[Prayer] Praying With Authority | Benny Ho

hi church so good to be able to see all of you here online this sunday we are continuing our series on prayer and the theme for my message this morning is praying with authority it has been said and rightly so that knowledge is power whatever we don't know cannot empower us and this is why every dictator on earth knows this that if he can keep the people ignorant he can continue to exercise power over them and that is why for many many years in the communist world the border guards are ordered to confiscate three forms of contraband they are basically weapons magazines and the bible because they know that if the truth gets to the people it will set them free hosea chapter 4 verse 6 tell us this my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge and that is why the devil will do anything and everything to stop us from reading the word or listening to solid teaching because the devil knows that once we know the truth the truth will set us free and he knows that once we realize who we are in christ and how rich we are in god and how much we have in jesus christ then he will lose his hold on us and this morning i wanted you to know that you and i are vested with authority from on high and greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world aj gordon once said this we have authority to take back from the devil anything he has stolen the cheap way of doing this is by prayer and by whatever action prayer leads us to take the cry that should be ringing out from the church today is the great cry take in jesus name yes church we have been vested with authority to take back everything that the devil has stolen our families our health our possession our finances etc question is this how do we do it it is always true prayer prayer is power the time of prayer is a time of power the place of prayer is a place of power the people of prayer is a people of power and i'm not talking about those who who believe in prayer or talk about prayer or even teach on prayer i'm talking about those who actually take time to pray this are the greatest people on the face of the earth today history belongs to those who pray so why do we pray genesis chapter 1 verse 26 to 28 says this then god said let us make man in our image in our likeness and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air over the livestock over all the earth and over all the creatures that move along the ground so god created man in his own image in the image of god he created him male and female he created them and god blessed them and said to them be fruitful and increase and subdue it rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground you see in the beginning god created man in his own image and he gave mankind dominion over the earth and all of creation god literally wants man to rule on earth and that word rule in the hebrew is the word marshall which literally means to govern or to manage you and i are called to manage the earth church the idea of governing implies that we are to represent someone else to oversee something in other words we do not own the earth but we are god's representatives here to oversee on his behalf and the same idea actually applies in the concept of managing for example if you are called to be a manager then we are basically taking charge of something that belongs to someone else and brothers and sisters you and i are god's managers on earth and i think this is confirmed in psalms 115 verse 16 where the psalmist said the highest heavens belong to the lord but the earth he has given to man the highest heaven still belongs to god but the earth god has assigned to us and that word given here in the hebrew is the word natan which literally means given an assignment or putting something under the charge of someone else with the earth god has assigned it to us this means that god did not actually give away the ownership of the earth and that's why he can still say in psalms 24 1 the earth is the lord's and everything in it the world and all who live in it see the whole earth everything in it even all of us we still belong to god but god did assign the responsibility assigned the authority to rule the earth over to men the montford translation puts it this way psalms 24 1 the heavens the eternal holds himself the earth he has assigned to men so question who has the right now to govern the earth actually adam did mankind did but the only problem was when adam and eve fell into the trap of sin and then what happened at that point when men mankind fell into sin we gave the right to rule over to satan the deceiver it is like i have an apartment in singapore and because i'm not there to oversee and to take care of it i've assigned the power of attorney to my father and this empowers my dad to actually make executive decisions about the apartment on my behalf and so great was adam's authority over the earth that he actually had the power of attorney to give it away to another and in this case he gave it to the wrong person he gave the right to rule over to satan because of sin and that is why when say when adam gave that right to rule over to satan even god had to acknowledge that satan is now the prince of this world okay and jesus actually called satan the prince of this world in john chapter 12 verse 31 jesus said now is the time for judgment on this world now the prince of this world will be driven out and he's referring to satan but i when i'm lifted up from the earth will draw all men to myself and that word prayings in the greek is the word archon which means first in rang or power in other words satan is now in charge of this earth but the good news i have for all of us is this right from the beginning of the fall god already had a plan in mind and in genesis chapter 3 verse 15 he outlined that plan and what he said was this and i will put anonymity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers and he will crush your head and you will strike his heel and what god is actually saying is that the time will come when a man will crush the hate of satan and we all know that's not talking about the physical hate of satan but i think it's referring to hate ship or authority of satan and that word hate in the hebrew is the word rosh which actually means hate shape or first in rank or authority it is the same meaning as someone who is the head of an organization or the head of a company or if you like he's the hate honcho in other words god is saying that adam used to be the head he used to be the raj but he was the he was the man in charge but now satan you are the rush but i've got news for you another man is coming and he is going to crush your hate ship it takes a man to give it away now it takes a man to take it back and the first adam lost the hate ship to satan but jesus the second adam has come to take it back and who did jesus then after jesus took back the authority from satan on the cross who did he give this authority to i got good news for all of us he gave that authority to the church luke chapter 10 verse 18 and 19 jesus said i saw satan fall like lightning from heaven and i