"... All authority has been given unto me... Go!..."
Jesus rose and now reigns over all powers - seen and unseen - and imparts to us that same authority.
This authority has nothing to do with education, experience, training, desires, gifts, personality temperaments, past sins, or human DNA. It has everything to do with the Gift he gives us.
Through believing in his Life, Death, and Resurrection we receive the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of never dying. When that Salvation is sealed with the Holy Spirit, God also gives us the same authority that Jesus had - an authority is needed for the task given us. Without it we cannot love. Without it we cannot reveal Life. Without it nothing we do for the Lord will last. It is essential and given us the moment we leave the stone shelf and walk into the Easter Mist. It happens the moment we leave our grave clothes aside and walk into the Blaze of the New Day.
This is the New You. The Person everyone now sees. Old things have passed. Behold! All things have become new!
The authority of the Spirit is a bit like placing a police uniform on a bum. In his previous state, the bum may have walked into the street, held up his hand, and immediately get smeared by oncoming traffic. In his gifted state, however, the bum can now walk into that same street and - simply, with the raising of one white-gloved hand - cause an entire freeway to cease to a halt.
Spiritual authority is recognized by just about everybody.
Jesus has commissioned you to go out and tell others about who he is and what his doing. This is his Will for your life. He has done everything to make it easy for you. He has prepared the people to hear your words. He has surrounded you with people already like you, who understand your uniqueness - your tongue to them - and actually like you! He has bestowed upon you all the Authority and Love needed to do all it takes.
All you have to do it raise your white-gloved hand.
Use it to bind. Use it to unbind. Use it to stop the enemy. Use it to lay hands on the sick. Use it to do everything the Jesus did. You are his Body now, his Sanctuary, his Voice to the Lost. Make no mistake, he is still doing the exact same things he was when he was here before - you know, healing the sick, raising the dead, revealing the Almighty Love of the Father in word and deed. Only now, he is using you to do it.
"All authority being given Me" is, by default, "all authority given to us," since we are no less members of the his Body than he is of the Godhead. The authority is a garment bestowed upon us by Grace alone - by his Will alone - and has nothing to do with how one feels about him or herself.
"Sainthood" is a status, not a level of personal achievement, after all.
So ignore the voices which speak against using you the fulfillment of the Great Commission. "I am not good enough... I am not a Priest... I am not worthy... I have nothing to say... It's hasn't been long enough since my last sin... They will reject me..." and all the other cluttering echoes rising from the defeated the Pit. They no longer have power over you. Rise up in faith, snap the Serpentine Spell with your heal, and walk out of Tomb with Christ into the Will of the New Day.
Make disciples around the world, baptize them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and invite them to join you in observing everything Jesus has taught and commanded.
And, through it all, rest assured that that God will never leave you or forsake you. Both his authority and his Ever-Loving Presence will continuously cloak you - within and without - "even to the end of the age."
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
Jesus rose and now reigns over all powers - seen and unseen - and imparts to us that same authority.
This authority has nothing to do with education, experience, training, desires, gifts, personality temperaments, past sins, or human DNA. It has everything to do with the Gift he gives us.
Through believing in his Life, Death, and Resurrection we receive the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of never dying. When that Salvation is sealed with the Holy Spirit, God also gives us the same authority that Jesus had - an authority is needed for the task given us. Without it we cannot love. Without it we cannot reveal Life. Without it nothing we do for the Lord will last. It is essential and given us the moment we leave the stone shelf and walk into the Easter Mist. It happens the moment we leave our grave clothes aside and walk into the Blaze of the New Day.
This is the New You. The Person everyone now sees. Old things have passed. Behold! All things have become new!
The authority of the Spirit is a bit like placing a police uniform on a bum. In his previous state, the bum may have walked into the street, held up his hand, and immediately get smeared by oncoming traffic. In his gifted state, however, the bum can now walk into that same street and - simply, with the raising of one white-gloved hand - cause an entire freeway to cease to a halt.
Spiritual authority is recognized by just about everybody.
Jesus has commissioned you to go out and tell others about who he is and what his doing. This is his Will for your life. He has done everything to make it easy for you. He has prepared the people to hear your words. He has surrounded you with people already like you, who understand your uniqueness - your tongue to them - and actually like you! He has bestowed upon you all the Authority and Love needed to do all it takes.
All you have to do it raise your white-gloved hand.
Use it to bind. Use it to unbind. Use it to stop the enemy. Use it to lay hands on the sick. Use it to do everything the Jesus did. You are his Body now, his Sanctuary, his Voice to the Lost. Make no mistake, he is still doing the exact same things he was when he was here before - you know, healing the sick, raising the dead, revealing the Almighty Love of the Father in word and deed. Only now, he is using you to do it.
"All authority being given Me" is, by default, "all authority given to us," since we are no less members of the his Body than he is of the Godhead. The authority is a garment bestowed upon us by Grace alone - by his Will alone - and has nothing to do with how one feels about him or herself.
"Sainthood" is a status, not a level of personal achievement, after all.
So ignore the voices which speak against using you the fulfillment of the Great Commission. "I am not good enough... I am not a Priest... I am not worthy... I have nothing to say... It's hasn't been long enough since my last sin... They will reject me..." and all the other cluttering echoes rising from the defeated the Pit. They no longer have power over you. Rise up in faith, snap the Serpentine Spell with your heal, and walk out of Tomb with Christ into the Will of the New Day.
Make disciples around the world, baptize them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and invite them to join you in observing everything Jesus has taught and commanded.
And, through it all, rest assured that that God will never leave you or forsake you. Both his authority and his Ever-Loving Presence will continuously cloak you - within and without - "even to the end of the age."
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
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