UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUTHORITY

There is a common misunderstanding of the scriptures in James 4:7 (Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you) and 1 Peter 5:9a (Whom resist steadfast in faith), People imagine that they have to wrestle the devil to the ground in resistance. Like, I have to battle it out…No Sir, Jesus Christ has already done that. 

This misunderstanding comes mostly from our natural human understanding of the word RESIST. What the scriptures are telling us is to STAND FIRM on the word of God and remain RESOLUTE in trusting God as a demonstration of our FAITH. That is your own work.  If we look at the Authority Jesus gave to us in Eph. 18-21 and the victory we have in Christ as clearly stated in 1 John 5:4 then you will see that there is no need to begin to imagine yourself in a duel with the devil. Your authority and spiritual status place you far above principalities and powers as stated in Eph.1:21 and Col.18. The toe of a king controls as much authority, anointing, and power as the head, meaning the least member of Christ’s body is more powerful than the highest power of the devil. The resistance God was talking about was that we should STAND OUR GROUND IN THE WORD…. i.e., whatever the word of God says stand on it without fear, doubt, or debate. STAND THERE even when the devil is taunting you by suggesting that you are stupid …. DON’T SHAKE. STAY THERE… for in that word is your authority and victory. 

You may think. Hmmm! that’s easy to preach than to do, Well,  let's look at 5 people like you and me who did it;

1.    The 3 Hebrew Children: In the face of fiery fire, they knew what they faced…. They said, well! better we are dead standing on the word than alive, defeated, shackled by the gods, devil, and evil wicked men. Dan.3:16-28... how many times has the devil shown you certain fires and informed you it’s for you? Open your mouth and declare the word of God, it's your salvation, DECLARE IT.

2.    Blind Bartimeus: Imagine someone who was enslaved by blindness and poverty, even the people considered his blindness a punishment for an evil deed so they didn’t see any justification for him to be crying out loudly for mercy, but like someone who understood Nun 14:28, Mat.21:22, he refused to keep quiet, till Jesus healed him. He stood on the word… Now Imagine he kept quiet and accepted what the world and devil were saying to him.

3.    Canaanite woman with sick child: This is a very peculiar case, by her place of origin she was disqualified, by the words of the apostles she was disturbing and to make matters worse Jesus asked her why she felt she should be given what ordinarily is not for her at this point many believers give up. I mean, the reason some of us refuse to stand on the word of God is guilt and the devil’s accusation. You just agree with the devil and rationalize why the word of God won’t work for you…like “Me, that is unfaithful wo, the word won’t work jor” and there and then the devil has you in his hands. This Canaanite, started her speech by acknowledging the person and authority of Jesus Christ, when she was told she is not qualified she said “I may not be qualified but God has the capacity and power to show mercy to whom he would show mercy” Rom.9:15, Rom10:9,13. She resisted giving up her faith and Jesus Christ himself testified about her faith and told her you have gotten by faith that which desired.

4.    Job: One of the most interesting characters in the bible, this guy was once one of the richest and wealthiest men suddenly his fortunes turned upside down in one day… it got so bad that everything and everyone pointed him to only one direction “Curse God and die” but he responded clearly Job.14:14, In Job 13:14-15, Job was like why should I commit suicide, and went ahead to say, I won’t stop standing on his word. Job 2:10 confirms that in all of these things JOB DID NOT SIN… we know how it ended… Your hedge of protection, the boundaries that God set to protect you is active as long as you are standing on the word. As long as you don’t come out of that hedge by sin, doubts, unbelief, and loss of trust in God… You will see your victory and enjoy it. Halleluyah!

5.    JESUS CHRIST: The greatest example of resisting the devil by standing on the word of God is what Jesus did when the devil came to tempt him. The three times that devil came to tempt him…. The devil played scenarios that would easily seem logical and right e.g.  Hey! You have been fasting for 40days and 40 nights… now that you have broken your fast how about you display a little bit of fleshly gratification by turning stone to bread or a little bit of pride by rewarding yourself with a fat meal for the spiritual exercise you just performed, okay if you won’t eat, at least “test the power God said he gave you by jumping down” the question is “DO YOU TEST WHAT YOU TRUST”? NO! TESTING is trying to ascertain integrity…. You accept the word and not test it… If God has said it….SO BE IT. AMEN.

    So, each time Our Lord Jesus Christ showed what we should do when the devil, the world, and challenges are facing us… SPEAK THE WORD, STAND FIRM ON THE WORD, AND RESIST THE DEVIL…. HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU because that is the authority that we have in God. Every time you declare the word of God it's not within your control to authenticate its authority GOD WILL. Your part is to STAND FIRM, STAND STILL…. And watch the Lord do great works through you.

      SHALOM!