LESSON
11
Authority
In some of the earlier
lessons we touched very briefly on the subject of authority in the
If you will grab a hold
of this subject, it will revolutionize your life. You will come to understand that this
principle of authority is contrary to the way the world teaches us to think.
As we learned in
previous lessons, we need to change the way we think and begin to think the way
God thinks.
The principles and
patterns of God are not those of the world.
If we can learn the principles God operates under and the patterns in which God
moves, we can learn to live in the victory that Christ lives in.
Matt. 6:33 But
seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
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Bringing this into
context, Jesus had just finished speaking about not worrying about what you
will eat and what you will wear; the necessities of life. The world consumes itself with seeking these
things.
Things aren't
wrong. Allowing them to consume you is.
Jesus set down a
priority. The world says seek ‘things’
first. God says to seek FIRST the
kingdom and His righteousness and he will give you things.
A kingdom is a place
where a king rules. It is the
governmental structure. It is the
authority structure of God.
Therefore, seek FIRST
the authority structure of God and His righteousness.
Remember, righteousness
is equity of character or equality of character; God's character.
Matt. 8:5-10 And when Jesus
was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion, beseeching Him,
And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of
the palsy, grievously tormented. And
Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am
not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but
speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having
soldiers under me: and I say to this [man], Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my
servant, Do this, and he doeth [it].
When Jesus heard [it], He marvelled, and said
to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith,
no, not in Israel.
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The centurion understood
a principle of the kingdom even though he was not a Jew and was an oppressor of
the Jews. This man understood authority
which was accounted unto him as faith.
He had authority because
he was under authority. The word ‘go’ in verse 9 in the original Greek means a command
that requires an instantaneous response.
Why did they obey the
centurion? They knew that they weren't
just listening to him. They knew he was
a man under authority. When he spoke it
wasn't just a man speaking. When he
spoke it was with all of
Why do most people obey
a police officer when pulled over? It
doesn't matter what he looks like. His
physical stature is unimportant. We look
to what he represents, the whole state.
Why does a private
listen to the sergeant? Because he speaks under the authority of the whole army which gets
its authority from the government of the
The centurion recognized
that Jesus was under the authority of the
Why did Jesus attribute
faith to the centurion? The centurion
understood that Jesus had authority because he was under authority.
If you want the
blessings of God you must seek FIRST the kingdom, the authority structure, of
God.
When you get under the
right authority, you have the right to exercise authority. When you come out from under God's authority
you lose your right to have authority.
The world says don't
come under or submit to authority. They
say if you do come under authority you will lose your rights. God says that is wrong thinking. God says only when you are under authority do
you have rights.
When you come out from
under authority, the only rights you have, the only power you have, is that
which you can muster up yourself. But
when you are under authority, when you speak, you have all that you are
submitted to backing you up.
When you are out there all
by yourself the devil will beat you up.
He does not fear you, but he does fear all of heaven. This is why he tries so hard to keep you from
submitting to the authority structure of God.
There is nothing that
can stand against you when all of heaven is backing you up. What can’t be accomplished when all of heaven
is backing you up?
Isa. 54:17 No
weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in
judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the
heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me,
saith the LORD.
This is your
heritage. This is what rightfully
belongs to you, but you have to come under rightful kingdom authority.
Seek ye FIRST the
kingdom, the authority structure, of God and all these things shall be added
unto you.
In Review:
1. What
is the kingdom?
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2. Why
did the centurion have authority?
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3. Why
do most people pull over for a police officer when pulled over?
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4. What
did the centurion recognize about Jesus?
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5. What
does the world say regarding authority?
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6. What
does God say?
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