Understanding Your Authority -Pastor Hope Message

Hallelujah. I am so glad that you decided to join me right here on Facebook Live tonight, YouTube, wherever you are joining, thank you for taking time to be with me tonight. I have a powerful word I'm going to teach tonight. So sit down, get you a cup of coffee, get you a Diet Coke, if that's your advice. And get you a notebook. We're going to learn tonight how to understand your authority. Understanding our authority as a Christian. You know, how many times does it feel like Satan is just all over you, he's just on your back. You feel like the only address that he knows is your house, right? So many times in life we feel like that. We feel like we're more defeated than we are victorious. We feel like all hell is breaking out in our life and we're like, how much more God am I supposed to be living like this? You know, I read the Word and I go to church and I hear about this victorious life that I'm supposed to be living. But I feel like that I am not more than a conqueror. I feel like I struggle all the time. And you know, we hear this so many times in ministry when people come to us and say, you know, I got this issue and I got this problem and I've had my share of problems and my family has had their share of problems. And you know, we have to learn as Christians how to operate in our God given authority because he has given us authority as Christians. Satan is totally evil. He is a liar. And his job description is in John 10:10 it says this, it says, the thief cometh, why? But to steal, to kill and to destroy. He comes to steal, to kill and to destroy. So number one, we know one thing, write this down. You know one thing about the enemy. He's coming, the thief is coming after you. He's coming after your children, he's coming after your peace, he's coming after your joy, he's coming after your sleep, he's coming after your money. You're like, oh gosh, quit saying that, you're getting me anxious. No, we have to know what is. We have an enemy. We have an enemy that we are fighting on a daily basis. This is his job description. And if he didn't do these things, he wouldn't be a good enemy, right? So John 10:10, the thief cometh to steal, to kill and to destroy. So one thing we know, the thief is coming. So why are we so shocked when he comes? Why do we get so bumfuzzled and so frustrated and just get in the bed and Want to pull the covers over our head and we act so shocked. And that he's at your house. That is his job. He's coming after you. He hates you. He is your enemy. I've heard people tell me so many times, you know, Pastor Hope, I was doing fine until I started coming to this church. He didn't mess with me. He didn't mess with my money. When I started coming to this church, and especially when I started paying my tithe and giving my offerings. My tires blow, my refrigerator goes out. I'm having trouble with my kid at school. Yes, you are. Because now you're on the other side and you have an enemy. We have an enemy who hates us. He's trying to get you to stop. That's why he's coming. He's coming to steal. He's coming to kill. He's coming to destroy. So that he can stop you from obtaining God's precious promises in your life. He does not want you to be an overcomer. That's why he attacks you. Satan's character is not like God's character. His character is. He's totally evil. He's a liar. He's a murderer. He's a sower of discord. He's cunning. He's wicked. He's a coward. He's a tempter. He's a thief. He does not have principles. He hits you below the belt. He hits you when it's hard. He's proud. He's arrogant. He's deceitful. He's fierce. He's cruel. Should I go on? That is the character of your enemy. Listen. He is not a negative God. I think sometimes we have made him out to be a God junior or the equal of God. Just the good and the evil. They are not on the same playing field. All he is is a fallen angel. He's just a fallen angel. And as a result of the fall, he. He did not become more powerful. He's less powerful in a fallen state. That means he's less than when Christ Jesus went into the heart of the earth. For three days and three nights, the greatest wrestling match took place there. The arm of the Lord. Isaiah 51 says, Go back and look it up later. Grasped the arm. Listen to this. It grasped the arm of Satan. Satan's power and the exceeding greatness of God's power pressed hard against all evil. And in the end, God slammed him down. He slammed the devil down. And God reigned triumphantly. Satan is defeated. Say it out loud. Say it out loud. Say it so you can hear. It. Say it so your neighbor can hear it. Say it so the devil can hear it say. Satan is totally defeated. Satan was completely humiliated and totally defeated. First John 3 and 8 says, for this purpose. For this purpose, the son of God was manifested. Why? That he might destroy the evil works of the devil. Whoa, somebody needs to shout on that one. For this one purpose, the son of God was manifested so that he could destroy the works of the devil. Jesus ascended and was seated at the right hand of the Father. This did not. Listen, when Jesus left and was seated at the right hand of the Father, it did not abolish Satan's power in the earth. Okay? It put Jesus in total authority over Satan. Okay? Remember, he's fallen. He's a fallen angel. He's not God junior. He is less than. He's not God's evil equal. And when Jesus comes back in the second coming, he will have Satan thrown in the bottomless pit to be bound for a thousand years. And after that, Satan will be loosed to roam for one more season. That's in Revelation 20. Go back and read it. Revelation 20. And then Jesus will total destroy him and all of his followers by casting them into the lake of fire. However. Say however, right now, during this church age where we are, we have been given the power over Satan. Right now we have an enemy, but we have been given the power over Satan. How? Through the name of Jesus. Through the name of Jesus. He is presently subject to the authority of Jesus which has been given to the church. It's been given to you. It's been given to me. And if we don't like the life that we're living, if we say we've got all this hell and chaos breaking out in our life, it's not somebody else's fault, it's our fault. Because we are not accessing the power over the enemy through the name of Jesus. Sin, sickness, demons, they have to bow their knee and obey. When a believer exercises their right and authority through the name of Jesus. Philippians 2:10 says that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, and everything in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth. Ephesians 1:22,23 says this. Far above principalities and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world which is to come, and hath put all things, say all things, all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things. To