Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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right in. Good evening, everybody. It's good
to be here again this evening to teach the Word
of God. and um we take it like i always say with
utmost importance and care and we give our due
diligence and attention to the word of god so
that our faith will be standing firm not in the
knowledge of men but in the power of god hallelujah
so this evening we will continue from where we
stopped on sunday uh still the believers authority
in christ and um quickly clarify a few things
that might have looked clumsy or that was not
clearly explained. Then we progress into other
areas that we should grow and know more about.
So quickly, on Sunday, we started with believers
authority and we explained that. The knowledge
is important and a teacher is important to help
us understand what we have in Christ and that
by that our faith becomes effectual in that the
circumference of Christ, the circumference of
Christian faith is Christ and anything outside
that is actually unbelief. And we said we have
believed and therefore we are in Christ and we
have the gift of faith. We have the faith of
the Son of God. and Christ being the one who
established our faith. And I also said that in
the life of an unbeliever, it is difficult to
find faith. Why? Because they are not in faith,
so you cannot find faith in them. And I explained
that when we preach the gospel, one of the things
they do is to say that, men and brethren, what
can we do? What can we do to be saved? And Acts
chapter 2, you'll see. peter saying that you
know they need to repent and be baptized which
is to believe message of the gospel and they
will be saved and all the people around them
should do the same so we see that in telling
someone who has not believed to believe the message
you have just preached to them is actually handing
them the ticket of faith they receive faith when
the person receives it they are born again right
When they don't receive it and they reject that
faith, then they remain in their sin. So we can
expect believing from them, but we offer them
that this is what you need to do. You need to
believe this message, right? So you cannot just
preach the gospel and walk away, right? You've
never taught people before, and they will tell
you, actually, you gave a good talk. You gave
a good talk. The gospel is not a good talk, okay?
The gospel is not a good talk. some people like
oh that was really very very emotional talking
about the love of god and all of that it's not
just a good talk the power of god right is the
power of god so when you explain the power of
god for salvation to them and you offer them
the secret so we can find our faith in them except
we offer we offer so we also quickly move in
we try to explain uh what is authority Right?
What is authority? And I took us to Genesis chapter
1, verse 15, Genesis 26, verse 28. And we see
the word radar, right? See the word radar, which
means to have dominion, right? To have dominion.
And it simply means that from there we establish,
rather, we establish that the gospel, right?
The gospel. Rather, authority is found in the
premises of the gospel, right? Authority is found,
right, in the context of the gospel. Sorry, it
is found in the context, dominion is found in
the context because Genesis 1 from verse 18,
we can see, sorry, Genesis 1 from verse 26 to
28, we can see there God saying, let's make man
in our own image and likeness. uh that's god's
intention for man what god wants to do in man
right and that by doing that that is actually
salvation by doing that man right man would have
dominion and see that's what followed in verse
28 that and god blessed them and said to them
be fruitful and multiply fill the earth and subdue
it and have dominion over the fish of the sea
and over the birds of the heavens and over every
living thing that moves on the earth so we see
that the authority we are talking about is actually
or the dominion we're talking about is actually
in the context of what god is is doing in man
or what god has done in man today in this context
of what god would do in man so we saw that the
second thing we saw is genesis 4 verse 1 to 7
which is uh man over darkness god the voice of
the lord one in king and saying you know sin
is looking at your door right you should be the
one to dominate it so god's desire is not that
king should fall and ken should uh kill his brother
that's not god's desire god's desire is that
ken is able right to believe and enter into that
dominion so in that context we see the world
martial right which is very similar to radar
uh just with an additional uh what do i call
it additional meaning to Radha, which means to
scrape out. So we see that dominion and authority
in this context is actually over the works of
darkness, which is sin, right? Which Cain was
supposed to actually overcome. And we also see
that it also reflects God's leadership in a man's
life, right? We'll talk about God's reign, God's
Radha, right? God Masal, which is related to
God's leadership. in man's life also before the
soul of course we see that god's leadership in
a man's life god's leadership over israel and
over what they're doing so we also saw it in
the context of israel over the ungodly nations
so deuteronomy 15 uh verse 6 we saw israel over
the ungodly nations right and deuteronomy 24
verse 19 saying israel would reign right which
israel would dominate it means that the activities
of the kingdoms around them right will not prevail
over israel but israel prevail over the activities
of those kingdom you know uh over them and you
you realize that in that in that scripture he
said they will lend you know they will lend to
these people actually you know i was i was going
through in my story and i saw that it's actually
talking about that land is not like they would
borrow them it's talking about they will offer
them right the divine blessings of god that israel
really have right they will offer them the divine
blessings of god that is the nations around them
right so they will not power israel uh for israel
in its um might and knowledge of god would dominate
that if you don't if you don't if you remember
the the nations around them are actually godless
right but israel is godly so that is what that
