with His will and purpose. This is not about fulfilling personal desires but about participating in His mission to bring healing and transformation to the world. Asking in Jesus' name is a call to align our prayers with His heart and mission, ensuring that our requests are in harmony with His divine purposes. This alignment is key to seeing His power manifest in our lives and the lives of others. [25:15]

"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." (1 John 5:14, ESV)

Reflection: What specific prayers or desires do you need to realign with God's will today, and how can you ensure that your requests reflect His mission?


Day 4: Embracing the Call to Greater Works
Jesus promised that those who believe in Him would do the works He did and even greater works. This is a call to step into the authority and power He has given us, to be His representatives on earth, and to carry out His mission with boldness and faith. Believers are encouraged to embrace this call, recognizing that it is not by their own power but through the authority of Christ that they can accomplish these greater works. [32:46]

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can step into the greater works Jesus has called you to, and how can you rely on His authority to accomplish it?


Day 5: Exercising Authority for God's Purposes
The authority given to us by Christ is meant to be exercised for His purposes. We are called to be agents of change, walking in His power to bring about His will on earth. This requires us to recognize the authority we have and to use it effectively for His glory. Believers are challenged to walk boldly in this authority, not for personal gain, but to advance His kingdom and fulfill His divine purposes. [43:47]

"And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal." (Luke 9:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally use the authority given to you by Christ to impact your community and advance His kingdom today?

Quotes

"I'm going to do my best to not beat a dead horse and belabor anything. But at the same time, it can be difficult because the Lord has really placed upon our hearts in this series as we're talking about the authority of the believer and the authority that we walk in that the challenge sometimes as a preacher and a teacher of God's Word is you want to bring something new." [00:00:14]

"What we're really doing is we're re-emphasizing and re-instilling. It's more of, in music, what would be called a reprise. See, in a broken record, it's looping on accident and unintentionally. A reprise is when you intentionally go back and pull something back that you were doing before." [00:01:22]

"It's about having the ability and the power, the understanding to activate that knowledge and to put it into practice, put it into work. Jesus said this. He said, blessed are those who hear my words and do them. Not just enough to hear God's Word and to know God's Word or to be able to quote God's Word." [00:03:47]

"The significance of this idea and this picture that you and I could relate to of this key card that opens up the door is that this authority that we have. you've been given as believers that's what we're unpacking and that's what we've been looking at the last several weeks we understood as pastor robert so beautifully pulled out that this authority and all these things that were that were given remember they come from christ they're found in him apart from him jesus said apart from me you can do nothing that there's nothing that you and i could ever accomplish or ever achieve that's worth anything without him but his message wasn't to say you know so sorry stinks for you what he was saying is if you'll just abide in me john 14 if you abide in me and i abide in you you're going to bear so much fruit or john 15 rather you're going to bear all this fruit i'm going to work this in to your life i have given you this access but what happens i think to us as believers so often is that we have this card figuratively we have this key card that would give us access to the entire facility the whole place and we just keep it in our pocket we don't use it we don't recognize what we have in it in fact sometimes i would dare say we're trying to unlock doors that won't seem to open it's like we're banging against this door why won't they let me in without realizing that i have the key card in my pocket that will open every door that we ever have need of the significance of this is great the significance of this is vast we need to recognize and realize that it all comes from christ as we've been setting up and we talked about how this authority it's rooted in him and it's from him we need to depend on him for it we talked about how he's given us authority over sin that sin no longer has to control us sin no longer has to dominate our lives that jesus broke the back of sin that he's given us his spirit that by his spirit we no longer are slaves to sin the scripture says that we don't have to look this way we don't have to walk this way we don't have to operate this way but if we don't identify that and continually lean into that we'll keep habitually doing what we were doing before and that's one of the ways the enemy works is he gets you in a pattern and he gets you to stay locked into a frame of mind without identifying and realizing that there's more he's given us authority to overcome every work of the enemy talked about this a couple weeks ago that the enemy cannot stand in the way of the life of the believer and the work of god because jesus has already been victorious and triumphant over everything and every power of darkness this is really really great news it's opportunity for you and me but too often for you and i it's a missed opportunity because we don't walk in this authority pastor robert talked last week about how you" [00:07:04]

"authority and power are linked he said this i love this he said identity is the basis of authority and authority is the grounds of power just to reemphasize this point what it what it's saying the simplistic nature of this profound point is that all of our authority all the authority we have is rooted in our identity with christ that we're not the ones with authority he is but scripture says that he gives us the right he gives us the privilege all those who put their faith and trust and hope in christ to be the sons of god and therefore the heirs and co -heirs with christ and so all of his authority becomes ours through identity and it's that authority that grants and gives us power pastor robert gave a really really great analogy last week about a police officer that the power that a police officer carries and holds is really rooted in the authority that's given to them this authority that's given to them is through the agency of the police department or the government or whatever agency that they're behind they say this is the backing that's what wearing that suit uniform is all about because you have the backing of all of that that you need to respond to and you need to lean into you need to it's in charge so that authority gets exercised and then it translates into power all that to catch us up to this point in this premise of this authority that you and i have this authority that you and i have to wield it and to use it or to open this door that this power that the we would walk in this authority that the power would be present as a result because power follows authority and so we need to learn how to walk in and walk through this authority that accesses christ jesus said in matthew 28 all authority in heaven and earth it's been given unto me if there's any authority needed in any way i'm the highest authority the highest power there's nothing that doesn't fall under my rule and reign as we sang today you reign above it all you reign above it all you know what the scriptural significance is you know the new testament's written in greek old testament's in hebrew and so a lot of times our translation we need to go back and we study and we'll do this in preaching a lot we'll say you know that word it really signifies this and it means that and we've translated it like this for our understanding but it means this but when jesus said all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto me do you know what that word all means in the original language it means all sometimes i think that we don't really fully comprehend that jesus has all authority he has total authority there is nothing that he does not have authority over in fact sometimes that can cause us if we realize that it can cause us to be a little bit disgruntled with god because if you have all authority then why are you letting this thing happen right when we're tapping into the full understanding and the full scope that he has authority over it all sometimes we could be disillusioned and disappointed because we don't know why it's not going the way we think it ought to go but what we have to remember about his authority is scripture says that his ways are higher than our ways that he understands things that he sees things that nobody else sees you know as the lead pastor of the church um the one who has to make decisions a lot of times many many times i i take input i'm a collaborative thinker i i just feel like i know i'm gifted and i have some good ideas but for no way shape or form do i think i have the corner on every good idea" [00:10:14]

