A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (October 24, 2017)
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)
Most Christians don’t have a problem understanding that all power and authority has been given to Jesus as stated in Matthew 28. However, what they understand less is the authority Jesus gave to His disciples (you and me). That lack of understanding has led to a weakened and anemic Church.
The definition of “authority” per Webster’s New World Dictionary is the power or right to give commands. There is a great story in Luke 7 about a centurion (a Roman soldier that commanded at least 80 men) that had a servant that was dear to him, was sick, and about to die.
And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled 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. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. (Luke 7:3-10)
This centurion understood authority! Do we? Do we understand that the same authority that Jesus operated in has been delegated to us?
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:19)
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:3-4)
This centurion did not question that authority and because of that Jesus said he had great faith. We, on the other hand, tend to question everything. When He tells us to witness with someone, we are afraid they will be offended. When He tells us to lay hands on the sick, we are worried that they will not be healed which will make us look bad. When He tells us to forgive someone, we argue that He just doesn’t understand what these people did to us. When we are told to visit those in prison, we think it would be too dangerous. We always come up with an excuse or reason why it would not be appropriate for us to do what He has told us, and empowered us, to do.
It’s time we realize that we have the Power of Attorney from Jesus himself, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is time we realize that He has delegated us the authority to do what He has told us to do. We don’t need more faith. We don’t need more words. We don’t need more preaching. We just need to be obedient and do the work. Amen.