means right uh also we saw that this authority
also reflects as a godly king over israel talking
about still god's leadership right still god's
leadership because uh second psalm 23 verse 3
and uh leviticus 25 verse 43 so we see that god's
leadership right uh a godly leadership right
is also reflected as authority which is um mainly
coming back to the fact that god is the one leading
right god is one leading uh israel in the context
of that so um we'll move further to the next
thing which is a statement i made and i think
we should do a little bit of further study on
it a little bit right we should just do some
further study on it of course in the first context
of defining uh defining authority i would like
to add this that uh psalms 8 verse 6 and hebrews
2 verse 8 because that those two scriptures shows
the dominion of christ shows everything under
the feet of christ so we can add that to the
explanations of what authority is psalms 8 verse
6. Psalms 8 verses. Of course, further in the
study, right, we're going to pay attention to
that, but we'll just read it and to explain that
it is not only places where they write Radha
or Massau, right, that we see authority, but
authority is also expressed, right, as an understanding
in Psalms 8. and hebrews 2 verse 8. so in these
two scriptures authorities expressed as an understand
the word rather or marshall is not used there
but we understood from the scripture that he
was talking about the authority of christ so
psalms 8 verse 6 he says you have given him dominion
right okay if i didn't use it here you have given
him dominion over the works of your hands and
you have put all things under his feet so that's
the understanding you have put all things under
his feet so they use the word myself rather in
that first line enough for that explain to put
all things under his feet so um we can go through
verse three say when i look to the heavens and
the works of your hands the moon and the star
which you have made verse four what is man that
you are mindful of me of him or the son of man
that you care for him Yet you have made him a
little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned
him with glory and honor. And you have given
him dominion over the works of his hand. And
the understanding there is that you have put
all things right under his feet. So if you go
to Hebrews 2, if you go to Hebrews 2, it's also
there, more clearly stated and said, we have
seen Christ. Hebrews 2, verse 8. Hebrews 2, verse
8. Okay, so from verse 5, Hebrews 2 from verse
5. in subjection under his feet so it's the same
uh scripture right that you will find the same
phrase putting everything under his feet putting
everything under his control you find it in ephesians
chapter one as well to put something under his
feet talking about authority authority ephesians
chapter one that add that to it ephesians chapter
one verse verse 22. said he has put all things
under his feet and gave him as head over all
things right to the church which is the body
the fullness of him who fits all in us so we
see authority right in the context of christ
being talked about from the old testament and
we see the new testament uh confirming this but
in subsequently in the sea or the deep part of
the study we would be able to understand it much
more so we have seen that all this authority
context is in relation to what God will do in
man, right? What God is doing through man, right?
Through man's leadership on earth, right? What
God is doing in Christ, what God is doing through
a nation, okay? What God is doing through man,
in man, right? What God is doing in man. What
God is doing, leading man's life, right? When
man is subject to God, what God is doing through
a nation, a people, right? And what God, in the
context of the Old Testament, will do through
Christ, right? This is where we see authority.
Maybe I should quickly rush and ask a question.
Do we see Satan in the context of the authority
that is expressed in God in all I've explained?
No, that's the answer. You have not seen any
of this authority accrued to Satan, right? You
have not seen in all of this use of this word.
So the question becomes, where does the devil
get his authority from, right? Where does the
devil get his authority from? But before we go
into that. I would like to quickly touch upon
something also that we talked about on Sunday.
I'll come back to the question. You can write
it down. Where does the devil get his authority
from? You can write it down. Then I will touch
upon it. If I teach and I don't, if you see me,
you can touch on it anyway. So I'm definitely
sure we'll be able to go through it. Now, the
second aspect that we need to also eye on is
that I said God does not give man, right, to
rule over another man. God does not give man
to rule over another man. Don't forget the context
we saw of that God gave a leadership. You will
see that it always says in the fear of God, which
simply means that the leadership would rule according
to what God is saying, according to the word
of God. Whether it's a king, whether it's a prophet,
whether it's a priest, right? So they don't rule
over the people, right? They lead the people
according to God. When we come to this B section,
right, God does not give man rulership over another
man, right? So I read Genesis 37 verse 8, 37
verse 8, which is actually Joseph's brother talking
about the, right, they were talking about the
fear that, you know, definitely Joseph would
be able to, will oppress them. right? He will
oppress them since their father died, right?
Since Jacob had died. So it's time for Joseph
to oppress them, right? So from that verse 37,
37 verse 8, he says that his brother said to
him, are you indeed to reign over us? Or are
you indeed to rule over us? So they hated him
even more for his dreams. And when Jacob died,
they began to, you know, think of ways to escape
this thing that they themselves prophesied upon
themselves. Let me say that, right? That Joseph
will rule over them. So they began to prophesy.
And in Genesis 50, verse 19, right? Joseph said
to them, from verse 15. Genesis 50 verse 15.
When Israel saw that their father was dead, they
said, it may be that Joseph will hate us more
and pay us back all the evil we did to him. So
they sent a message to Joseph saying that your
father gave this command, right, before he died.
