Written by Heather Zubiate
The word: "Authority," (like all words) has the potential to be misused and abused. It is said (and proven true) that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Why? Well, because everyone desires to have a measure of power, and the idea of being powerful is very seductive, but there is a marked difference between power and authority. Power alone isn't necessarily authoritative, while authority carries power with it. And
authority requires a great deal of moral responsibility in order to wield it properly. In the face of a power struggle, power in and of itself may not have a moral compass as a guide. That would be a "might makes right" situation. Is that to say that those in authority don't ever abuse their position and power? Of course not. Mankind is held under the sway of sin, and because of that, the abuse of power will always be present, until Jesus is reigning on the earth.
All authority is issued from a higher source, the highest source being divinity. Why? Because there is no greater authoritarian than a god. In our case, it is the Almighty who has all power and all knowledge; his meekness reigns in his unlimited power under completely rational and moral control. Some would disagree that the Almighty of the Bible is rational or that he is even the universe's creator and divine authoritarian. They are certainly entitled to their opinion, but I have found that they are usually the kind of person who rebels against some, if not all forms of authority. And because there is no one in heaven, or on earth that the Almighty answers to, well, that is what really cheezes-off his detractors. That is the nature of authority.
authority requires a great deal of moral responsibility in order to wield it properly. In the face of a power struggle, power in and of itself may not have a moral compass as a guide. That would be a "might makes right" situation. Is that to say that those in authority don't ever abuse their position and power? Of course not. Mankind is held under the sway of sin, and because of that, the abuse of power will always be present, until Jesus is reigning on the earth.
All authority is issued from a higher source, the highest source being divinity. Why? Because there is no greater authoritarian than a god. In our case, it is the Almighty who has all power and all knowledge; his meekness reigns in his unlimited power under completely rational and moral control. Some would disagree that the Almighty of the Bible is rational or that he is even the universe's creator and divine authoritarian. They are certainly entitled to their opinion, but I have found that they are usually the kind of person who rebels against some, if not all forms of authority. And because there is no one in heaven, or on earth that the Almighty answers to, well, that is what really cheezes-off his detractors. That is the nature of authority.
The Distribution of Authority
According to Romans 13:1-5, the Almighty metes out portions of his authority to whomever he chooses, but there are people who want to have authority without the responsibility. However, those who have been put in a position of authority, will ultimately have to answer to the Almighty. That warning may go unheeded, nevertheless, the consequences are still in place, and they will be enforced at the judgement seat of Christ. Amazingly, God seems to have a penchant for placing wicked people in authority to correct the wickedness of others. Scripture reveals this very thing. Usually for the dispensing of chastisement, or punishment upon his naughty children, something his naughty children usually don't appreciate. Have you noticed that? Scripture also reveals that he punishes the wicked person he gave the authority to, especially if they abused their office by proving to be irresponsible, or over zealous, or when they over stepped their bounds by taking too much authority, or they didn't give God credit for their solemn assignment. It's like Jesus said, "To whom much is given, much is required." The perfect example of this scenario is King Nebuchadnezzar. Let's face it, King Nebbi blew it big time! As for Jesus' elect, or faithful disciples, how much authority, if any, has he given us?
How Much Authority Do Christians Really Have?
According to Word Of Faith theology, the believer has the right to wield all of Jesus' authority. This sounds incredible doesn't it? Well it is. That's because it's incredibly wrong! I don't agree that Christians have all of Jesus' authority at their disposal, but more importantly, the Bible doesn't agree with the Word of Faith doctrine. However, Jesus did give a limited portion of his authority to every believer. But like King Nebby, if we take it lightly, presume upon it, or take more authority than he has given us, or abuse it in any way, then we will be dealt with personally --you can count on it. And it won't be any fun! The divine correction may not come today, tomorrow or even next week, but it will come.
And now, here is Jesus' official commission the disciples were authorized to carry out:
"go into all nations and preach the gospel to mankind and make disciples and baptize them in my name, and teach them to obey my commandments." That's it. As evidence of their commissioned authority they would be given the power to:
And now, here is Jesus' official commission the disciples were authorized to carry out:
"go into all nations and preach the gospel to mankind and make disciples and baptize them in my name, and teach them to obey my commandments." That's it. As evidence of their commissioned authority they would be given the power to:
- cast out demons [with his name alone, not by ritual].
