CHAPTER 2: WHAT IS AUTHORITY?

The translators of the King James Version translated many words consistently, but not the Greek words for "power" and "authority."

For example, in the King James Version, Jesus says in Luke 10:19, "Behold, I give unto you POWER to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the POWER of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."

Although the word "power" is used twice in this verse, two different words are found in the original Greek. What Jesus actually said was, "I have given you AUTHORITY to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the POWER of the enemy...."

In speaking about "serpents and scorpions," Jesus is talking about the power of the devil—demons, evil spirits, and all his cohorts. We need to realize that we've got authority over them!

Does the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ have (or need) any less authority today than it had in the first century? It would be preposterous to think so, wouldn't it?

The value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority. God Himself is the power behind our authority!

The devil and his forces are obliged to recognize our authority!

The believer who thoroughly understands that the power of God is backing him can exercise his authority and face the enemy fearlessly.

Authority is delegated power.

Policemen who direct traffic during the rush hour just raise their hands and the cars stop. These men don't have the physical power to stop the vehicles if the drivers choose not to stop. But they don't use their own strength to stop traffic; they are strong in the authority that is invested in them by the government they serve. People recognize that authority and stop their cars.

Blessed be God, there's authority that's vested in us by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul told believers to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10). That means you can step out in front of the devil, hold up your hand, and tell him not to come any closer.

Use your authority!

Once in England Smith Wigglesworth was standing on a street corner waiting for a bus. A woman came out of an apartment house, and a little dog ran out behind her. She said, "Honey, you're going to have to go back."

The dog didn't pay any attention to her. He just wagged his tail and rubbed up against her affectionately.

She said, "Now, dear, you can't go." The little dog wagged his tail and rubbed up against her again.

About that time, the bus arrived. The woman stomped her foot and yelled, "Get!" The dog tucked his tail between his legs and took off.

Wigglesworth said he hollered out loud without even thinking, "That's the way you've got to do with the devil!"

AS A ROARING LION

In 1942, while pastoring in East Texas, I had a test in my body. I didn't tell anyone about it except the Lord. I prayed and believed He would heal me. Then I stood my ground.

In the nighttime I would be awakened with alarming heart symptoms, and I would get up and pray. I battled that thing for about six weeks.

One night I had great difficulty in getting to sleep. Finally, after praying, I drifted off, and I had a dream. I am satisfied that God has spoken to me only four times in my life through dreams, but a dream like this one was no coincidence. It was from the Lord. When I woke up, I knew immediately what it meant. (If you don't know the meaning of a dream immediately, forget it.)

In this dream it seemed that another minister and I were walking on some kind of parade ground or ball field. There were stands on either side of us. As we were walking along talking, the man jumped and exclaimed, "Look!"

I turned and saw two ferocious, roaring lions. The man started running. I started running with him. Then I stopped and told him we were too far away from the stands to reach safety.

We'd never escape those lions.

I stopped dead still, turned around, and went back to meet the lions. They came toward me with their fangs bared, roaring.

I was trembling. I told them, "I resist you in the Name of Jesus. In Jesus' Name you can't hurt me." I just stood there. They ran right up to me like a couple of kittens, sniffed around my ankles, and finally frolicked off, paying no attention to me.

Then I woke up. I knew exactly what God was saying to me.

The Scripture in First Peter 5 came to me. It says, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith___" (vv. 8,9).

The physical battle I had been fighting was won right then.

Instantly the symptoms disappeared and I was all right. I had stood my ground. I wouldn't give in. I had won.

Ephesians 6:10 says, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Many people read that verse and think the Lord is telling them to be strong in themselves. But the Scripture doesn't say a word about being strong in yourself. It says to be strong in the Lord. "I don't know whether I can make it or not," people say.

Certainly you can make it. Don't even think about it. Be strong in the Lord. Be strong in the power of His might, not your power or might.

First John 4:4 says, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." "He that is in the world" is satan, the god of this world and the head of principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world.

But the power that's in you is greater than the power that's in the world, because the power that backs our authority is greater than that which backs our enemies.

PROPHECY

The Holy Spirit says, "Power on earth invested in the Name of Jesus Christ and obtained by Him through His overcoming the enemy belongeth unto the Church. Therefore, exercise that authority, for it belongs to you on the earth, and in this life ye shall reign by Christ Jesus."