Lost Authority

Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you." Luke 10:19...."God does not give His Presence to rebels." Unknown

I've heard many say in recent days that you don't hear much preaching anymore on the cross, the Holy Spirit, sin, confession, and repentance. I think they're correct, but I want to add another subject much missing; the authority of the believer and of the Church.

I heard a preacher recently say that he believed the church in the west has been steadily surrendering its authority in the culture, to the point that we really have little if any in the midst of that culture. I also read an article that said polling revealed that 77% of conservatives, those usually identified as friendly to the church, didn't feel it needful for the church to be allowed to come together during this virus outbreak. Not needful for the church, but needful for Wal-Mart, Liquor stores, and now, golf courses.

Alexander de Tocqueville, a French diplomat who traveled extensively through mid- 19 century America, and wrote a classic titled "Democracy In America," said that the goodness of America as a nation flowed from the righteousness being proclaimed from its pulpits. How many would say such in our day? What, really, is being proclaimed from our pulpits? Indeed, the role of the pulpit ministry has been steadily decreasing for some time now, replaced by corporate models of leadership and decision making.

Jesus said that He gave His disciples authority to "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, and raise the dead." Some believe that ceased with passing of the 1st century church. I don't, but it seems many of us agree. Where are the miracles in the midst of our gatherings? Where is His glory truly falling? Where has the expectation of such been in the hearts and minds of the preachers and leaders themselves, let alone in the fellowship in general? I ask these questions of myself as well. Where is the authority of the believer in Christ being powerfully manifested today? Why isn't it?

We just observed a National Day Of Prayer. This is wonderful, but what comprised our prayers in most places? Did we merely petition Him to make all this "stuff" go away so that we could get back to our "normal" lives? How much, if it all, was there a brokenness before Him? A confession of sin, and the repentance that must accompany that confession? As the anonymous quote above states, God does not give His Presence, and the authority that goes with it to rebels....and beloved, rebels we have been. Will we continue to be? If we do, what little authority we still walk in will be lost.

His Word commands the church in such a condition to go back and "do the first works" again. Brokenness, confession, repentance, repeat. If we the church ever truly do this, His "mantle" will once again fall upon us. We will rise up in the midst of this badly diseased culture and speak anew with the authority of our God, as well as His healing, cleansing, demon crushing power that comes with that. Are we ready for such? Are you, and am I? Or, do we just go meekly on, being dictated to by government, scientists, medical personal, who have taken the place of authority abdicated by His church? Let us, the Church, go crush some snakes and scorpions.

Blessings,
Pastor O