Topic: Wednesday Evening Bible Study
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We are continuing our study of The Authority of the Believer.
Adam’s Treason and Surrender
Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Adam was created to have dominion over the earth. But when he sinned, he turned that dominion and authority over to the devil.
Luke 4:5-8 NKJV Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (6) And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. (7) Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” (8) And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY YOU SHALL SERVE.’ “
2 Corinthians 4:4 AMPC For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God.
NKJV – “The god of this age…” I like that term “age” because it denotes a limited amount of time. All “ages” come to an end.
How did the devil become the god of this world? Adam gave it to him when he sinned.
(Romans 5:12 NKJV) Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
There are three deaths that are taught in the Scripture:
- Physical death – separation of man’s spirit and soul from his body.
- Spiritual death – separation of man’s spirit from God
- Second Death – eternal separation of man and God
(Ephesians 2:1-5 NKJV) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, (2) in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, (3) among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (4) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, (5) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Adam dies spiritually instantaneously, but it took 930 years for his body to die.
But Jesus defeated the devil in His resurrection and took back that authority and then gave it to the Church.
We need to understand fully what Jesus accomplished for us in His work of redemption.
Matthew 28:18 NKJV (18) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Matthew 28:18 AMPC (18) Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Colossians 2:13-15 NKJV And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, (14) having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (15) Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Now understand this, Adam’s lease is still in effect and will be until the end of the tribulation and the devil is bound up for a thousand years.
We Are Seated With Christ!
Ephesians 1:15-23 NKJV Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, (16) do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: (17) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, (18) the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, (19) and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power (20) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (21) far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. (22) And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, (23) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 2:1-8 NKJV And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, (2) in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, (3) among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (4) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, (5) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), (6) and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (7) that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
If we were raised up at the same time the Head was raised up, and all authority was conferred upon the Head, then it was also conferred upon His body which was raised up together with Him.
We need to preach the Cross and have a Cross mindset but we need to balance it with a Throne mindset and understand that we WERE crucified with Him but we were also RAISED together with Him and we are SEATED together with Him in the Heavenlies.
The right hand of God is the center of power of the whole universe.
Hebrews 1:3 NKJV (3) who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
The value of our authority rests on the power behind that authority. God Himself is the power behind that authority. The devil and his forces are obliged to recognize our authority.
Our dealings with the devil should always be from a place of victory and authority over him because Jesus has already defeated him for us.
We receive this authority the moment we are Born Again. We receive the authority to use the Name of Jesus when we are Born Again.
What is authority? Authority is delegated power.
Policemen can direct traffic during the rush hour traffic and hold up their hands and stop cars. Even though they do not have the physical ability to stop cars and trucks, they have the delegated power given to them by the government that they serve. People recognize that authority and stop their cars.
That means that you as a recipient of the delegated authority of Heaven, that is backed by God Himself, can step out and stop the operations of the devil in your life and he must obey because he recognizes that Power that is backing you.
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Luke 10:17-19 NKJV (17) Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” (18) And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. (19) Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
In verse 19, the first word translated “authority” is the Greek word “exousia” which means delegated authority and the second word translated “power” is the Greek word “dunamis” which means ability or capability.
In speaking about serpents and scorpions, Jesus was referring to the power of the devil – demons, evil spirits and all his cohorts.
Does the Church today have or need any less authority than these disciples did in Jesus day? No!
Matter of fact, Jesus was delegating that authority to them as a man anointed by God under the old covenant. How much more do we have since He personally defeated the enemy and made a show of him?
Faith’s Role in that Authority
Remember, in dealing with the devil, your faith must be based on the Word of God, not manifestation.
Smith Wigglesworth said, “I’m not moved by what I see. I’m not moved by what I feel. I’m moved only by what I believe.”
As long as Satan can keep you in unbelief or hold you in the area of reason, he’ll whip you in every battle. But if you will hold him in the arena of faith and the Spirit, you’ll whip him every time.
He will not argue with you about the Name of Jesus and the authority in that name.
Philippians 2:9-11 TPT (9) Because of that obedience, God exalted him and multiplied his greatness! He has now been given the greatest of all names! (10) The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence! Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name—in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm. (11) And every tongue will proclaim in every language: “Jesus Christ is Lord Yahweh,” bringing glory and honor to God, his Father!
We Reign in Life!
Romans 5:17 AMP (17) For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [ God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
God’s plan for us is that we rule and reign in life as kings. We are to rule over circumstances, sickness, poverty and everything else that would try and hinder us.