Exercising Your Authority
The authority that Jesus gave to us in Luke 10:19 “behold I give to you power to tread
on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by
any means hurt you”. God told us in Psalms 82:6-8 “I have said, you are gods, and all
of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the
princes. Arise, O god, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations”. Remember
the Bible says “the heavens are the Lord, but He has given the earth to the sons of
men”.
Exercise your authority by taking the keys of the kingdom of heaven which Jesus gave
us saying “whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and
whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19, 18:
18). Jesus tells us to speak to the mountain (Mark 11:23) “for verily I say to you, that
whosoever shall say to this mountain, be you removed, and be you cast into the sea;
and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall
come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he says”. Remember that “death and life are
in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). Job says we are to decree and declare
a thing and it shall be established (Job 22:28).
Spiritual exercise is vitally important because our every blessing is from the Spirit
(Ephesians 1:3) “blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ”. We thank God that
the Spirit is in us, that’s why we are told to walk in the Spirit (the word of God) in
Galatians 5:17. We must remember that “Christ in you the hope of glory”, and as we
focus on that our spirit man is enlightened. We have to train ourselves to listen to the
Spirit by following the word of God. We are to be so dominated by the Spirit that we
can be called spiritual (Galatians 6:1).
Exercise being led by the Spirit of God by exercising the spirit man within us; we must
acknowledge what God has put in us (Philemon 6) “that the communication of your
faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in
Christ Jesus”. II Timothy 1:7 says “for God, has not given us the spirit of fear, but of
power, and of love, and of a sound mind”. Think of who you are in Christ (II
Corinthians 5:17). Focus on your spirit; remember as a man thinks in his heart so is
he (Proverbs 23:7). The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6-9 what to think on. Put God in
your problem and see how small it becomes, focus on God and remember how Peter
walked on water. Standing on the word of God in faith; finding what applies to your
circumstance and studying the word on what corrects it. Go to the throne room boldly
with confidence; remember that the Bible says “this is the confidence that we have in
Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He
hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of
Him (I John 5:14-15).
Exercise faith by feeding your faith daily on the word of God (Matthew 7:24-25)
“therefore, whosoever, hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken his to a
wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded
upon a rock”. Your faith grows by what you say. Agree with what God says about you,
and do as God did by calling those things that be not as they are (Romans 4:17). In
Joel 3:10 it says let the weak say they are strong. Psalms 107:2 says “let the
redeemed of the Lord Yahweh say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the
enemy”. The Bible says it is by faith and patience, we inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:
12).
Exercise spiritual discernment (I John 4:1-3) “beloved, believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into
the world. Hereby know you the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is no of God, and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you
have heard that it should come, and even now already is in the world”. We are to
bring every thought into the obedience of Christ.
Meditate on the word of God, day and night as God told Joshua (Joshua 1:8) “this
book of the law, shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day
and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then
you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success”.
Remember the word of God will not return void. God says for us to bring Him in
remembrance of His word (Isaiah 43:26). This is not because God forgets, but as we
proclaim His words it brings life to us. Jesus said “the words that I speak to you, they
are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63).
We must make the Bible the final authority, and develop confidence in the word of God
(I Timothy 3:15-17). Commit yourselves to God (James 4:7) “submit yourselves there
to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. We are told to “study to show
yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Our ability to understand Scripture correctly is
given by the Spirit (John 16:13) “however, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will
guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear,
that shall He speak, and He will show you things to come”. Focus on the finished work
of Jesus (John 17:4). Jesus defeated the devil; let us develop this picture.
Exercise control over your flesh; this is done by presenting your bodies a living
sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect will of God”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: April 11, 2008
The authority that Jesus gave to us in Luke 10:19 “behold I give to you power to tread
on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by
any means hurt you”. God told us in Psalms 82:6-8 “I have said, you are gods, and all
of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the
princes. Arise, O god, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all nations”. Remember
the Bible says “the heavens are the Lord, but He has given the earth to the sons of
men”.
Exercise your authority by taking the keys of the kingdom of heaven which Jesus gave
us saying “whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and
whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19, 18:
18). Jesus tells us to speak to the mountain (Mark 11:23) “for verily I say to you, that
whosoever shall say to this mountain, be you removed, and be you cast into the sea;
and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall
come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he says”. Remember that “death and life are
in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). Job says we are to decree and declare
a thing and it shall be established (Job 22:28).
Spiritual exercise is vitally important because our every blessing is from the Spirit
(Ephesians 1:3) “blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ”. We thank God that
the Spirit is in us, that’s why we are told to walk in the Spirit (the word of God) in
Galatians 5:17. We must remember that “Christ in you the hope of glory”, and as we
focus on that our spirit man is enlightened. We have to train ourselves to listen to the
Spirit by following the word of God. We are to be so dominated by the Spirit that we
can be called spiritual (Galatians 6:1).
Exercise being led by the Spirit of God by exercising the spirit man within us; we must
acknowledge what God has put in us (Philemon 6) “that the communication of your
faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in
Christ Jesus”. II Timothy 1:7 says “for God, has not given us the spirit of fear, but of
power, and of love, and of a sound mind”. Think of who you are in Christ (II
Corinthians 5:17). Focus on your spirit; remember as a man thinks in his heart so is
he (Proverbs 23:7). The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6-9 what to think on. Put God in
your problem and see how small it becomes, focus on God and remember how Peter
walked on water. Standing on the word of God in faith; finding what applies to your
circumstance and studying the word on what corrects it. Go to the throne room boldly
with confidence; remember that the Bible says “this is the confidence that we have in
Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He
hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of
Him (I John 5:14-15).
Exercise faith by feeding your faith daily on the word of God (Matthew 7:24-25)
“therefore, whosoever, hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken his to a
wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded
upon a rock”. Your faith grows by what you say. Agree with what God says about you,
and do as God did by calling those things that be not as they are (Romans 4:17). In
Joel 3:10 it says let the weak say they are strong. Psalms 107:2 says “let the
redeemed of the Lord Yahweh say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the
enemy”. The Bible says it is by faith and patience, we inherit the promises (Hebrews 6:
12).
Exercise spiritual discernment (I John 4:1-3) “beloved, believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into
the world. Hereby know you the Spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is no of God, and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you
have heard that it should come, and even now already is in the world”. We are to
bring every thought into the obedience of Christ.
Meditate on the word of God, day and night as God told Joshua (Joshua 1:8) “this
book of the law, shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day
and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then
you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success”.
Remember the word of God will not return void. God says for us to bring Him in
remembrance of His word (Isaiah 43:26). This is not because God forgets, but as we
proclaim His words it brings life to us. Jesus said “the words that I speak to you, they
are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63).
We must make the Bible the final authority, and develop confidence in the word of God
(I Timothy 3:15-17). Commit yourselves to God (James 4:7) “submit yourselves there
to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you”. We are told to “study to show
yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). Our ability to understand Scripture correctly is
given by the Spirit (John 16:13) “however, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will
guide you into all truth, for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear,
that shall He speak, and He will show you things to come”. Focus on the finished work
of Jesus (John 17:4). Jesus defeated the devil; let us develop this picture.
Exercise control over your flesh; this is done by presenting your bodies a living
sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect will of God”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: April 11, 2008
