Your Authority to Enforce Kingdom Laws

If I were going to be a policewoman, I think I would want this uniform the lady in our picture is wearing.  Stylish, smart and warm for a brisk day. I’d be directing traffic in style! Okay, so you can quickly see I probably was not called to be a policewoman.  But it’s amazing to think that I could wear this cute outfit and yet have the ability to stop a big semi truck in its tracks. How would I do that? Would it be my massive muscles that stop the truck?  Would I stand in front of the semi like Super Girl with my cape blowing in the wind and pushing hard on the truck to get it to stop while my super cute boots dug into the pavement? No. The truck driver would stop the truck for me based on the authority of my badge and position. 

The position police hold gives them their authority. Our government has delegated authority to the police to uphold the law.  They represent the law. And your position in Christ gives you your authority. (Click here to read last week’s article on our position in Christ if you missed it.) It’s delegated authority from God so you can enforce and uphold His kingdom laws.  You represent the kingdom of Heaven here on earth.  

Do you have some things you’ve been praying about and you’ve been asking God to get involved and do something about the situation but nothing appears to be happening?  At times it seems that your prayers have just bounced off the ceiling or God is asleep on the job? You’ve started to wonder if prayer even works or feel like why bother because nothing changes?  I’m just being honest. There are times we pray for God to heal someone, provide us a new job or more money and nothing happens or the situation even gets worse. Can you relate?

In most of these situations, it is because you are waiting on God and He is waiting on you!  He gave YOU the authority to do something about it. When Jesus said it is finished on the cross, the next move became yours.  

Adam & Eve started out with authority and dominion when God gave them the position to rule and reign here on earth (Genesis 1:26-28; first book of the Bible we immediately see God’s plan) but Satan deceived and enticed Adam and Eve into giving up their role of ruler and submitting themselves to him.  So, Jesus came to get us back to our position of authority. When Jesus was raised from the dead He was given all authority by the Father:

Colossians 2:10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

1 Peter 3:22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Ephesians 1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Satan is no longer your Lord if you have made Jesus your Lord. Satan no longer has authority over you as a Christian.  Colossians 2:15 (ESV)  He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Then Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20:  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus told the disciples that they could go now in that authority because of their position in Him.  He delegated authority to them, much like a company delegates authority to an employee to act on their behalf, to sign papers, make deals, etc.  They represent the company. 

God doesn’t hand out physical badges or business cards but we aren’t fighting against natural/physical enemies.  Our enemies are in the spiritual realm and they can see the glory of God all over you. You don’t need a badge with them.  You carry the God of Angel Armies with you everywhere you go. Satan knows it. He’s just hoping YOU never find out who you really are.

Do you remember that Adam and Eve were naked and were not ashamed or didn’t even know they were naked until they sinned?  The reason is they would have been filled with the glory of God and it would have manifested itself as a glow around them like Moses’ face glowed after being with God on the mountain.  (Exodus 34:29-35) When they aligned themselves with Satan and became disconnected from God, that glory left them and the light went away and now they could see themselves as naked and were ashamed.  Because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross and our relationship restored with God, our spirits are aglow with the Holy Spirit. I believe that one day before Jesus’ return we will see the physical glow on us again.  I’ve heard stories of missionaries who have said that witch doctors can see a glow coming from graves of Christians.

My point is that if you only knew who you really were, and the spiritual position and the spiritual authority you now have because of that position (not because of how great you are or anything you have done), you would walk a little taller.  You would fight a little harder in spiritual matters. You would stand up for what is right and enforce Jesus’ victory.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 - Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

I pray that as you read this, that I can talk to you as people who live by the Spirit.  If you are still worldly, you’ll miss the fact that you are not a mere human any longer.  When you became saved, you became a new creation or a new species of being. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  And the position you now hold seated with Christ in heavenly places is one of authority. Just as a police person can stop a semi in its tracks due to the authority their badge represents, you can stop the enemy in his tracks and make him flee with the authority that Jesus has delegated to you as his kingdom representative.

If Satan has been holding you in bondage and continuing to run all over you even though you are a Christian, it could be because you are waiting on God to do something about it instead of walking in the authority you have been given.  Study the Scriptures to see who you now are in Christ because you can't exercise an authority you don't even know you have.  FREE GIFT: Sign up for the IN HIM: The Hope of Glory Bible Study (free version).