As a local church, we are pursuing the fullness of life promised by Christ Jesus in Jn.10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Basson Nel – Recognizing and restoring our authority
We are not interested in a weekly religious experience – we understand that our Sunday morning meetings represent the half time, not the game!
This is where we discuss strategy and receive encouragement, but the game is played out there on the playing field of life, day by day, moment by moment!
We want to live in the full expression of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a gospel of life, of fruitfulness, of freedom, of forgiveness, of reconciliation and of power!
Churches often preach on these different aspects of the gospel, but the power aspect is mostly overlooked – the feeling is that “unless we fully live in it, we cannot talk about it”.
We will most certainly not pay lip-service to this gospel of power by blasphemously preaching about it as if it is no longer possible, nor Pharisaically as if we already have the fullness thereof, either.
We are on a journey – a most exciting journey on which we will see the power of God restored to ordinary Christians, like me and you, where we will see a great display of the supernatural as the lame walk, the blind see and deaf ears are opened.
A journey that is a metaphor of a passionate pursuit of Christ Jesus, the Kingdom of heaven and the glory of the Father.
It is therefore not a lusting after signs and wonders, but rather an insatiable longing for the glory of God!
Signs in themselves mean nothing – they are merely pointers to the real…
Wonders in themselves are but mysteries; unless they lead us to Christ!
Every expression and manifestation of the Spirit of God has but one of two purposes, either to strengthen believers, or to reach out to unbelievers, usually it’s both and.
God is not into entertainment – Creation was never intended to be a “power and light show” – it was heaven breaking into earth for a purpose!
It was the uncontainable God of power, of life, of creativity and of majesty breaking out of the invisible realm into the visible, to share His love and to display His glory!
To this day, every time that heaven invades earth, there is a confirmation of the love, the grace, the power and authority, the majesty, splendour and glory of almighty God.
This morning we are here to celebrate this fact and to be equipped for the next leg of our journey.
A journey which has brought us to a next significant milestone along the road, that of authority.
*I do believe that unless we understand our authority in God, we will not be able to exercise spiritual, Kingdom authority, and we will not walk into the fullness of our call as the generation to usher in the glory of God, as the ages draw to a close.
Authority presents a huge key in this regard, it has been one of satan’s best kept secrets – until now, until we as a people start to recognize and to restore our authority!
Two weeks ago, we have touched on the authority of Christ.
The point was that we can only receive from someone that which we are able to recognize in them – which often meant that we would settle for much less than what was on offer.
*The identity of Jesus as the Son of God, determines the authority of Jesus as the Son of God!
This was the point, this was the revelation: it is absolutely vital that we recognize who Jesus is, so that we will recognize and acknowledge His authority and therefore be able to draw from that and to receive authority to overcome the evil one – to live the impossible lives which we are called to!
Then last week we looked at the second aspect of restoring our spiritual authority; saying that it is very important that we would live in rank with those men and women to whom God has delegated special anointing and authority – recognizing their authority and thereby being able to draw and receive from them.
They needed to be 1) anchored in the Word of God, 2) led by the Holy Spirit, and 3) under authority themselves; while we needed to weigh up their words and their lives, as well as the fruit of these spiritual leaders.
Today, we are looking at a third step in recognizing and restoring our spiritual authority as believers:
Recognizing the lies of satan and stripping them from all authority and power in our lives, by replacing them with Biblical truth!
Satan is the father of lies – he is also called Beelzebub, the lord of the flies, but apart from the fact that flies rhymes with lies, that is not important for today’s purposes!
In Gen.3 satan approaches man and twisting the truth into a mixture of half-truth and lies, he deceives Adam and Eve into believing him!
Listening to the cocktail of lies, man chooses to rather believe the lie than the truth – he elevates the lie to a place higher than truth, turning the lie into their new reality!
That act of witchcraft, cost us as mankind our relationship with God, as we handed our authority to satan.
Because of this satan was able to say to Jesus in Lk.4:6: “I (satan) will give you (Jesus) all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.”
*Replacing truth with a lie, stripped mankind of our authority and only by replacing that lie with truth again, would it be restored.
Jesus said: “for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” (Jn.18:37)
The temptation of Jesus gives us beautiful examples of how Jesus used the Word of God to overturn the lies of satan and to re-establish truth!
Mt.4:1-11
Jesus used the truth of the word of God and His intimate knowledge of the heart of the Father, to overturn the lies and deceit of the enemy.
I am not going to attempt to do an exposition or a teaching on the temptation of Jesus, but I do want to look at these verses for us to see how satan twists truth in our lives as well:
“The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Mt.4:3)
Now although this took place in the context of a forty day fast, the reality is that this was not about hunger or about bread, as much as it was an attempt to undermine the identity of Christ.
Remember: the identity of Jesus as the Son of God, determines the authority of Jesus as the Son of God!
(We will do well to realize that temptation in the physical, always carries spiritual undertones.)