Say to Joseph, please forgive the transgression
of your brothers and sin that they did evil to
you. And now please forgive their transgression
of the servants of the God of your father. Joseph
wept and... Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
His brother also came and fell down before him
and said, Behold, we are your servants. But Joseph
said to them, Do not fear, for am I in the place
of God? As for you, you meant it for evil, but
God meant it for good, to bring it about that
many people should be kept alive as they are
today. So they already said in their mind that
we are going to be ruled, right? Ruled by God.
uh joseph and we read judges 8 22 -23 also gideon
saying i'm not going to rule over you right but
god will rule who lead us right god will be the
one who will reign who will reign right god will
be the one who lead right so um gideon said that
and when we read the tronomy 15 verse 7 to 11
i explained that the explanation that moses is
giving them is that so that there will not be
oppression, so that there will not be oppression,
right, among the children of Israel. That is
why he was explaining that, to give, to deliver
after the seventh year, release people to go,
right, so that there won't be oppression, right?
So I think we can read Exodus 1 verse 13 now.
Let's start adding the scriptures to it. Exodus
1 verse 13. Exodus 1 verse 13. You can write
it down. Exodus 1 verse 13 to 14. Leviticus 25
verse 43 to 46. Leviticus 25. I think probably
I gave that as well. Leviticus 25 verse 43 to
46. He said, you shall not rule over him ruthlessly.
Let's read from verse 42. For they are my servants
whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. They
shall not be sold as slaves. You shall not rule
over him ruthlessly, but shall fear your God.
Right? Shall fear. So he's talking about for
a poor person now. Verse 39 says, if your brother
becomes poor beside you and sells himself to
you. You shall not make him serve as a slave.
This is verse 39 of Leviticus 25. He shall be
with you as a hired worker and as a sojourner.
He will serve you until the year of jubilee.
Then he shall go out from you and he and his
children with him and go back to his own clan,
return to the possession of his father, for they
are my servants whom I brought out. of the land
of Egypt. They shall not be sold as slaves. You
shall not rule over him ruthlessly, but you shall
fear your God. For as for male and female slaves
whom you have bought, you may buy male and female
slaves from among the nations that are around
you. So we can see that within Israel, right,
within Israel, within this quarter people, right,
we can see that there's an instruction. of no
oppression. Why? Because in Exodus 1 verse 13,
right? Exodus 1 verse 13, that's where this context
of oppression came. Exodus 1 verse 13. So they
ruthlessly made the people of Israel to work
as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard
labor in mortar and brick and in all kinds of
field. In all their work, they ruthlessly made
them work as slaves. So this is what they were
delivered from, right? So they were delivered
from oppression. Therefore, no Israel, right,
will put another Israel under oppression. So
that is the context of what is happening here.
God said, I bought them, I delivered them, they
are saved, right? In context of what happened
to Israel from Egypt, a picture of salvation
that I bought them from. So you will not do to
them what Egypt did to them. We see that. So
we see that very clearly that it's not something
that is allowed within Israel. Now, that word
is similar to something. It's similar to something
that we can find, right? We can find in Matthew
8, 29. Matthew 8, 29. Matthew 8, verse 29. Matthew
8. verse 29 from verse 28 and when he came to
the other side of the country of the gadareans
two demon possessed men met him coming out of
tomb so fierce that no one could pass the way
and bill they cried what have you to do with
us oh son of god have you come to torment us
right before time now he heard of many pigs we're
feeding at some distance from them and the demons
beg him saying if you cast us out right send
us away into the herds of the pig so this is
like uh this is similar to oppressing right so
we see that torment here right torment what these
demons are saying that jesus came to do right
jesus came to do is actually to take them away
from their position of oppression okay so have
you come to torment us it means that to disturb
us to shift them away to cast them out to stop
their existence to restrain them right to bind
them and constrain them from functioning in that
man right so jesus cast them so they say you
have come to torment us so when it comes to this
uh rootlessness it is similar to what is happening
in egypt that israel was treated as an outcast
in egypt right israel was treated away from their
position as people of god in egypt right therefore
in leviticus says don't do the same you cannot
do the same to your brother right you cannot
make your brother you cannot take his position
away as someone who has been bought out of Someone
who has been brought out of slavery. So you cannot
take your brother's position away. You must treat
him as someone who is bought with a price. Do
we see it there? So to torment this means to
torment or to oppress is like to get someone,
to treat someone away from their positions. So
he says, no, you can't do that. And therefore
we see that. A believer can actually torment
a demon. You can take them out of their position.
You can restrain them from functioning in their
position because they are not the sons of God,
right? They are not the sons of God. We can chase
them. We can cast them out. So tormenting them
and dealing ruthlessly with principalities and
power is what we should do, is what we can do,
as we see in Matthew 8, but not to a brother.
You can't treat your brother as a demon. You
can't treat your brother as a principality and
power. You can't treat him in such a way. It
means that we deal ruthlessly with those ones,
those principalities and powers. Therefore, we
don't rule over because that is actually ruling
over the principalities and powers. Ruling over
principalities and powers. So what do believers
do to themselves? As an authority, as in this
context, what do they do? We submit to one another.