have given you and he's talking to his disciples i've given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the powers of the enemy and nothing will by any means harm you in other words brothers and sisters god has destined that redeem human beings the church is forever to be god's channel of authority on the earth and you and i today hold that authority in our hands and we wield it through prayer now let me outline for you three things about authority so that we can have a grasp of the authority that we have in christ and then we can use it to bring about god's will on earth as it is in heaven so here are three things about authority number one is this authority cannot be assumed you cannot assume and presume that we have authority it must be real acts chapter 19 verse 13 to 17 describe a rather tragic but comical scene about assumed authority let me read it for you some jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the lord jesus over those who were demon possessed and they would say in the name of jesus whom paul preaches i command you to come out and seven sons of skiva a jewish chief priest was doing this and one day the evil spirit answered them and said jesus i know and i know about paul but who are you and then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all and he gave them such a beating that they all ran out of the house naked and bleeding can you picture this seven young man running out of the house naked with a madman chasing after them i think that's a poignant picture of assumed authority the seven sons of skiva were trying to exercise an authority that they did not possess they thought that if they had the words right if the formula is in place it will work after all they did remember to add the post script in jesus name but true authority is something that flows from within it is an inner knowledge that one has the right or power to act in a given situation for example the surgeon who is standing at the operating table has the authority to operate but it's not because he had this couple in his hand it is because of his years of studies training and experience which actually culminates in a medical degree and a license to practice so what happened to this seven sons of skiva is a timely reminder to all of us that no assumed authority will be enough for this spiritual war i think the enemy will only yield to authentic authority that flows out of an abiding relationship with jesus christ and then the demonic cannot say to us jesus i know paul i know about but who are you that would be tragic and here's number one authority cannot be assumed but instead number two authority must be authentic now let me outline for you an example from the bible of true spiritual authority this is found in exodus 17 verse 8 to 13. listen to this beautiful incident out of the old testament the amalekites came and attacked the israelites at redeem moses said to joshua choose some of our men and go out to fight their malachites tomorrow i will stand on top of the hill with the staff or the lord of god in my hands so joshua fought the malachites and moses as moses had ordered and moses aaron and her went up to the top of the hill and as long as moses held up his hands the israelites were winning but whenever he lowered his hands the amalekites were winning and when moses hence grew tired they took a stone put it under him and he sat on it aaron and her then held his hands up one on one side one on the other so that his hands remain steady till sunset and so joshua overcame the malachite's army with the sword now the people of israel were crying out for water in the wilderness and god told moses to strike a rock with the rod and water begin to gush forth but just as the people were enjoying the water the malachites came and attacked them probably because they wanted the water for themselves so what did moses do it's interesting moses didn't pray he didn't plead with god but he took up his authority and he went to war why you may ask is i think it's because moses knew that the lord has given this water not to the malachites what he gave it to the jews you see he gave it to the israelites so brothers and sisters here's my point there is a place for petition there is a place for intercession but there's also a place for the man of god to exercise his rightful authority to enforce the will of god on earth as it is in heaven in warfare prayer so in verse 9 we were told moses said choose some of our men and go out to fight the malachites for tomorrow i will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of god in my hands and do you know brothers and sisters that the power is not just in the lifting up of moses hands but it is the lifting up of the rod of god's authority don't miss this it wasn't just the lifting of his hands he was lifting up something else he was lifting up the rod of god's authority and while joshua fought the fiscal battle in the valley moses left the sin of the battle he went up to the mountain and he fought that battle in the unseen realm and notice this every time moses lifted that rod of authority they want every time the rod comes down they lose hands up they win hands down they lose hands up they win hands down they lose actually that's the opposite of the world right because every time we hands up in the world we surrender we lost but here's the point the point is this in spiritual warfare we win by surrendering by surrendering to the will of god surrendering and yielding ourselves to the word of god that's how we win moses on the mountain represents the position of the believer in heavenly places in christ far above every principalities and power that lifted rod represented the delegated authority of god put into the hands of every believer in christ so we need to save it to ourselves i have authority in christ why don't you say this with me huh i have authority in christ say it again i have authority in christ now you may ask how do i know i have authority in christ luke chapter 10 verse 17 to 19 right listen to this the 72 return with joy and then they said lord even the demons submit to us in your name and jesus said i saw satan fall like lightning from heaven i have given you authority this is clear as day god has given us authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the powers of the enemy and nothing will harm you and jesus have sent out 72 unknown disciples at that point to prepare the way for his entry into the cities that he was passing through and they were all told to go and preach the gospel the kingdom heal the sake cast out demons actually all of them were afraid but when they started to stepped out in faith they discovered that what jesus said was true and so when the 72 came back they were so excited because they were surprised that their own exploits what they were saying is this wow even the demons submit to us in your name and i tell you at that point jesus was overjoyed and he declared to them satan has fallen see when the church begin to exercise our authority in him in the lord that is when jesus knew satan has fallen and the coming of jesus signed the invasion