- heal the sick [after discernment is obtained].
- speak in other tongues [actual earthly languages].
- be safe from the poisons of animals and drinks .
Notice the stunning lack of authority and power they (and us) were given over the weather, finances, governments, walking on water, turning water into wine, or the multiplication of food stuffs. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can wield that kind of all encompassing power and authority, that is what makes him the Almighty. For example, on Paul's way to Rome, he and his companions were hit with a hellacious TWO WEEK storm at sea; please take note that he didn't rebuke the wind and waves like Jesus did. And I'm sure Paul was well aware of that miracle that Jesus performed. Further more, during his ministry, Paul suffered cold, heat, lack of food, and lack of health[Gasp]! What's up with that Paul? Since the Word of Faith teachers boldly claim that the apostle Paul taught what they do, then surely Scripture would record the apostle Paul as having exercised such authority, especially since he was personally taught by the risen Savior, right? Well Scripture doesn't ever show Paul commanding and demanding God's hand to do his bidding. And so I ask you, who are we going to believe, Kenneth Copeland, or Jesus himself, and the apostle Paul? Consider this: if we were really expected to wield Jesus' power and authority, then surely Trophimus would've been healed of his sickness, Timothy wouldn't have had tummy trouble, and Paul would've never had to deal with the thorn in his flesh.
And so dear reader, according to Scripture, contrary to what W.O.F. teachers would have us believe, we have limits on our authority. Yes, that's right, God does place limits on us, and we must look to him to answer our prayers as he sees fit. We must know and understand his will in our lives, that is why we must study his word and pray. By reading his word, we will know that his will for us consists of our obedience to his two great commandments. By praying, we faithfully make our petition to God, thereby strengthening our faith and resolve to receive an answer from him, be it 'yes', 'not yet', or 'no!' W.O.F. subtly replaces prayer with positive confessions, which is not biblical theology. And answers to prayers should not be linked to 2 Cor. 1:17-20 like the W.O.F. bunch do. Paul says that all the promises of God are 'yes', and 'amen," it's not referring to answers to our prayers. What are God's promises? He promises us: eternal life, a new glorified body, he would never leaves us or forsakes us, an end to sin, and that he would live with us forever. Those are promises that we can count on him to bring to pass, they are yes and amen!
As for casting out demons, Jesus gave those of faith the authority to cast out demons that are possessing a person. Apparently, the faithful can cast them out of places, such as a home, by physically getting rid of the things that attract these entities, like idolatrous objects and occult materials, and then repenting for having them in our possession, with no special rigmarole required. The simple name of Jesus, with all his power and authority behind his name (but not used as a magical ritual spell) is all that is required to rid a soul of any demon. A curse causeless won't alight, meaning that there is a reason for a curse to be upon a person, or place. But before we go on witch hunts, it is good to keep in mind that even most unsaved people, or sinners, aren't always fully demon possessed. They are admittedly influenced and oppressed by demons, as they are slaves to sin, but by placing a spirit behind everything, good or bad, false teachers can get you to see a demon hiding under every rock, or behind every tree, which, in my opinion, puts people into spiritual bondage, and is just plain kooky. True spirituality is simple faith in, and obedience to God, and not the soulish "I gotta feel something" counterfeit stuff that Satan dishes out by the shovel full.
As for healing of an illness do to demonic oppression, we must pray and seek God's will for the sick person BEFORE we lay hands on them. Why? Because the condition of our author-ity requires spiritual discernment. We need to determine:
- if God is chastising the person into repentance.
- if they are suffering at the hands of Satan as a result of being owned by him.
- if God is allowing the testing of their faith to give himself glory, while making the person grow stronger in faith.
- if the illness is just a natural result of living in a fallen world.
If we solely judge by our eyes, and ears, (or even worse, by our emotions) then we will misinterpret what we see and hear. This is what happened in Job's case. His "comforting" friends completely missed what was going on. They based their arguments on what they saw, and on what they assumed. Neither Job, nor his friends knew what we know, thanks to Scripture. What they didn't know was that God and Satan were settling a bet to see if Job would curse God or not. This doesn't seem fair to us does it? Why should we have to suffer while two spirits duke it out by using us? Well, God never asks our council regarding his affairs, we just need to trust that he has our best interest at heart. Who can deny that in the end, Job received more than what he had lost? God vindicated him as a righteous man to his friends, friends who accused him of being a sinner under God's judgement. They were wrong! Very wrong! To my shame, many times I have been very guilty of the same sin Job's friends were guilty of.
