I Know this is too long but spent time and read and you will be bless. ABUSE OF SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY (Part 1) Definitely, if there is a spiritual authority there must also be a physical authority. It is said all truth are parallel. But today my concentration is on spiritual authority and the abuse of it. First of all, what is Authority? Authority in the biblical perspective is from the Greek word exousia, this is delegated authority one receives when he becomes born again. Jesus our perfect model was a man of spiritual authority. He knew how to use authority and had respect for authority. Because of this knowledge he had, he never try to abuse ones authority whether spiritual or physical. At one point in his earthly ministry people came to him and asked him where he got his authority from. Jesus reply was; you cannot have authority except it is given to you from above. That presupposes all authority is from above.( God) Many have always live at the wrong side of their lives because they have refused to respect spiritual authority. Anything a person receives first is given to him in the spirit before it manifest in the physical. God is a Spirit and anything he does is done first in the spirit then they become manifest in the physical. Everything you see around you today are products from the spirit world. Therefore spiritual authority supersedes the physical authority. This spiritual authority is given to any child of God who gets born again. Initially, we had this spiritual authority but we lost it to the devil but thanks to God who through Jesus restored to us the spiritual authority this time in FULL measure than before. Indeed, we all have this spiritual authority but there is something that many have neglected and trodden under foot, and that is the level of authorities we have. Many are of the view that, under this dispensation of grace we are all equal before God and that we all share common things in God. Yes it is very true that, we are all one people in God and that God is not a respector of person. But interestingly, God in his own infinite wisdom has set before the church spiritual authorities. In Ephesians 4:11, the bible emphatically makes it clear about these spiritual authorities God has place over the church.( body of Christ) We have Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. All Christians have spiritual authority but not all Christians have the same measure of authority as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists and Teachers have. These are special gifts God gave to the church. Just carefully look at how the bible puts it, he gave some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors and some Teachers. That means nobody can make you enter into any of this office excerpt God. God specifically calls people into these offices and gives them special grace to function in the various capacity he has called them. This is what we call the five fold ministerial gifts to the church. Today, where is the difference between these ministers in terms of authority and that of Christians. Many Christians believe once they can speak in tongues, read the bible and understand and can quote scriptures with all the exegesis and hermeneutics, they are equal with these spiritual authorities. I will like to say to them today, that they have it all wrong. Of course it is Gods greatest delight to see his children understand the bible thoroughly to have a sound Christian and successful living. But that not withstanding,God is also not silence on the respect one must have for spiritual authorities no matter what. You can even be holding the highest qualification on this earth, or whether DD or PhD in theology. But hey! You still have spiritual authority to submit. Many have been offended by spirituality authority and have left churches. To me is not a shock because in Jesuss days it happened. Many were offended at the authority Jesus had and left his ministry and church. Let me take you through some instances in the bible. One day a soldier came to Jesus. He was a centurion. Now a centurion is a soldier who commands 100 soldiers under his authority. This man sent for Jesus because his servant was dying. Apparently, when Jesus heard that, he didnt show any sign he was willingly to go at the very moment, so the disciples had to make Jesus understand what this man had down for the nation. He had build a synagogue for us the told Jesus. By virtue of what this soldier did moved Jesus to go and heal the servant. Whiles on his way to the house of the soldier, he met friends of the soldier telling him not to come because, the soldier said he was not worthy to have Jesus under his roof. In other words he was not worthy to have Jesus come into his house. Now the question is what did this soldier saw about Jesus that made him passed that comment? It is simple, because the man is a well train soldier who understands the dynamics of submitting under authority. Any soldier who abuses authority is not worth being a soldier. And if you dont submit under authority you cannot exercise authority. If you break authority you losses authority. God dont have interest for rebels. Go and ask lucifer he will tell you. If you break authority you face the consequences of it. Now, the soldier explains to Jesus why he said it was not worthy for him to come to his house. Many people say because he was unclean, No! That is not the picture painted here. He showed Jesus what it means to submit under authority. He said for I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. Many people are also of the view that the soldier was trying to appeal to the emotions of Jesus, may be may be not but it is far deeper than that. He simply showed a sign of a good well train soldier. If you have lived in the barracks and raised there and found your self in the Midst of soldiers of all ranks you will appreciate this better. I do, because I was born and raised in the barracks and at a certain point nearly join the army but God had different plans for me. So I understand this very well. This was an amazing character of the soldier teaching us about submitting under authority. This soldier indeed understands authority. This is a soldier believed to have been older than Jesus many years. But you see, spiritual authority has nothing to do with age or color or profession. That is why many had issues with Jesuss authority he had. Because many saw him growing up as a little boy and today he claims he has authority over all things. What? They got offended, and many lost the benefit they could have derived from this authority which brought down the whole kingdom of God on earth. This is what happens when you abuse spiritual authority, you loose the ability of it, in your attempt in exercising it. Be careful! This soldier commanded 100 soldiers. Whatever he tells them that is what they do. It is said once a soldier always a soldier. I see retired old soldiers elderly in age and they give respect to younger people who can equally be their sons. The question is ant all of them soldiers, yes they are but you see there are levels in authority. Simply put, the soldier knew that the authority of Jesus was higher than his. He accorded Jesus all the necessary respect he deserves as a spiritual head not because of his age but by virtue of the spiritual authority Jesus had. Was it because, this soldier didnt know what he was doing or that he was a fool, or that he didnt know his life from left to right NO!! That wasnt the direction at all. He was telling the generation of today how to submit under authority and not to abuse it. And that irrespective of who you are and your status in life you must have respect for spiritual authority. Dont forget that people have been place under you as your spiritual heads you must accord them that level of respect God has for those men and women. When Jesus saw how the man demonstrated huge respect for authority he was surprised because he hasnt seen that for years. Todays generation have lost it all when it comes to respect for spiritual authority. The think the know the bible from A-z so there is no need for that, after all we are all the same before God. Ok! Go and ask God why there are some angels who are Arch angels and some are not. Does that not tell you about authority. As a soldier of Christ you must know there are levels of spiritual authority. Spiritual authority is not determined by age, height, size, how big your congregation is, It is God given and dont forget in the Kingdom there are senior men and women in the game. Until you receive such great authority from on high you cannot have it anywhere. If you dont submit under authority you cannot exercise authority. You cannot also appreciate spiritual authority without faith and you cannot have faith and not learn to submit under spiritual authority. This will be continue tomorrow as we look at the dynamics and levels of spiritual authority( Part 2) God bless you for reading and may you grow in spiritual authority as you learn to submit. Amen ANGEL GABRIEL Great Achievers Itinerant Network (GAIN)
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 16:33:21 +0000
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