Using the Authority of God

By Casey Cassady

Though hostile nations surrounded me,
I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
– Psalms 118:10 NLT

There is great significance to having the Holy Spirit dwell within us as believers of Christ. One of the amazing things about this is that we are given the authority of God. Personally, learning more about the authority of God within me has helped me to overcome my own challenges more effectively, as well as be used for God’s Heavenly Kingdom. In doing so, my life as a Christian has become more meaningful – and my identity more refined. 

There are two reasons we should know how to properly live in the authority God gives us through the Holy Spirit.  The first one, is so that we can be on a consistent journey of seeking wholeness.  This does not mean we will not find ourselves in broken seasons. However, when we live in the authority of God, we wake up each day knowing that we can fight for our freedom, our peace, and our futures.  

This also means that we can vocally rebuke the enemy and everything he is doing in the attempt of attack. He knows that every one of us can be used mightily for God, so he hits us where it hurts. Fortunately, God gives us the authority to powerfully and effectively convey to the enemy that he is crushed under our feet (Romans 16:20), that every weapon formed against us will not prosper (Isaiah 54:27), and that there is a plan and purpose for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). Because we have the Holy Spirit within us, we can speak to the devil directly to show him exactly who we are in Christ, and that we live in the authority God gives us as His children.

James 4:7 NLT says, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” In the past, I have read the word “resist” as being similar to the word “avoid”.  We want to of course try to do our best to avoid doing things that God would not be pleased with.  However, life will always bring us challenges that we cannot avoid.  While more closely looking at the word “resist”, I realized that it comes from the Latin word “resistere” which means “to make a stand against, to oppose, and to stand firm” (https://www.etymonline.com/word/resist). Rather than running away from our problems, we must stand in our authority against the enemy. He may at times seem intimidating, but we have power over him as children of God!

When I think about what this looks like practically, I often think about a scene from the movie War Room. Priscilla Shirer’s character experiences marital issues throughout this movie. In one scene, she is praying in her room, recites James 4:7, and then stands up and starts to walk outside. As she is walking, she boldly says,

“I don’t know where you are devil. But I know you can hear me. You have played with my mind and have had your way long enough. No more. You are done. Jesus is the Lord of this house. And that means there is no place for you here anymore. Take your lies, your schemes, and your accusations, and get out. In Jesus Name….”

You can watch the full scene here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMnNa9YzJM8.

As she fought for her marriage, Shirer’s character in the movie began to use her God-given authority.  She spoke to the enemy directly and stood up to him in Jesus’ Name. Doing this is significant because of the following:

1. We are claiming who we are in Christ
2. We know that we have authority over the enemy (through the power of the Holy Spirit)
3. The words we speak out loud are powerful

The second way we can use God’s authority is by being used by God for His Kingdom. We have authority over the enemy through our prayer life for others, our spiritual gifts, and by being an example of Christ. Similar to how God’s authority helps us overcome things in our own lives, it can also be used to help others overcome things in theirs.

Mark 3: 13-15 NLT says,

“Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, giving them authority to cast out demons.”

This Scripture tells us that when we choose to follow Jesus, we are given the authority to do great things, such as preach the Gospel and perform miracles. This may sound a bit intimidating, like perhaps we have big shoes to fill.  However, remembering that it is not our own power, but the power of God allows us to glorify Him, while standing confidently in His authority as we are used for others.

John 14:12 NLT says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”

I encourage you to pray and ask God how you can best use and live in His authority in this season of your life. Do not be afraid to resist the devil, speak words of life, and declare and decree the promises and will of God over yourself and others. Will you tremble in the face of darkness, or boldly bring forth the light of God? The manner in which you thrive in God’s authority will answer this question for you.

Connect and contact the author of this post, Casey Cassady on Link Tree.