Ephesians 5 .21. and Hebrews 13, 17. Ephesians
5, 21. So this is what, because as we are going,
we must be balancing these things so that we
can grow wholesomely. Ephesians 5, 21. Ephesians
5, 21 says, submitting to one another out of
reverence for Christ. So this is our job. Verse
20, giving thanks always and... for everything
to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence
for Christ. And now see what Hebrews 13 verse
17 says. Hebrews 13 verse 17. It says, Obey your
leaders, okay, and submit to them, for they are
keeping watch over you. as those who will have
to give an account, right? So they're keeping
watch over you as those who would give an account.
Let them do this with joy and not with groanings,
for that will be of no advantage to you, right?
Basically saying, submit to them. Don't be stubborn,
right? Don't be stubborn. They are not rulers
over you. They are guardians. They are watching
over your soul. They are guardians, watchers,
shepherds, right? Watching over. your soul and
make the work easy for them by being submissive
so we submit to one another you know is what
we do right we clarify this and uh understanding
that in the context of the authority of the church
authority of the leader this is what the bible
explains now let's go further so we've been able
to clarify this let's go further how do The prophets
of the Old Testament exercise authority. I started
with Elijah on Sunday, and I think it's necessary
to take it back a little bit and touch upon Moses.
And Moses and Elijah are actually the only two
prophets we are going to examine in the context
of the authority that is exercised in the Old
Testament. So let's go to Exodus 3. Exodus 3.
Exodus chapter 3. From verse 7. Exodus chapter
3, verse 7. I was having a chat with Pastor Kostin
on this part this afternoon. So thank you, sir.
All right, so Exodus chapter 3, verse 7. The
Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction
of my people who are in Egypt, and I've heard
their cry because of their taskmasters. I know
their suffering, and I have come down to deliver
them out of the hands of Egypt. Egyptians, and
to bring them out of the land to a good and broad
land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to
the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites,
the Amorites and the Perizzites, the Hivites,
the Jebusites, and now behold, the pride of the
people of Israel has come to me. I have also
seen the oppression, you see, same word, oppression,
the same word, to deal ruthlessly with a person,
the same word, to oppress, to torment, right?
I've seen the oppression with which Egyptians
oppress them. come i will send you to pharaoh
and you that you may bring my people and the
children of israel out of egypt but moses said
who am i that i should go to pharaoh and bring
the children of israel out of egypt and he said
i will be with you i will be with you and this
shall be the sign that i have sent you when you
have brought the people out of israel and you
shall serve You shall serve God on this mountain.
And Moses said, if I come to the people of Israel
and say to them, the God of your father has sent
me to you. And they asked, what is his name?
What shall I say? God said to Moses, I am who
I am. And he said, say this to the people of
Israel. I am has sent you. God also said to Moses,
say this to the people of Israel. The Lord, the
God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God
of... Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to
you. This is my name forever. Thus, I am to be
remembered throughout generations. Now, what
you will see here, right? What you will see here
is that Moses will begin to exercise authority
or that the foundation of the authority Moses
exercise. Okay? upon the people of Israel is
founded upon the deliverance that he will conduct.
I say it again. The authority that Moses exercised
on the people of Israel is founded upon the salvation,
upon the deliverance he will bring to them by
taking them out of Egypt. There's a reason why
I'm saying that. So that we can understand the
next scripture. God has said, I have seen my
people's oppression. I have seen my people's
oppression. I am sending you. So the authority
of God is to deliver Israel from the hands of
the Egyptians. And upon that, he begins to operate.
The moment he assumes that office, he begins
to operate. And thus, all the signs that followed,
he had the authority to carry out those signs.
Why? Those signs were unto that Pharaoh might
let the people of Israel. So Moses gained the
authority because of the assignment that was
given to him. Still the same way of saying that
authority is found in the context of the gospel.
It's context of delivering a people. Authority
is found there. So authority has been given to
him to carry out a function of deliverance for
God. Okay, so now let's see Numbers 20. verse
four let's see numbers 20 verse two so his job
is to deliver it deliver now he says then let's
read from verse uh let's read from verse two
i'll read it very quickly and there was no water
for the congregation and they assembled themselves
together against moses and against aaron and
the people quarreled with moses and said would
that we perish With that we have perished when
our brothers perished before the Lord. Why have
you brought the assembly of the Lord into this
wilderness, that we should die here, both we
and our cultures? And why have you made us come
out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place?
It is no place for grain or figs or vines or
primogranites, and there is no water to drink.
Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of
the assembly to the entrance of the tent of the
meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory
of the Lord appeared to them. And the Lord spoke
to Moses, saying, take the staff and assemble
the congregation, and you and Aaron, your brother,
and tell the rock beside their eyes, right? He
said, tell the rock before their eyes, rather,
to yield its water. Tell this rock to yield its
water. So you shall bring out of the rock. You
shall bring water out of the rock for them and
give drink to the congregation and their cattle.
So I read again. Take the staff and assemble
the congregation, you and Aaron your brother,
and tell the rock before their eyes to yield
its water. So you shall bring water out of the
rock for them and give drink to the congregation
and their cattle. And Moses took the staff from
the Lord as he has commanded. Verse 10. Then
Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly. They gathered
the assembly before the rock. And he said to
them, here now, you rebels, shall we bring water
for you out of this rock? And Moses lifted up
his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice.