who? To whom? The Church. The church. All things means all things. You cannot change the meaning of all things. You can't say, well, we've got power over everything except cancer. You can't say, we've got power over everything except COVID 19. We've got power over everything except leukemia. No, all things. All things. It's up to us. Ephesians 1:22 declares that Jesus is the head over the church. Listen, watch not the head over the devil. I'm teaching you. I am trying to teach you. Tonight, Jesus is head over who? The church. The devil and his demonic kingdom are under Christ. What? Feet. Under his feet. That is why in verse 21, it says that Jesus is far above, far above all principality, power and might and dominion. There is something between him, the head and his feet. And that something is us. That something is the body of Christ. That something between Christ and the devil is me and you. Whoo. It's Jesus. It's the church. Then it's Satan under our feet. In order of authority, God's placed the church directly under Jesus and directly over the devil. Whoa. That ought to make you happy. Tonight you've got power over the devil. And when we understand this, we will stop praying for Jesus to take care of the devil. Help us, Lord. He's already taken care of him through the cross and the resurrection. And all that remains is us left to enforce the victory as we live our lives here according to the word and according to the name of Jesus. He's given us power here on earth over the devil. When Jesus finished, he went and sat down. He said, it is finished. I am done. Now here you are, church, as ambassadors on the earth. And I have given you the power to place all four things under your feet. Are y' all hearing me? Are you getting this? Jesus did not say this. He did not say. And these signs shall follow them. That. That believe. I will come down and I will stop the devil for them. No, he did not. He said, in my name. They shall cast out devils. They. They shall speak in new tongues. They shall take up serpents, and they shall drink any deadly thing, and it will not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick and they will recover. That's mark 16, 17, and 18. Look at Luke 10 and 17. Write it down. Flip it up. Flip over and get it. Lord, even the devils are subject to us. How? Through your name. Even devils and demons are subject through the name of Jesus. What does that word subject mean? It's an authority term. To be in subjection to someone means that you are under their authority. Notice how the devils and demons were subject by the name of Jesus. Again, our authority is wrapped up not in our goodness, not just because we're saved. It's wrapped up in the name of Jesus. Luke, the same thing. Verse 19. Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions. And all of the power of the enemy shall it will not hurt you. It says, by no means shall it hurt you. That word tread means to walk on something that has to be indicative that what? It's under your feet. Just like the scripture I just read before. Satan is under our feet. And if he's anywhere else in your life, that means we've given him the power to be. It's tough preaching. I know it is. The feet is attached to the body, right? Not the head. Christ is the head. The church is the body, and the feet is attached to the body. So if anything's going to be done to Satan, who's going to do it? The church, you and me? It's the church's responsibility. Consider the policeman. Have you ever seen a policeman? Every time I love to tell this story, I think of Barney Fife, little old scrawny Barney Fife standing there. You think, what is he going to do? What about the mall cops? You think, how are they going to stop anybody, right? So think about the policeman out there in six lanes of traffic, okay? And they're telling somebody to stop. One car is more powerful than that man. One car could run over the policeman, right? But he's been given authority over their power. By who? By his badge? By his uniform. Authority has nothing to do with your own natural ability. Whoa, are you getting this? What lets you know that that man in the intersection, the policeman, has the authority? It's what he's wearing. It's his uniform. It's what comes behind him. What says, I give him the power to do what he is doing? The B says that Jesus likewise clothes us believers with white raiment, with robes of righteousness. This is your uniform. Oh, my goodness. Are you getting this tonight? It's your uniform. Not because of your goodness. Not because of how clean you are. Not how perfect you are and how many times you get it right. It's because. Because of whose you are. It's because of who. Who you represent, who gives you the power to tread on serpents and scorpions and to put all things under your feet. God did not ask you if you were big enough or smart enough or wise enough or even knew enough scripture to wear the uniform. It's just automatically yours when you are in him. The Bible says that you are hidden In Christ Jesus, when God looks down at you, he doesn't look at hope. He doesn't even see hope. But he sees that I am covered and I am surrounded with Jesus. I am hidden in Christ Jesus. I'm trying to pump you up tonight. I'm trying to let you know who you are in Christ. Yeah. Tough times come. Sickness comes to our house. Bills come. You got bills, I got bills. You got rowdy children, I got rowdy children. We all have problems and pressure and issues that hit our life. The devil comes. We know that. We established it. He comes to steal and to kill and to destroy you. But Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and that you have it abundantly. Who you are in Christ puts to death all the works of the devil. Know that you have authority. You are not some wimpy little person sitting over in some corner who doesn't have any power. God's given you the power to stomp Satan right where he is today. Stop letting him wreak and wring havoc in your home. Stand up and take your rightful place and your authority, knowing that the power of the name of Jesus can break every sinful sickness, disease that's tried to attach itself to you. I'm so tired of hearing people say how scared they are of sickness and disease and COVID 19 it has no power against you. Rise up and use the name, name of Jesus to put all things under your feet. Stand up and take hold of your life in faith, knowing that God's already fought the battle. He's already gone before you. It's already finished. He's just waiting on the church to stand up and execute what he's already given us. Come on, get up out of your seat. Wherever you are, raise your hands and slap yourself if you need to and say, I'm going to shake myself. I'm going to get myself together and I am going to operate in the authority that God has already given me. God bless you. I love you and I will see you next week.