Spiritual Gifts: A Sign of Authority
Speaking in tongues (or actual languages) continues to be a hot topic for debate. This gift may no longer be for today (as some see it), but putting that argument aside for the moment, according to Paul's Scriptural revelation, this gift isn't given to everyone, and it has rules of engagement in private and in public. When those rules are broken, then only bad things can happen. And bad things did happen, that's why Paul had to use his authority to set the record straight with the offenders. I know I'm not the first to tell you this, dear reader, Satan copies this and many other spiritual gifts. For example in the world of Eastern Indian mysticism, the gift of tongues acquired by the laying on of hands, is quite common. Even in Paul's day, the Ephesians and Corinthians fell victim to a form of demonic gibberish, the same kind of nonsensical babbling witnessed in India and even (sorry to say) in modern Charismatic renewal gatherings. Do any of these modern leaders follow Paul's instructions regarding this gifting? It doesn't seem like it to me. As physical proof of the deception that goes on in these meetings, the demonic counterfeit of tongues is accompanied by feelings of ecstasy, and even electricity, and displays of improper behavior such as, but not limited to:
- People falling backwards, often in immodest positions.
- The "slain" writhing in their chair or on the floor, and violent head thrashing.
- Peels of drunken and uncontrollable hysterical laughter.
- People emitting animal noises, and even tongue flicking.
Does this sound familiar to any Charismatics? So I ask you, which camp is holy and which is unholy if they both have the same manifestations?
All gifts, whether they be the offices of ministry, gifts of the graces, such as mercy and hospitality, have a measure of authority attached to them and very importantly, for them to be considered holy, or from God's Holy Spirit, they require the rule of a sober and orderly mind to properly carry them out. People usually try to excuse this sort of disorderly behavior seen at holy roller revivals as a means of humbling the prideful, or freeing those in bondage to dignity and self-control. Even though acting like an animal eliminates dignity and is therefore humiliating, the Bible informs us that such signs indicate demon activity, or even godly judgement upon an offender [see the account of King 'Nebby' for details] rather than a righteous display of humility.
All gifts, whether they be the offices of ministry, gifts of the graces, such as mercy and hospitality, have a measure of authority attached to them and very importantly, for them to be considered holy, or from God's Holy Spirit, they require the rule of a sober and orderly mind to properly carry them out. People usually try to excuse this sort of disorderly behavior seen at holy roller revivals as a means of humbling the prideful, or freeing those in bondage to dignity and self-control. Even though acting like an animal eliminates dignity and is therefore humiliating, the Bible informs us that such signs indicate demon activity, or even godly judgement upon an offender [see the account of King 'Nebby' for details] rather than a righteous display of humility.
A quick word on the questionable sign of authority, or power, performed by the false teachers known as being slain in the spirit. In Scripture there is no evidence of this occurring the way we currently see it happening at church altars. Besides, "slain" means killed, and we are not killed in the Spirit, unless you are like Ananias and Sapphira who were slain by the Spirit for lying. Yes, we do die to self and sin, but it isn't the Spirit of God that does the killing. Sin and the cross are the killers of sinners. As for the position in which the "slain" fall, there is biblical evidence that falling on one's back is actually a sign of judgment, whereas falling forward, or prostrate, on one's face, is a sign of worship, and submitted humility. The Scriptural evidence seen can helps us decide which power is operating at spiritual gatherings.
At the risk of being redundant, this evidence simply should not be ignored by the faithful saint, if the same kind of disorderly behavior is seen in Charismatic circles and Eastern Indian guru encounters, then they are of the same demonic spirit. That fact should make even the most drunken saint sober up pretty quickly. As Christians, the Bible tells us that we are to be sober minded, and to humble ourselves, but not by preforming shameful and humiliating acts - this is disorderly conduct that should be avoided. The abuses of authority and power seen in Jesus' church will be taken care of by Jesus, but only after they go unchecked and unrestrained by the saints themselves, and woe unto you when you fall into the hands of the living God!
