Standing On The Rock

In His final instruction to His disciples as recorded in Mathew's Gospel, Jesus said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18) Why would He say this? He did not need authority, He always had it. Why then was it given to Him now that He was leaving the earth and returning to heaven? It was given to Him because He is the Head of the church, the first born from the dead. (Colossians 1:18) All the authority that was given to Him was for the benefit of the church, His Body. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Through the meritorious work of Jesus in His mission to completely redeem man, He stripped Satan of the authority that was given to him by Adam, (Luke 4:5-6). He destroyed him who had the power of death, that is the devil. (Hebrews 2:14) He took from Satan the keys of death and hell. (Revelation 1:18) He delegated His authority to believers through using His name (Mark 16:17-18) Most believers have not come to fully understand the authority that has been given to them through Jesus Christ, neither have they accepted the authority that is rightfully theirs by virtue of being born again. Let us look at one of the most compelling events in the Bible that reveals the various aspects of authority.

"Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour." (Matthew 8:5-13)

First, we need to keep in mind that this man was a Gentile, furthermore a Roman Centurion. He was not a Covenant partner with God. He was not a Jew and was considered an outcast in his day. He had no legal grounds to come to Jesus, because He had come to share the Gospel with the Jews (Matthew 15:24) Even when Jesus sent His disciples to preach, He said, "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 10:5-6)  Although this man was not included in the Covenant, Jesus said, "I will come and heal your servant." The centurion knew the relationship between Jew and Gentile an concluded that he was not worthy for Jesus to come to his house and suggests an alternative plan, "...only speak a word, and my servant will be healed."  

This statement from the centurion suggesting that Jesus heal another way reveals something that most believers fail to grasp concerning the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God. To think that after the Lord says "I will come and heal him" this man who was not in Covenant with God say in a sense, "no I have a different or better plan" is almost unbelievable because Jesus could have said no to this mans alternative plan. What we should take away from this is how the Father responds to faith. Gods responses to a believers faith, not based their abilities or intellectual knowledge of God's Word, but believers "being fully convinced that what God has promised He is also able to perform." (Romans 4:21) The centurion must have observed Jesus' dealing with sickness and disease and had no trouble suggesting an alternative plan. 

Let's look at what the centurion says now after offering Jesus his alternative plan,  "For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it." Again, it is apparent that the centurion has observed Jesus in His dealing with sickness and disease. In a sense the centurion is saying, "Jesus, I am also a man under authority and I know how things work. You do not have to come to my house. I see that you have authority over sickness and disease who are subject to you. In the same way, I have authority over men who are subject to me. I only have to speak a word to these men and I know my command will be carried out. All you have to do is speak a Word and I know your command will be carried out also." This is faith in action. As a matter of fact, Jesus states that this mans understanding of authority is equated to having great faith. Jesus finally tells the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” Understanding and walking in authority like this centurion, is the same in God's eyes as having great faith. The results for this mans actions, "And his servant was healed that same hour."

We are in a time like no other. We must become people who understand and walk in the authority that is rightfully ours through Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,  against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12) The word wrestle is used figuratively here to give the idea of the spiritual conflict engaged by believers. However, it also akin to another Greek word which means to "sway." Remember, Jesus has "disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them." (Colossians 2:15) Therefore, believers are to "stand" in the position of authority in the Name of Jesus to uphold and enforce what Jesus has accomplished, because the principalities and powers are at work trying to "sway" believers from faith and their position of authority. This is why the Apostle Paul says, "having done all, to stand. Stand..." (Ephesians 6:13-14) 

Paul finishes his exhortation with, "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; (Ephesians 6:17) Believers are to get God's Word into their recreated spirit by speaking it. (Romans 10:8, 17) As they do this, it releases power. "God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power..." (Hebrews 1:2-3) God's Word is His power. Look what the people around Jesus said concerning the Words that He spoke, "And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matthew 7:28-29)

Believers can and should stand in their legal position of authority. Jesus delegated His authority to His church, to every believer. The Apostle Paul tells us, "God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11) Paul also tells us, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:4-6) So, let us stand in the face of darkness knowing that the Word of God, the Name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in us carries more authority than anything or anyone in all creation, because our weapons are mighty in God. They are backed by God Himself. So, let us never forget, "...If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)