And water came out abundantly. And the congregation
drank and their livestock. And the Lord said
to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe
in me to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the
people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring
this assembly into the land that I have given
them. These are the waters of Meribah, where
the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord.
And through them he showed himself. Now, what
is the problem with this context as compared
to Exodus chapter 3? In Exodus chapter 3, Moses
was given an assignment to go and deliver God's
people. In Numbers 20, the assignment stopped.
We can say that it was transferred to somebody
else from this point. So it would not be the
one to take them into the land. Someone else
will do. Why? Because Scripture says, because
he did not believe in me to uphold me as holy
in the eyes of the people of Israel. Therefore,
you shall not bring this assembly. Now, sometimes
we quickly look at, okay, he struck the rock,
right? And hitting that rock was the offense,
right? So we say he hit the rock and that was
the offense. And the moment he hit that rock,
some people will even say, probably he hit christ
because we know that when we move to first corinthians
10 we understood that that rock was christ right
was was a pointer to christ a provision of deliverance
right so so he hit christ and that was you know
probably that was why god was offended now let's
go to first corinthians 10. i'll come back to
explain this just put your hand in Numbers 20,
I'll go to verse 20. Therefore, I do not want
you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers
were all under the cloud. They passed through
the sea and they were all baptized into Moses
in the cloud, in the sea, and all ate the same
spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual
drink. For they drank from that rock, that spiritual
rock, that followed them. And that rock was who?
Was Christ, right? See, that rock was Christ.
Nevertheless, With most of them, God was not
pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
So we know that that rock was Christ. It was
a picture of a provision. And we know that although
they drank from that rock, they did not believe
in drinking. They did not believe. Despite drinking,
they did not believe that. They did not believe
the salvation of God. They did not believe the
message of God. They still did not believe what
Moses was saying to them, despite drinking from
that rock. But that rock was actually a pointer
to life. It was a pointer to life that they would
receive. It was a pointer to life. Now, if we
come to Exodus 20, since we know that that rock
was a picture of life, the picture of salvation,
the picture of Christ himself, providing, giving
them life. Now, see what Moses said in verse
10. Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly
before the rock and said to them, Here now, you
rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this
rock? Right? I don't know if there's any version
that puts it in a very much interesting way.
What Moses is saying is that you guys are rebels,
right? Is it the most? Must you drink from Christ?
That's the way we can say it. Is it the most
you people drink from Christ? Because since we
know that that rock represents Christ, right?
We can now say that, is it the most? You are
stubborn, you are hard -hearted, must you drink
from Christ? So what would that mean? What would
that mean? It means that Moses at that point
began to question, should these people be saved
at all? Right? Should they be saved because of
their hard -hearted? Is it a must that we must
deliver them? You know, in a way, talking to
the people, but in another way, talking to God.
That you called me to deliver those people. But
is it a must that these people must drink from
Christ? It's not a must. Let them, you know,
let them just perish, more or less. Right? Is
it a must for them to be saved? And that is when
God said, it's authority that I've given you.
to carry these people out, right? At this point,
we can stop here, right? So it was not that Moses
knew Christ. Moses understood the rock was Christ.
Moses understood all the gospel and all the message
that God was communicating, right? But in this,
right, he doubted, you know, he had a double
-minded on... That's why he said, you did not
believe in me to uphold me as holy. He wasn't
talking about Moses did not believe the gospel.
No, that verse 22 was not Moses not believing
the gospel. I say it again. Verse 22, verse 12
rather, is not Moses not believing the gospel,
but double -minded over these people he called
rebels, and he said they must, that they must
drink from Christ. But this is what God said
he will do. This is what God said. So at this
point in time, we just saw that the authority
to take them into the land was put at a stop
and someone else had to lead Israel into that.
I hope we get that clear. So we see that the
authority therefore is also within the context
of God's salvation and it only stays within the
circumference of God's salvation. Circumference
of what God would do. would do. So, we can also
see Elijah's case, which I already explained
on Sunday, right, in just an addition, that he
operated, right, in many things, exercising.
Don't forget, Moses hit the rock and water came
out. Water still came out, right? That's an authority
as well. It means that, you know, he hit the
rock, right, after making such a statement. Still
hit the rock and it came out. So, he still exercised
a will of his own, which is to hit rather than
speak. to the rock, right? But the parameters,
the concrete part of it is that he doubted if
these people, right, should be saved in the first
place and he exercised a will and water still
came out, right, because he had authority. And
we saw that everything was wrapped up in that
context. Elijah, the same thing. We see exercising
many authorities within the context of saving
people, delivering people, healing, and all of
that. And we also see that he also exercised
a will, right? uh exercise the will uh in in
in making people to uh you see him calling down
fire and all of that and i said that because
that is not the context of salvation we can say
that the man of god is exercising authority on
his own right within his within his own will
in his own view right so uh that is just to also
show that the exercising of authority that god
is talking about from genesis right over the
kingdom of darkness over overseeing over unbelief
right authority over unbelief authority over
dark places which is the heart of men authority
over idolatry on godliness and sin that we are
able to establish right the kingdom of god right
wherever uh we find that we bring to bear we
bring to manifestation the kingdom of god now
let's go into the old testament i'm sorry the
new testament text a little bit right luke 10
from verse from verse one right luke 10 verse
one after this the lord appointed 72 others and
sent them on ahead of him two by two, into every
town and place where himself was about to go.