At the risk of being redundant, this evidence simply should not be ignored by the faithful saint, if the same kind of disorderly behavior is seen in Charismatic circles and Eastern Indian guru encounters, then they are of the same demonic spirit. That fact should make even the most drunken saint sober up pretty quickly. As Christians, the Bible tells us that we are to be sober minded, and to humble ourselves, but not by preforming shameful and humiliating acts - this is disorderly conduct that should be avoided. The abuses of authority and power seen in Jesus' church will be taken care of by Jesus, but only after they go unchecked and unrestrained by the saints themselves, and woe unto you when you fall into the hands of the living God!
As for the people that handle snakes and drink poison on purpose, the so-called Christians who do these things to prove their authority, or power, this falls into the category of false spirituality and should be avoided as well. As usual, Jesus gave us the ultimate example of submission to God when Satan suggested that he hurl himself off the temple pinnacle. His response was that we are not to tempt the Lord our God with such things. The message is clear, we are not to purposely put ourselves into harms way, just to prove God loves us, and that includes not going to the doctor for the treatment of curable diseases, as well as handling poisonous snakes during what some call "worship."
Honestly, when I see these people dancing around with snakes, it looks to me like they are worshiping the snake god, and really, they are. Satan must be laughing heartily when this stuff goes on. Paul perfectly demonstrated what Jesus meant by this sign of authority that would follow the preaching of the gospel when he was bitten by the viper while he was gathering wood on the island of Malta. The heathens all around him were waiting for him to drop dead as punishment for whatever he did to offend the gods. But nothing happened to him, so they assumed he was a god. But by that sign (which Paul didn't purposely arrange) he was able to preach the gospel with authority, heal the sick, and bring lost souls into the kingdom of God. What a concept!
Honestly, when I see these people dancing around with snakes, it looks to me like they are worshiping the snake god, and really, they are. Satan must be laughing heartily when this stuff goes on. Paul perfectly demonstrated what Jesus meant by this sign of authority that would follow the preaching of the gospel when he was bitten by the viper while he was gathering wood on the island of Malta. The heathens all around him were waiting for him to drop dead as punishment for whatever he did to offend the gods. But nothing happened to him, so they assumed he was a god. But by that sign (which Paul didn't purposely arrange) he was able to preach the gospel with authority, heal the sick, and bring lost souls into the kingdom of God. What a concept!
Reality Check
Dear reader, I deeply desire that true Christians everywhere perform a reality check and contentedly embrace the authentic authority that they have been given by their Lord and God, Jesus Christ, and refuse the false and prideful usurped authority offered by the W.O.F. teachers, which is really their bid for absolute power. Rather than humbly submit to God's will, they would have you take their wrested authority, which they seek to legitimize by performing lying wonders. To what end? To get you to listen to their teachings, so you will follow them in becoming a little god. There is only one God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and only he has all power and authority. Even so, he is meek, gentle, and lowly of heart. Jesus brings life and rest for the weary sinner, not dissipation, ruckus and mayhem.
Contrary to what the W.O.F. bunch would have you believe, only the LORD God can raise the dead and call those things that be not, as though they are! But men desire to obtain God's power and authority on their own, but instead, they actually brandish a destructive satanic power, which they use in the age old attempt to rule the world on their terms. But the Lord of lords ( and King of kings) only gives portions of his authority to whom ever he wills, in order for them to perform his will on his terms.
So now you must decide for yourself, dear reader, whom you will believe and serve. Will you believe Kenneth Copeland's false Word of Faith doctrine that you can literally be a little god, or will you believe Scripture that teaches us of our limited authority? Will you serve the false Jesus of the W.O.F., or will you serve the real Jesus of Scripture? I urge you to chose wisely. Amen!
Contrary to what the W.O.F. bunch would have you believe, only the LORD God can raise the dead and call those things that be not, as though they are! But men desire to obtain God's power and authority on their own, but instead, they actually brandish a destructive satanic power, which they use in the age old attempt to rule the world on their terms. But the Lord of lords ( and King of kings) only gives portions of his authority to whom ever he wills, in order for them to perform his will on his terms.
So now you must decide for yourself, dear reader, whom you will believe and serve. Will you believe Kenneth Copeland's false Word of Faith doctrine that you can literally be a little god, or will you believe Scripture that teaches us of our limited authority? Will you serve the false Jesus of the W.O.F., or will you serve the real Jesus of Scripture? I urge you to chose wisely. Amen!