The Believer’s Authority
Section I
Matthew 21:23–27 (NASB 95)
23 When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”
24 Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’
26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.”
27 And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
• We need to understand that Jesus really did give the priests and elders an answer.
• They however did not like the answer that He gave them.
• He said “I got my authority from the same place John did.”
• Then He asked them “Where did John get his authority?”
o If they had said from God and not man, then they would have been condoning Jesus’ ministry.
o If they had said from man and not God, the people would have stoned them.
• The people knew that John was a prophet.
o The priests probably knew, but were unwilling to say.
• It’s time for us to start doing the stuff out there that Jesus did.
• And inevitably the questions will come up.
o Who do you think you are?
Where do you get your authority?
Who gave you this authority?
What gives you the right to do this stuff?
• Today I want us to take a look at the believer’s authority.
II. The Great Commission - YOU ARE SENT.
Matthew 28:17–20 (NASB 95)
17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
• Power: exousia-authority
o as opposed to dunamis- explosive dynamic revealed power of God
• Jesus is the one who controls all authority.
• Jesus “therefore” said go make disciples, not converts.
• How should we accomplish this task?
Mark 16:15-20 (NASB 95)
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
17 These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they
[And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.]
• It’s not about who you are, it is about who JESUS IS IN YOU!
• Jesus gave us a job to do.
• With the job Jesus gave us the authority to do the job.
• The first thing is that we must be sure we are believers.
• Secondly we must understand that our authority comes from Jesus directly.
• He has all authority and has given some of his authority to us.
• In order to invoke that authority, we must invoke his name.
• Jesus has given us a power of attorney to use his name.
• He has given us the authority of his name.
• Jesus gave us authority not only to preach the Gospel but also to demonstrate the Gospel.
• An authoritative gospel is seen and heard!
o The gospel is heard when you tell people.
o The gospel is shown when you show people.
• A gospel with no demonstration is powerless.
• A powerless gospel is an impotent Gospel.
o We must never forget that the power is in Jesus name and it is His, not ours.
o We are not to abuse it nor are we to neglect it.
III. How do we do what he has given us authority to do?
John 20:20–22 (NASB 95)
20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “
• Jesus was sent by the father to do some things.
• When he left, he trusted the work into our hands.
• Jesus sent us just like the Father sent Him.
• That raises some questions
• How was Jesus sent?
• What was he sent to do?
Luke 4:16–21 (NASB 95)
16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.
17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
18 “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
- Physical or spiritual? YES)
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
- (Physical or spiritual? YES)
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
- (Physical or spiritual? YES)
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
- (Physical or spiritual? YES)
19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”
20 And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
• This is what Jesus was “sent” to do.
• This is what Jesus sent us to do.
• This is what the Anointing of the Holy Spirit is for.
o Preach the gospel, especially to the poor.
o Proclaim release to the captives.
Casting out demons
Bring healing to those with sickness and disease.
o Recovery of sight to the blind.
There are those who are physically blind that God wants to heal as a sign and a wonder.
Jesus did this throughout His ministry.
There are also those spiritually blinded that God wants to see.
• God wants us to show those who have been held down in poverty and lack the way out through the gospel.
5 Practical Points
- We must come to an understanding of the reality of our “authority” in Jesus, and through His name.
- Through the authority we have in Jesus Name to proclaim and demonstrate the gospel, we can bring to people into the reality of God’s “Jubilee” where all debts are forgiven, and all those in bondage are set free.
- If we are not walking in the authority that Jesus gave every believer, we are not fully walking in purpose.
- If we are not walking in the believer’s authority, the enemy has access into people’s lives that Jesus “sent” us to.
- If we ever recognize and step into the believer’s authority that Jesus intended from the beginning, we can turn the world upside down.