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In Authority and Under Authority

Authority and responsibility go hand in hand. As people of God we are all leaders in various spheres - ministry, family, career and community. Each and every one of us are called to have authority over and therefore, responsibility for the areas God has entrusted into our leadership. The definition of authority is “the power or right to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience.” That ‘power or right’ has come directly from heaven. Our authority that we exercise as children of God, is under the authority of Jesus Christ. This authority has been given to us to make us effective leaders in our personal sphere of influence.

We are to imitate Christ who led by example, demonstrating His authority wherever He went and whomever He was with. Whether in the temple, or outside, we are to recognise that the authority we are given is to enable us to lead in different capacities and spheres in and outside the church. As Jesus did, we are also called to lead the unsaved to Christ. The people who write themselves off like the woman at the well, or the people who society writes off like the woman found in the act of adultery. We have the authority to lead people out of their mess into God’s grace. This is exemplified through the authority of our words as well with signs and wonders. We have been given the keys of the kingdom and we need to use them to lead people into their destinies.

Yet, we need to always recognise where our authority comes from. We see examples of leaders that God had once elevated in the Bible who go astray and attempt to operate in their own authority, ignoring the principles of God and abandoning His ways for their own. King Saul, the first monarch of the people of Israel, is an example of such a leader who remained in power but his authority had been taken away. Leadership became a struggle for him and he eventually became consumed with his insecurities, fears and jealousy. Now under this new dispensation, God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us and to guide us into all truth. So by the Holy Spirit, we can be sensitive to ensure we are always operating under the authority of Jesus and that we are now effective leaders and also guiding others in truth.

Be bold in living out your faith, knowing that you've been called to lead those in your spheres of influence to Christ - follow Christ’s example and you can't go wrong. The authority given to us gives us power over laws of science in the physical realm and principalities and powers in the spiritual realm. We have to remember that this authority has been given to us to lead others to Him, in 1 Corinthians, Paul mentions that he lives his life to benefit many, so that they may be saved. Our authority and leadership is not for our own personal gain, fame or profit; it’s for God to be glorified and people to come into relationship with Him. Let’s walk in authority, under God’s authority and see people saved, lives transformed and destinies fulfilled.