Authority

Hey. It has recently been brought to my attention once again how awesome God is, and I've learned more about myself, as usual when I learn about Him. I was at a young adults meeting called Tehillah on Monday in Grimsby, at Lakemount Church, and boy, did I ever sense God's presence there with us.

The worship leader there spoke out near the end of the singing, and mentioned that he felt God's rest there, and basically told us that we should worship God with our spirits, and accept the rest He offers... well, I was feeling really tense, and I figured, hey, rest sounds pretty awesome, but I have to admit, I wasn't expecting much, which was stupid of me, because I've seen God move powerfully in my life before. So, I focussed on God, and just giving Him the praise that is His due, and offering Him all of myself, and all of a sudden, as if a light switch had been turned on, I felt different. Now, I don't always feel a physical sensation when God is moving, and I'm not saying everybody will, or that that's the only way to know, but this time I did feel something. One second, everything was normal, and I was tired, and a split second later, I felt completely rested, and I had a kind of tingling sensation all over. I can't really explain it, but I felt completely refreshed, and I know it was God and not just my wishful thinking, because I wasn't expecting anything of the sort.

Not only that, but the speaker really had some powerful words from God for us, teaching that just seemed so simple, and yet I'd never realized it before. It was all about authority, and how God has given us authority that we need to start exercising, taking authority over areas in our life by speaking right into them and taking a stand. Now, I've got kind of a bad taste in my mouth when I think of the old "Name-it-and-Claim-it" line, which some people use to think God will give every true Christian a Lexus and a mansion on earth, and lots of cash, and no one will ever get sick... I get tired of people twisting truth around into a lie for their own ends VERY quickly. Now I don't think that God wants every Christian to be poor and destitute, living in a shack and riding a scooter to work every day, having no clothes and starving, I know for a fact that He blesses His children here on earth. I've been incredibly blessed myself, but that's another story or three. This message wasn't one of those "Name-it-and-Claim-it" ones in that sense. What the speaker talked about was walking in authority over our "flesh", who we used to be before God got hold of us. She talked about the power behind a name, how God named everything durinig creation, showing His authority over it all, and when He gave man authority over all the animals, he had the first man, Adam name them, showing the authority he had been given. We are to have authority over strongholds in our lives (things that are disobedient and sinful, and won't seem to go away) by naming them. Getting them out in the open removes the fear, shame and guilt we so often feel: the fear that we might get found out isn't there, the shame is gone because we are NOT THAT PERSON anymore, and guilt is not a true feeling, but a legal status, and we have legally (so to speak) been made innocent. No one "feels" innocent, they "are" innocent. When you are made innocent, guilt is no longer appropriate to your situation. Speaking of authority over those strongholds in our lives, she cited Deuteronomy 28:1-7, specifically verse 7, which states:
The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
In that passage "seven" signifies "no end", meaning they will flee in every direction possible. To put it in terms of a battle, it would be a complete rout. There would be no defense to stand against you, it would be washed away by your attack. Checking the passage closer, I find that it's the blessings for obeying God. When God gives us His authority, He wants us to use it! When we obey, the strongholds will be overrun, the enemy will be routed, the battle will be won.
I learned alot that night, but it had been coming for some time. It was really new, but at the same time it wasn't new. Like this blog, it was hidden in plain sight. I took authority that night over strongholds in my life, speaking in authority over both lust and double-mindedness, speaking them out, I was able to overcome them without the fear, shame or guilt. Frankly, these were 2 things that I really hated about myself, and didn't want to exist in me. Unfortunately I thought if I treated them as if they didn't exist, maybe they'd just go away. Guess what? I still struggled with them! I was fighting them for all I was worth, but without walking in the authority I had received from God, the struggle continued to be extremely difficult. I know alot of guys struggle with the area of lust, (mind you some don't bother to struggle and that's sad) and every one I know of is ashamed of it. It's a lie that we believe that we are the only one who struggles, that everyone would hate us if they knew who we really were, when in reality it is a struggle that the vast majority of guys struggle with. This is off the authority topic (maybe?) but what we really need is to get things out in the open, and deal with it. Take authority over it. Don't let the shame and guilt grow and take you down until you feel as if you can't change, as if that stronghold is you. Guys, get over the past! You have authority over lust! You can take it out before it takes you out! YOU ARE NOT DEFINED BY YOUR SIN!!! God can make you a new creation, and it involves you taking the authority He has given you as His child and running with it. The other tough thing, double-mindedness, was something that kept me fearful of making big decisions, because I always wanted to keep my options open, didn't want to make the wrong decision, wanted to play it safe. Well I've got news for you (and me too). Life isn't all about playing it safe! There's a time to not take stupid risks, and there's a time to take the intelligent risks. Such as trusting God enough to assume that He knows what He's doing and what's best for us, accept that He has placed us where we are, and get about doing what He wants us to do. I think it's time to stop playing around. We say, "I'm a work in progress." Well, that means we have to progress, doesn't it? If we don't get moving, where's the progress? That comes with the authority thing. For far too long I had been deluding myself, telling myself that I'm not who I need to be right now, but one day God will make me who I need to be. Well it's true that God contines to work on us all our lives, but for me that was an excuse. I let myself make stupid mistakes, because I believed in who I thought I was, the person who always fails, who certainly isn't perfect, who often falls but God picks up again. The last while has been a journey from I think I am, to who God says I am. And God says I have authority over sin NOW! That I am made like Jesus... it is a work in progress, but it IS progressing! I have to get off my butt and TAKE the authority I've been given, make the changes and choices that He offers me, I have to be an active part of the process! So that is my choice. Not "I will be an active part of the process", that's the same old thing. I am part of the process! I'm working together with God to change me, and I am accepting that I am worth a lot to Him and I am not the person I thought I was, the failure. I am a success story already in Jesus Christ! Not that I've arrived at where I ultimately need to be, but right now I'm where I need to be, walking with God, going where He goes, doing what He wants done, and living in the authority I've been given by Him. No, I'm not perfect, but I am choosing to "do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with my God". I hope that you'll choose to do the same. God bless you all.