All authority is from God

Authority is a very fascinating subject.  Most people don’t give it a lot of thought.  Most just do what they are told by whoever they perceive has it.

When considering authority it is important to distinguish it from power.

I think of it this way:  Consider a traffic cop who is standing out in the middle of the street directing traffic.  By himself he certainly does not have the power to stop a car. No human being could physically stop a car (without aid) if the driver wasn’t willing to submit.   However, the traffic cop does have the authority to stop a car.  The badge he wears puts drivers on notice that the cop has all of the authority of the state behind his lawful instructions.  The radio on his belt gives him the ability to enforce his authority.

The Origin of Authority
All authority originates from God Himself.  Think about that for a moment.  Ponder it.  A proper understanding of authority can clear up a lot of confusion and uncertainty in life.  All authority originates from God (1Cor. 15:24-28).

God delegates authority
Any and all authority that man possesses has been delegated to him by God. God has basically delegated authority to us in four different venues.

1. Self
2. Civil government
3. Familial government
4. Church

Anyone in leadership in any of these areas is tasked to serve those in their area of responsibility as the Messiah served His people.  That’s a tall order.

The Authority of the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution
Freedom is a “right” granted by God through Yeshua.  With this “right” comes responsibility and with responsibility comes the authority to fulfill that responsibility.  Many think that the American constitution is the basis of our freedoms.  However, the American Constitution is not the basis of our freedom.  The Declaration of Independence is the American document that conveys the origin of our freedoms.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident…all men are…
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.
That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men.”

The purpose of the American Constitution was not to grant “rights”, but rather it was to protect and secure our God-given rights of life, liberty, and property.  If the understanding that these rights originate directly from God, and provided to each individual, is ever lost, then we will lose the basis of both our liberty and America itself.  This is the who basis of America as a Republic.  America is a nation founded upon law: God’s law.

Why do bad things happen to good people?
So one might ask then if God is in charge of everything then why do bad things happen to good people?  Because in the garden, God demonstrated his love for man when He gave man dominion (authority) over the earth.  Unfortunately, man committed adultery against God and surrendered the authority he had been given to satan.

Authority over evil
Even the least in the Kingdom of God has authority over evil (Luke10:17-20).  However in Luke 10:20 Yeshua admonishes us not to rejoice in our authority but rather to rejoice that our names are written in heaven.  Still, while we are not to rejoice in our authority over evil, clearly we are to know how to exercise it and then do so accordingly (Mk. 16:16-20).

Conclusion
This has ended up being a little more heady than I anticipated or desired.  What I have covered here today is a very brief snippet of authority and how it directly relates to every aspect of your life.

The main point I am hoping you will receive today is that to properly function in the things of God; in order to fulfill the destiny that He has for you, it is critical that you develop a working understanding of “authority” and how to appropriately apply its principles into your life.  This is what the Centurion expressed to Yeshua in Luke 7:8 when he said “For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.”

What was Yeshua’s response to the Centurion?

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about,
and said unto the people that followed Him, “I say unto you,
I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel“.
Luke 7:9

Join me M-F at 6:30 AM PT For “The Morning Watch” radio program on God’s Kingdom Realm Liberty Radio

Dr. Rayphe