It was 3 a.m. when I awoke from my sleep. As I gained consciousness a heavy problem I’d been facing quickly invaded my mind. It was a tough one – the kind that left me feeling helpless.
Powerful people were seeking to impact one of my staff members unfairly. Though I represented my employee righteously, upper management had the power to make the wrong decision. I was at the mercy of earthly power. The only thing I could do was pray ~ and pray is what I did with a very heavy heart.
As I lay awake wrestling with the details of this problem, something amazing came over me. An overwhelming awareness and suddenly I knew.
While men may sit in positions of power, I was the one Jesus endowed with His authority.
As this revelation soaked into my spirit I became cloaked in an otherworldly knowledge that I was the one with the ultimate power in this situation. I quickly sat up and spoke over the events that were swirling around my life.
“I am the authority and I proclaim that no dark weapon formed against me or my staff shall prosper. Though people in high ranks seek to make the wrong decision, I forbid it. For I am a child of the most high God and I am calling truth to invade this situation. Come forth righteousness and make straight the crooked paths.”
In those wonderful moments I knew heaven heard me. In those wonderful moments I knew I had birthed the right outcome.
I returned to work. It didn’t take long, however, for the heat of my trial to spike. I found myself walking through a furnace of more complications, more difficulties to overcome. I became fearful. My faith began to waver. Was my proclamation effective? Will righteousness prevail? My thoughts took me to the land of uncertainty. Still, I held onto the truth I proclaimed though I struggled with doubt.
Friday morning…I was in my prayer time when the Lord came to me.
“Why did you allow moments of defeat when I revealed to you that you are the authority?”
I had disappointed my Father. I should have walked through my circumstances with more certainty. Foolish heart.
I both love and hate moments when God questions me. His words expose truth that reveal His heart to me in more intimate ways, but His words also shine a light on my shortcomings.
That day I drove to work with a calm assurance that I was in God’s will and all would be well. By the close of the day the whole situation had turned. The powerful words I had spoken ultimately dismantled a dark plan. This situation taught me that while men may have prestigious titles and earthly power, authentic power comes from heaven above.
Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” Matthew 27:11
On Good Friday the Lord solidified this lesson in my heart more powerfully. It happened while I was watching the following passages come to life in the Passion of the Christ.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Matthew 27:27-29
And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Matthew 27:39-43
The ancient Sanhedrin and Pharisees were powerful men. On the surface they appeared to possess all authority, but those who unlawfully executed Jesus didn’t hold the ultimate power. Jesus laid down His power and allowed them to take His life. Regardless of the dark picture the cross painted, Jesus was and is the high King of heaven. All authority is His ~ even when nailed to a cross.
As children of God, we have been endowed by Jesus’ authority. We must ask the Holy Spirit to continually cloak us in this knowledge. Lying down in defeat is not an option for the redeemed. Jesus has overcome the world and we have been swept up in His victory!
Are you facing difficult circumstances? Are you stumbling under the weight of your situation? Do you feel defeated? Child of God, stand to your feet! Pick your head up. Speak over your circumstances and breath life into the darkness. All authority has been handed to you from heaven above!
All authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. Romans 13:1
And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!” So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied, there was a noise and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.” Ezekiel 37:3-4,7
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
