A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Chris Musgrove of Future Now)
Scripture for the Day – August 27, 2020
Luke 10:19: 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 all three of these passages (Luke 10:19, Mark 16:17-18, Matthew 16:19) Jesus is speaking and He, as the Head of the church, is authorizing His body of believers to use His name. Along with that name come all the rights and privileges of that name. It is like the Mayor, who is the head of the city, gives authority to the city police officers. When citizens of that city see and hear a police officer hold up his hand while blowing his whistle, the traffic stops. They have been given authority, and the citizens of that city recognize that authority. Just like that police officer, we need to be using the authority that has been given to us as believers in Jesus. You must know your authority before you can walk in it.
Mark 16:17-18: And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
Matthew 16:19: And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
It should also be noted that if you are not authorized you can get yourself in trouble.
Acts 19:13-16: Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
They tried to mimic what they had seen someone else do, and the demons did not recognize their authority. But we can have the same authority Jesus and Paul had. Someone might say, “If God wants to heal someone or cast out a demon, He can do it Himself because He’s got the power.” Well, that would be like the police officer saying, “If the Mayor wants to stop this traffic, he can come out here and do it himself.” God’s not going to preach the gospel, cast out devils, or lay hands on the sick any more than the Mayor is going to leave his office downtown and come out and direct traffic for the police officer. God’s given you the authority in Jesus’ Name. So, go get in the Word, God’s authority manual, and begin to walk in the light of that authority. The enemy, Satan, knows his days are
numbered when we begin to do that.
Walking in the power and authority of Jesus name.