And he said to them, The harvest is plentiful,
but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly
to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers
into his vineyard. Go your way. Behold, I am
sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
Carry no bag, no knapsack, nor sandals, and greet
no one on the road. Whatever house you enter
first, first say, Peace be to this house. And
if a son of peace is dead, your peace will rest
upon him. But if not, it will return to you and
remain in the same house, eating and drinking
what they provide for the laborers deserve wages.
Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter
a town and they receive you, it's what is set
before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them,
the kingdom of God has come near to you. So,
heal the sick and the kingdom of God has come
near to you. Whenever you enter a town and they
do not receive you, go into the street and say,
even the dust of your own towns that cling to
your feet will wipe off against you. So, if you
go to verse 17, verse 17, it's that the 72 returned
with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject
to us in your name. And he said to them, So,
we see that similarly in the context of preaching
the gospel, right? disciples exercise authority
so he gave them right he gave them authority
so go right go and function go and in my name
right in my anointed name go and preach that
the kingdom of god is here the same thing is
uh recorded in matthew 10 it's recorded in matthew
10 preaching the gospel and the authority that
is given uh along with it matthew 10 then he
called the disciples matthew 10 verse 1. And
he called to him, his 12 disciples, and gave
them. So this one started with the parable first.
Let's say that, right? He gave them authority
over unclean spirits to cast them out and to
heal every disease and every affliction. The
names of the 12 and they named them. And in verse
5, the 12 Jesus sent out, instructing them, go
nowhere, right? among the Gentiles. Enter through
no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the
lost sheep of Israel, the house of Israel, and
proclaim as it goes, saying, The kingdom of God
is at hand. Then you heal the sick, raise the
dead, cleanse the leper, cast out demons you
have received without pain, give without pay,
acquire no gold or silver or copper. So we see
here also that authority was given to them. And
again, they... manifested uh the kingdom of god
and you can see that they will also come back
rejoicing right rejoicing that these uh demons
were subject to them so we see that this authority
that is being talked about right is within uh
the gospel within the message of what god however
this is actually a pre -resurrection what we
can call the pre -resurrection uh kind of authority
that was given to them right that was given to
them so it just made me marvel It just made me
marvel because when we go to Matthew 17, verse
19. When we go to Matthew 17, verse 19. I want
you to believe we are learning. Matthew 17, verse
19. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately
and said, why could we not cast it out? And he
said to them, because of your little faith. For
truly I say to you, If you have a faith like
a grain of mustard seed, you would say to this
mountain, move from here to there, I need to
move, and nothing would be impossible. So what
is the difference between Matthew 10 and Matthew
17? Can we see faith in action? What's more to
it is to understand, right, is to understand
that what is happening in the pre -resurrection
time before Jesus was resurrected, was giving
them authority, right? Giving them authority.
It means that he gave them the authority and
they can go. It looks like a delegated authority
granted unto them, right? So a delegated authority
granted unto them that they can go preaching
the gospel by the kingdom of God is at hand and
healing the sick. So we can say that it is on
the basis of Christ's identity. It is on the
basis of Christ's identity that they are doing
what they were doing. I say it again. It is on
the basis of Christ's identity that the disciples
were doing what... He said God anointed Christ,
Acts 10 .38, anointed Jesus of Nazareth, right?
And he was going about healing all manner of
diseases. So it is that anointed Jesus authority
of that identity that they went about. preaching
the gospel and they were healing. So therefore,
it's therefore understandable that they would
doubt that their faith might fail, right? It's
therefore understandable that their faith might
fail. Therefore, understandable that they would
doubt, you know, at some point in time, it's
therefore understandable that they might want
to cast out demons and they would not be, you
know, they would be faithless like Jesus would
call them because it is on the basis of Christ's
identity. Now, let me now say this, which I'm
still going to check other scriptures and will
teach it. On the basis of the identity that the
believer identifies with Christ, it is on that
basis today, in the post -resurrection time,
that we carry out the manifestation of the authority
that is given to us. I say it again. Today, which
is not a pre -requisition right this is a post
-requisition time right christ has risen and
is alive on what identity it is upon our identity
that we carry out what we carry out but our identity
is in identifying with christ do we get it so
it's not we are saying we come to you in the
name of right we come to you we we are here the
demons and the principalities and power we the
believer we are here Right? So, in such, we carry
more authority, we carry more faith, because
we know that it's not just in Christ, but it
is in us. So, the disciples, at this time, their
functioning, right, could be challenging because
they were functioning based on the anointed Christ
and the permission and the authority the anointed
Christ has delegated unto them to go out and
function. So we can say that doubts can arise.
But today, the believer functions from his identity.
