"Our Authority In Christ, Part 1" by Nancy Dufresne

  Psalm 8:4-6 reads, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels (Heb. Elohim – God ), and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have DOMINION over the works of thy hands; thou hast put ALL things under his feet.”

     Being created in God’s image, we were created to have dominion and rule. God made “him to have dominion.” We must be true to what we were “made” for. Dominion fits us, for we were “made” for it.

     Ephesians 1:19-23 tells us, “...according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

     Jesus’ headship is exercised through the Church – the Body of Christ.

     Jesus was raised FAR above all principality, powers, might, and dominion – all these opposed Him being raised from the dead – but they were no match for God’s power that raised Him.

     Ephesians 2:4-6 tells us, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

     Jesus occupies the seat of authority at the right hand of God. We too have been raised up together with Christ and made to sit together with Him in heavenly places. We have a SHARED seat of authority with Christ – our authority stems from that seat.

     Jesus is the Head – we are the Body. The Head isn’t in one seat and the Body in another. The Head exercises His authority through the Body. 

     Your own head may decide to go to the next room, but it needs the body to carry out what the head directs. The head directs the “doing” of the body. Likewise, Jesus (who is the Head) carries out God’s plan through the Church (the Body). The Head directs the Body.

     Being raised and seated with Christ, we occupy a supreme position with Christ. Our authority stems from that exalted seat we occupy with Christ – our authority is of HIM. Adam lost the dominion through sin, but Jesus restored it back to us.

     The devil doesn’t want Christians to know that they have complete authority over him. He seeks to hinder light on this truth because he knows that when believers learn this truth, he’s done pushing them around – we will dominate him and enjoy the authority that is rightfully ours.

     Since we have authority over the devil, why are so many Christians living in bondage to the wrong thing? Because they don’t know or exercise the truth of their authority. John 8:32 reads, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge….” Believers aren’t destroyed because of the devil – but  because they are ignorant of what God has provided for them and made theirs. Being ignorant, the devil takes advantage of them, and they allow the wrong things to happen.

     Matthew 18:18 reads, “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind (forbid) on earth shall be bound (forbid) in (by) heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose (permit) on earth shall be loosed (permitted) in (by) heaven.” 

     Notice, regarding the exercise of authority, something is done on earth before anything is done in Heaven. When we on earth exercise our authority, Heaven will back us up! But we must take action first. If authority isn’t exercised on earth, then Heaven has nothing to back up. 

     Jesus defeated Satan, then turned around and handed us the authority – WE are the ones who have to exercise that authority. Wrong things persist because WE permit it. But when we forbid wrong things, Heaven’s power will back up our authority we are exercising.

     People will say, “Why did God allow or permit that to happen?” When He would say to us, “Why did YOU allow or permit that to happen?” God forbids what we forbid. God permits what we permit.

     Every encounter with the devil always needs to be with the consciousness that we have complete and total authority over him because he is a defeated foe. Colossians 2:15 tells us, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

     Jesus utterly defeated and stripped principalities and powers of their authority. Jesus defeated Satan and then handed that victory to us. We don’t have to defeat Satan again – we are to ENFORCE the defeat over the devil that Jesus accomplished on our behalf.