"that there ever was, so I like to get different and hear different points of view and perspectives, and I think you're gifted too. But I'm the only one seated in the seat that I'm uniquely seated in to see the whole picture and everything. And so sometimes people come to me and they're frustrated, why didn't you do this thing I wanted to do? They say, well, because that thing you wanted to do, I thought it was a great idea. It was a good idea in this area." [00:14:34]

"I'm not saying I'm God, but I'm saying in a much greater and grander way, God has this understanding and this scope and this lens of eternity and the earth and the world and His history and His story and everything that He wants to do where sometimes He just says, listen, I'm doing something that you don't yet understand, but if you'll trust Me, you'll see that it's for your good. And so God has complete authority. Christ has all authority, but in that verse, in that chapter, in that last chapter in the book of Matthew, when Jesus is commissioning His disciples, it's after He's resurrected from the grave, it's after He's revealed Himself again unto them, and it's right before He's going to heaven for that final time, because He's going to return one more time, right before He goes to heaven, He says, all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto Me." [00:15:07]

"He says, therefore, or because I have all this authority, go into all the world and make disciples. Here's what He's saying. He's ultimately, we call this the Great Commission because He's commissioning them or He's putting them to work. He's saying, listen, I am in complete control, so because I'm in control, I choose to send you. What He's saying is, I'm authorizing you, or I'm giving you access. The significance of Jesus saying, I'm in complete control and everything's under My hand and everything's under My feet, is to put trust and faith in them to say, it's in My power that you're going to walk and you're going to go. I want to say to some of us today is that you don't realize the authority that's been given to you by Christ." [00:16:04]

"We talked about it the other week, to trample over serpents and scorpions, or the works of the enemy, the works of Satan, He said. Jesus said this powerful promise to you and I that no foul thing's going to touch us. Look at what it says in Mark chapter 16 and 17. He says, and these signs will follow those who believe. Anyone who believes in My name, this is what's going to follow you. It's running behind you. You can't stop it. It's just coming if you believe in Me. In My name, they're going to cast out demons. They're going to speak with new tongues. All in My name. They'll take up serpents. If they drink anything deadly, it'll by no means hurt them. They'll lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Cover. Thank you." [00:16:48]

"you know i understand that a lot of times in our christian faith and our christian walk and understanding god's word that there are some mysteries there are some uncertainties there are prayers we pray that don't go answered there are miracles we're asking for that we don't see there are healings we pray for that don't happen i understand and that can be challenging and sometimes i wish i had the simple answer to say what and why and how even that answer well understood is quite complex to grasp it's simply that he is sovereign and he knows greater and he knows better but that doesn't always give us comfort but the point that i'm trying to say is that i know that while those times exist and those things happen way more often than not you and i have authority and access that we've been given that we just aren't exercising that we just aren't yet using that we aren't tapping into we're fighting battles that we were never intended to fight on our own we're fighting an enemy that is stronger than us but when we fight in the power of christ he's already been defeated we're fighting an enemy that's already lost see but if he can get you and i to think that we need to show up for this battle and he could win we've already maybe had a setback but if we would understand this authority think about this when when jesus came and he and he was walking the earth there was a there was a situation at a time where he came and there was someone who was demon possessed see and jesus said i give you the power to cast out demons the disciples they went out they cast out demons in fact there was a time where there was others they came back and they said they were casting out demons too in your name but we didn't know they weren't part of our church so we stopped them we told them you know hold off that's not the right deal and jesus said please listen they're doing it in my name and they're not against us then they're for us just leave it it's more than just you guys sometimes i wonder if they really thought they were helping jesus or they thought i thought we were the ones who were supposed to cast out the demon you know i thought that was my power human life is so good at putting pride and ourselves in the center but the point is is that jesus gave them this authority and this power that they could speak in his name and cast out demons really really powerful but let me show you how much authority and power jesus had jesus shows up and as he's showing up as he's getting near to this one with demons it said the demons began to cry out jesus jesus jesus please please please have mercy on us they understood that when jesus stepped out" [00:18:20]

"And when Jesus walked, as soon as He stepped into the arena, everything was changing because the thing was over. This whole battle was done. They were already defeated. They were already powerless. Everywhere He walked and everywhere He stepped, this is what He carried. The significance about that is I think that we don't really need much arm twisting to believe that Jesus has this authority." [00:20:27]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?