And his identity is found in Christ. So he doesn't
need to say, oh, Jesus is coming to cast you
out. We will cast out demons. We will heal the
sick. We will exercise faith in God. And mountains
will move because we, the believer, we are here.
We are here. The believer is here. So, how do
we come into this, right? How do we come into
this? Matthew 16, verse 18. He said, I will give
you the keys, right? I will give you the keys.
I will give you access. So, you can write it
down. Matthew 16, verse 18. We're talking about
when he will build his church, which he has built
now, right? He said, I will give you access to
bind and lose, right? Matthew 16, verse 18. So,
maybe you're through. From verse 18. And I tell
you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build
my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail.
Verse 19. I will give you the keys of the kingdom
of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall
be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on
earth shall be loosed in heaven. Authority. He's
saying what he will do, right, when he establishes
the church. And at resurrection, he establishes
the church. Therefore, that authority. is giving
to us. I don't want to use the word giving because
there's something that we need to explain. There's
something that we need to explain, especially
with Ephesians. There's something that we need
to explain. Giving, delegated, giving to them,
right? It is giving to the disciples. Let's go
to Ephesians 1. Let's see something there. Ephesians
chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1, let's write it
down. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 19 to 20. John,
Gospel of John. John 1, verse 12. Ephesians chapter
1, verse 19 to 20. John 1, verse 12. Matthew
28, verse 18. These three scriptures. The reason
why I said to say give, right, would be a little
bit challenging. It can be explained using Ephesians
1. Ephesians chapter 1. There's a reason that
we don't understand it as delegated authority.
Ephesians chapter 1. Now Ephesians chapter 1,
let's go to verse 19. He said, and what is the
immeasurable greatness of his power towards us
who believed? Right? According to the walkings.
of his great might that he walked in christ when
he raised him from the dead we can read from
verse 18 let's take it back a little bit having
the eyes of our hearts enlightened that you may
know what is the hope for which he has called
you and the riches of his glorious inheritance
in the saints and what is the immeasurable are
you saying immeasurable greatness of his power
towards us who believe according to the working
of his great might that he walked in Christ when
he raised him from the dead. So it means that
when God was raising Christ from the dead, something
was happening to all of us, the believers. Okay?
So immeasurable greatness of his power, right,
was taking place. We were gaining, he's saying
that we were having authority as Christ was resurrecting,
right, we were receiving authority alongside.
Right? We're receiving authority with Christ.
Right? So, it's not like he resurrected and he
gave birth. He said, as we have been raised with
him. Right? As we have been raised with Christ,
we are raised. It means that being born again,
coming into Christ, it came with authority. Right?
It came with authority. So, he's saying that
there's something he has worked in the believer
that he worked when he raised him from the dead.
So, at the resurrection, Right? At resurrection,
the believer had authority. Right? The believer
received authority. As Christ has been lifted
high, the believer received authority. Right?
So he therefore not need to tell us that I'm
giving you. Right? That's where I'm going. That
is therefore not saying that I give you. But
since we identify in that resurrection, we have
received authority. That is why John verse...
John 1 verse 12 and Matthew 28 verse 18 will
combine them together. John actually said he
gave them part to become the sons of God. John
1 verse 12. But all who receive and believe him,
he gave the rights, right? He gave them exosia,
the authority, right? To become the sons of God.
It is... This thing that is taking place in Ephesians,
right, Ephesians explains it more clearly, that
that power, that authority, right, it took place
simultaneously as Christ is being raised. Okay,
so John used the word give. Ephesians explains
in detail, saying that when Christ was raised,
that is when all that workings of God in us took
place. Okay, then Matthew, Matthew 28 now. tries
to explain some other things there, why Jesus
would say some things in a certain way. Matthew
28. Why Jesus would speak in a certain way. Matthew
28, Mark 16, as we know. In Matthew 28, it says
that, verse 19, 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 to the end of
the age. Now, verse 16 says, Now the eleven disciples
went to Galilee, to the mount to which Jesus
had directed them. And when they saw him, they
worshipped him. But some doubted, and Jesus came
and said to them, All authority in heaven and
earth is given to me. It's given to me, right?
Go, therefore. and make disciples of all nations
right baptizing them in the name of the father
and son of the spirit teaching them to observe
all that i've commanded you and behold i am with
you to the end of this matthew 16 sorry max 16
verse 15 go into the world and proclaim the gospel
to all creation. Whoever believes is baptized
and is baptized is saved. But whosoever does
not believe will be condemned. And these signs
shall accompany those who believe. In my name,
right, they will cast out demons. They will speak
in new tongues. They will pick up serpents with
their hands. And if they drink any deadly poison,
it will not hurt them. They will lay their hands
on the sick and they will recover. Now see verse
17. He said, in my name. In my accomplishments.
In what I have done. In my resurrection. All
that I have done. In all of this that I have
done. They will do what? They will cast out demons.
It's different from I give you authority now.
Go and act on my behalf. It's different. I give
you authority. Go and act on my behalf. This
one is in my name. In all that I have accomplished.