In the portion of scripture that precedes the temptation of Christ, we find the baptism of Jesus – an account which Matthew concludes with this verse: “And a voice from heaven said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” (Mt.3:17)
The Father confirms and affirms the identity of the Son, Jesus, saying “this is my Son” and the first thing that satan attacks is this very place of identity. Why?
Because satan knew that the authority of Jesus was based, or contained in the identity of Jesus!
Just as the strength of Samson was in his hair, the power and authority of Jesus was in His identity as the Son of God, if satan could shake His identity, he could also shake His authority – and it was ultimately the authority of Jesus as the Son of God, as God incarnate, that satan feared most – that authority that would ultimately crush the head of the serpent!
This is true for us as believers as well – we know that as soon as we place our faith in Jesus Christ for our salvation, we are instantly restored to the Father.
John confirms this for us, writing that: “Yet to all who received Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (Jn.1:12-13)
We receive a new identity as children of God, perfectly restored to the Father, justified by faith.
Paul repeatedly makes this same point in his letter to the Galatians (Gal.3:26-29):
“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
“God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba”, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.” (Gal.4:4-7)
As Christians, we are sons and daughters of the most high God – this is our spiritual identity with huge ramifications for our spiritual authority!
*We receive our spiritual authority on the basis of our identity in Christ Jesus!
Therefore satan viciously attacks our identity daily, in order to undermine our authority – that which he fears most in us! Spiritual identity brings Spiritual authority.
*What have you come to believe about yourself, about your own identity, what do you see in the mirror?
A loser, a failure as a husband or as a father, a dropout, an adulterer, a divorcée, a failure in business, an addict, a misfit – the list of false identities goes on and on – the list of lies which satan has been selling to us; while our true identity is that of a son or a daughter of the King!
Don’t you believe the lie for one more moment – allow the truth of the word to set you free, as you let go of the lie and grab hold of the truth of the word of God!
“Then the devil took Him to the holy city and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Again Jesus again uses the Word to resist the devil – but it also reminds me of the one instance in which God said that we can, and should in fact, test Him (Mal.3:10):
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”
Amazingly enough, the devil has been deceiving many Christians in this very area of tithing and financial giving! Saying:
“Tithing is Old Covenantal, tithing is legalistic, the church is after your money, etc”
Sadly, we do not have the time this morning to discuss these lies, as our discussion centers on identifying the lies of satan in our lives and replacing them with truth.
But is it perhaps time that you replace some of satan’s lies in the financial area with Biblical truth?
Time to really see what the Bible teaches about tithing, as well as giving to the poor (Mt.21:19; Acts 10:4, 24:17; Rom.15:26; Gal.2:10), about a heart of generosity (2 Cor.8:2, 9:11-13) and about being faithful stewards of your finances (Lk.16:10-13)!
Time to align yourself with God’s Biblical patterns in the financial area in order to refute the lies of satan and to regain your lost authority in the area of finance?
“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”
Satan is offering Jesus an alternative, he offers Jesus a way around the cross: “Simply worship me and all of this will be Yours. You can skip the pain and the agony; You don’t have to follow the Father’s route here, I know a shortcut to granny’s house!”
Has this been the voice of satan in your ears? The voice of the shortcut?
Has satan been offering you the quick route to the top of the ladder of success, “Sure, it involves some sexual favours, but hey it beats the sweat and tears of the corporate world!”
The get rich quick scheme – “yes it involves some innovative accounting, but it beats the pack to the pot of gold – to the house and the car and the plasma screen TV!”
“Why do things your Father’s way, why wait, when I can offer it all to you now, without the wait, the courting, the engagement and the marriage vows – you know you want it now, you love each other, right? Anyway, who says it will even work out between the two of you if you do wait?”
Satan wants Jesus to bow down and worship him – he wants Jesus to submit to him.
What has satan been telling you about submission?
“No my friend, they just want to control you, you make sure they know one thing: You submit only to Jesus!”
This sounds so noble! So unlike anything satan would ever want you to think or say.
Yet, when we search scripture and we find that this statement is indeed completely unbiblical and therefore ungodly, we realize that we have been lending satan an ear!
For among the many scriptures referring to submission to God’s delegated authority, we find Heb.13:17: “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
Submission brings about Spiritual authority while rebellion strips it away!
And so one by one we can identify the lies and the deceit of the enemy, and as we do, we replace each lie with Biblical truth – as we repent, rethink and re-imagine!
We follow the advice of James as he writes: “ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (Jas. 4:7)
On each occasion that we unmask the lies which we have been believing and replace them with God’s truth, we restore godly order and authority in that area of our lives!
We establish God’s authority in every area and we resume authority over each aspect of our lives: Over our thought patterns, our marriages, our love lives, our parenting, our work ethic, our finances, our circumstances and our future!
May the Holy Spirit reveal every lie of the devil to you – for you to regain authority!
