This week we will look deeper into the difference between authority and power.
Luke 10:19-20 Behold, I give you authority (exousia) to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power (dunamis) of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.
We have already established that satan has no authority except for what he gets through lies and deception – John 8:44. Because of his lies and deceit, he gains control over people. He is a master at making people believe he has authority in their lives. The lies empower him, but Jesus says that if we bring it to the light, his lies are exposed – John 3:19-21. I have often seen that when you cancel your agreement with a lie, people are set free. If the enemy had authority, then the lie would stand, and people will stay in bondage. Authority is not dismissed because you disagree with it.
I might disagree with the policeman who pulled me over for speeding, but he still has the authority to charge me with a fine for breaking the law. I might say he is lying about how fast I was driving; he still has authority.
Jesus clearly states that the enemy has power. He will give us authority over the power of the enemy. Power has a limit. When I go to the gym, I can only benchpress so many pounds. When I started, I could use 30-pound dumbells, and now I can use 50-pound dumbells. That is pretty much the end of my power. I am trying to make a point. The enemy has power, and that power is limited. He likes to intimidate us through fear and doubt to make himself look bigger and stronger.
That is what happened with Israel and David. Goliath was a giant, and Israel was on the battlefield to fight against the philistines. Daily Goliath would come out and shout at them, calling them names and cursing them by his god – 1 Sam 17:4-11. They were afraid and ran away from the giant. Goliath would tell them what he was going to do with them until David showed up. Saul, the king of Israel, tried to discourage David from fighting the giant. Goliath was strong and experienced in fighting in a war.
Something amazing happened when David went on the battlefield. Goliath started screaming again, but this time there was someone with a response. David tells Goliath that things are different this time. He tells Goliath what will happen to him instead. Here is a powerful lesson. How many times did we allow the enemy to dictate the outcome? How many times do we allow him to run his mouth, knowing he always speaks lies? How many times did we not interrupt him to say what will be different this time around? He is powerful, but he does not have the authority to determine what will happen in your life. As a child of God, you are under God’s command. God has the right to dictate what your life can be.
After killing Goliath with a stone, he takes Goliath’s sword and cuts off the giant’s head. He is silencing the voice of intimidation and lies. That is what God promised Jesus would do in Genesis 3:15. The promise to Eve is that her seed will crush the enemy’s head. Jesus silenced his voice so that we would not have to listen to it. Why are we allowing him to speak to us?
Our permission empowers him. Stop listening. Sin can be defeated long before you act on it.
Authority is different than power. Authority has an origin: God!
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and authorities that exist are appointed by God.
The very word used for “Authority” explains this concept perfectly.
Authority:
Hebrew word: ?????? ?aqap_; a primitive root; to overpower: — prevail (against).
Greek word: ?ξουσ?α exousia; from 1832 (in the sense of ability); privilege, i.e. (subjectively) force, capacity, competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely, magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence: — authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength.
The Greek word for authority brakes down further as:
1832. ?ξεστιν exestin; third person singular present indicative of a compound of 1537 and 1510
- 1537 ?ξ ex; a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote)
- 1510 ε?μ? eimi; the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.
Authority in the Hebrew means to prevail, overpower. In Greek, we see that authority is from two words, Ex – meaning a predetermined origin (God), and the word “Eimi” – I exist (God). To help you understand, authority in Greek means: Out of the I AM – Ex 3:13.
Because all authority emanates from God and starts with God, He alone can give it. So when Jesus said: I give you authority over the power of the enemy, we must understand that what He gave us is our ability to connect to the same source He was attached to. Authority is not about what you have but what you are connected to. The enemy is never our source. Believing his lies and allowing him to intimidate us is to communicate and connect with the wrong source.
We have our life from God. In Him, we live and move and have our being – Acts 17:28.
Next week we will look more at our authority.