Anyone who comes into that. right, can perform
all this that I've said, right? Can heal the
sick, can speak in tongues, can pick. So he's
simply saying that if anyone comes and believes
in my name, in my reputation, in all that I've
done, they can do it. That is why in Matthew
28, I don't think it would be necessary to say,
I give you, you know, authority. No, he's saying
that in all that Christ has done, the believer
has authority. right in all so you are not waiting
that oh i have to receive authority right you
get born again that you receive authority no
you get born again there's authority already
it comes with it right so it comes with it authority
in the context of salvation in the context of
preaching the gospel in his name in all that
he has done the believer In all that he has done,
the believer would operate. So we see that in
the post -resurrection, the believer would operate
based on all the things that Christ has achieved.
In Ephesians, he revealed that in raising him
up, something happened to us. In raising Christ's
hope, something happened to the believer. And
therefore, we have authority. we have authority.
So, preservation is not a delegated, it's not
a given authority. It's authority that we came
into as we come into salvation. We came into
it as we come into salvation. So, that's a more
clear explanation of John chapter 1 verse 12.
Now, I'll just conclude in five minutes with
just four statements. Right? I'll conclude in
five minutes with four statements. Therefore,
first, Because Adam did not believe, he did not
walk in this authority that is found in the message
of God. So it was supposed to be created in the
image of God by believing, right? Genesis chapter
3. But by disbelieving the message, he could
not walk in this dominion. That is the first
thing. So why did I say this? Because there's
a doctrine that says Adam lost an authority and
passed it to the devil. He did not pass it to
the devil. The devil cannot work in the authority
and dominion that God is talking about. The devil
cannot work in it. First of all, the authority
and dominion God is talking about is in the context
of salvation. How can the devil work in that
context where God is creating man in his spirit?
So man did not... lose any authority right because
he never worked in any authority right so the
devil right what the devil did right is so this
is what i'm saying where does the devil's authority
come from the devil gains access through unbelief
the devil became the ruler of this world through
unbelief ephesians chapter 2 through the disobedience
of men the devil became the ruler of this world
Through the unbelief of men, the devil became
the ruler. That's where the devil capitalized.
That's where the devil became powerful. He said,
the spirit that is at work in the children of
disobedience, Ephesians 2. So the devil does
not have any dominion within the authority, within
the context of God's dominion and authority.
Rather, the devil gained his dominion through
men's disobedience. How does the devil function
today? He functions through the disobedience
of men. That is the authority and the dominion
of disobedience. Unbelief, rejecting of the gospel.
That is where the devil functions through. Okay?
So the devil functions through the unbelief of
men, the disobedience of men, the rejection of
the gospel, right? That is where you can find,
that's where, that's the dark places. That is
the heart of men. That is the principalities
and power. Those are where they function through.
So the devil does not have any authority. Adam
did not have any authority. He did not pass anything
to the devil. The devil operated, started his
operation. I mean, yes, we can say that the devil
started his operation when Adam disbelieved.
He started his operation when Adam disbelieved.
Now, also, Jesus did not come to collect anything
from authority from the Satan and give back to
man. These are not correct doctrines, okay? He
did not come to collect anything from the devil.
and say i'm giving it back to man right no not
going to collect anything rather right jesus
came to deliver man from the dominion of darkness
that authority that devil is operating he delivered
man from that and gave man right sonship so we
became sons a new identity in him right in him
So what we see is that Jesus did not come, he
did not come and collect anything from the devil,
right? The devil had nothing. He's a man that
God came to collect from the devil. Let's put
it that way, right? He came to deliver us from
the kingdom of darkness and brought us into the
kingdom of his beloved son, right? So that is
the deliverance that's happened. That's why he
said he made it in Colossians. He said he made
an open show of us, the believers, right? He
displayed us to the world to see. Hallelujah.
So Jesus came to deliver a man. A man can have
an identity in him and have authority. Adam never
had a dominion. The devil uses the unbelief of
men as his authority. So let's walk in believing.
The more we walk in believing, the more we can
oppress the kingdom of darkness. The more we
can bring down the kingdom of darkness, the more
we can walk. in casting out demons, healing and,
you know, tormenting and oppressing, taking them
out of their places, the more we work in belief,
not in unbelief. Hallelujah. We can read Hebrews
2, verse 5 to 14, which explain much more what
Jesus came to do. Not to collect any authority
from him, but to deliver us. And to deliver us
through fear of death. right saying that devil
right is the one who has the power of death but
he has come to the devils who through the fear
of death have lived in lifelong bondage that's
what jesus came to do so we have authority we
have authority we have it is in us we the moment
we believe the authority of god the authority
to walk in in power to work in order christ has
done became effective in our lives so we are
not like moses right we are not like elijah right
we are not like the disciples before resurrection
right because the authority is from the identity
that we receive in christ so your identity carries
authority the identity of a believer carries
authority that is why i said we are here we must
have this mindset that we are here and we can
Therefore, manifest the kingdom of God wherever
we find ourselves. Glory to God. Can we just
give thanks? Thank you Jesus for your word. We
appreciate you being here today. We hope you
carry this word with you throughout your week.
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