PREFACE

My Dad wrote this book back in 1967. During the years, the important Bible truths in its pages have literally transformed the lives of many people.

Since 1967, however, Dad has gained even more light on the subject of spiritual authority. He often has said he wished this book could contain these further insights.

In 1984, in honor of Dad's 50th anniversary in the ministry, we reedited this book and added the information he always has wanted included. We are delighted to share this new, expanded book with you, our loyal partners and friends.

FOREWORD

Back in the 1940s, I asked myself the question, "Do we have authority that we don't know about—that we haven't discovered —that we're not using?"

I had had little glimpses of spiritual authority once in a while. Like others, I had stumbled upon it and had exercised it without knowing what I was doing. I wondered, "Is the Spirit of God trying to show me something?" So I began to study along this line, think along this line, feed along this line—and I began to see more and more light.

An article in The Pentecostal Evangel prompted my study on the words "power" and "authority." Then I came across a wonderful pamphlet entitled The Authority of the Believer by John A. MacMillan, a missionary to China who later edited The Alliance Weekly. (His pamphlet was reissued several years ago and is available from Christian Publications, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.)

As a result of my studies, I concluded that we as a Church have authority on the earth that we've never yet realized— authority that we're not using.

A few of us have barely gotten to the edge of that authority, but before Jesus comes again, there's going to be a whole company of believers who will rise up with the authority that is theirs. They will know what is theirs, and they will do the work that God intended they should do.