of the kingdom of god upon the kingdom of satan and when the kingdom of god comes the rule of satan was overturned and then jesus actually revealed to them the secret of their success which is this they were given delegated authority they were given that authority and now we have the power of the holy spirit to enforce god's will on earth as it is in heaven now but what is really the basis of our authority so he listen to me and and come into this because this revelation will really seal it in our hearts that we have authority what is really the biblical basis for our authority colossians chapter 2 verse 13 to 15 when you were dead in your sin now here's the cause here's the source when we were dead in our sin the uncircumcision of your sinful nature god made you alive with christ he forgave us all of our sins having cancered the written code with his regulation that was against us that's the law and he understood opposed to us he took it away and nailing it to the cross and having disarmed the powers and authorities he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them by the cross brothers and sisters here's the source on the cross jesus took away satan's armory he humiliated our enemy and he triumphed over them by the cross on the cross jesus rendered satan a total permanent final and irreversible defeat and once we know our position now in christ we can move from defeat to victory once we know who we are we can act like who we are and we live up to who we really are in christ and you know the apostle paul actually go on to say in ephesians 1 verse 19 to 23 listen to this that power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority power and dominion and every title that can be given not only in the present age but also in the one to come and god placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be hate over everything for the church which is his body the fullness of him who feels everything in every way you know according to these verses where is jesus today that's right he is at the father's right hand far above every rule and authority powers and dominion and satan is now under his feet now keep that picture in your head but not only that ephesians 2 verse 4 to verse 6 goes on to say this but because of his great love for us god who is rich in mercy made us alive in christ even when we were dead in transgression and then god raised us up with christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in christ jesus so here's the thing listen tell me where is the church today we are now seated with christ in heavenly places god in his love raise us upwards to sit with christ in the heavenly places which means this if christ is far above every principality and power every dominion and authorities then guess what so is the church because we are seated with him in heavenly places and today satan is also under our feet and notice this paul said god has already raised us up the seat with christ this is not about the future this is actually past tense in other words it has already happened you and i are now seated with christ in heavenly places so can i say it this way we are now right now seated in two places at one time physically we are seated on in perth on earth but with christ we are now seated with him in heavenly places so you and i are actually in two places at one time physically i'm right here but spiritually i am with him in heavenly places right now you and i are in a place of authority with christ we are on top and not below we are the hate not the tale we are victorious not defeated and we are victory we are victors and not victims the same power that raised christ in the dead is now enabling you and i to tread and trample on snakes and scorpions and that power give us authority over all the powers of the enemy and brothers and sisters ladies and gentlemen that's the authority that god has given unto us so don't be bullied but be bold we are children of the king of kings sons and daughters of the living god we have royal blood flowing through our veins and we are the power of the holy spirit resident in us and we the church holds the balance of power authority cannot be assumed we know that but authority must be authentic okay and we have authentic authority now because of christ and what he has done on the cross but i leave you one last thing this authentic authority that we have must be activated we got to activate it and begin to to actually build it and exercise it you know when i applied for credit card the bank actually went through my financial situation and then after checking me out they actually issued me and granted me a credit card and because i love my wife i gave her a supplementary card now what does that mean all the husbands know that that means we are finished no actually because i added her name to my name this means that she has gained all the financial authority that my name bears right her name carries no authority seen she has no credit with the bank but with my name behind her she has gained the authority to exercise purchasing power that she otherwise would not have okay and the good news i have for you brothers and sisters is this i want to know that jesus has also given every one of us here a supplementary card that bears his name what fall is so that we can now partner with almighty god in implementing god's will on earth as it is in heaven god decides in heaven and we enforce it here on earth but nothing will happen until you realize this and until you start to use it in jesus name in church you and i have been given the rod of god's delegated authority and we need to exercise it on behalf of your family on behalf of the church on behalf of your community your city and on behalf of the nations of the earth as parents we assert the authority of god to bind the works of the devil in our homes uh as workers and employees and employers we assert the authority of god in our workplaces as residents you know as citizens we exert the authority of god in our community and we enforce god's will on earth as it is in heaven sometimes we think that we have nothing much to offer you know that we think we're nothing that we have so many so many weaknesses and struggles but i want you to know that when the power of the holy spirit comes upon us a spiritual explosion can take place in our spirit and what we need to recognize is the frailty of our own strength and then we turn to the power of the holy spirit we turn to this authority that we have in christ so this morning i challenge all of us to come humbly before the father and we pray lord pour out your holy spirit upon us empower us in jesus name and let us walk in authentic spiritual authority and let us receive the power of the holy spirit and activate our authority in christ authority cannot be assumed authority must be authentic but most importantly authority must be activated so let's activate our authority in christ and use it to enforce god's will on earth as it is in heaven

Channel: Faith Community Church Perth

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Length: 25min 44sec (1544 seconds)

Published: Wed May 20 2020