How to speak and act with AUTHORITY!

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."  Matthew 28:18

For our actions and words to have impact and purpose, they must possess authority.  Authority means the right and might to command attention or action, to "reward" obedience, and to "punish" disobedience."  This means that there is a benefit in giving attention and action to your words and actions, if you have authority.  It also means there is loss in disregarding your words and actions.  Every meaningful word and action has authority.  And all authority comes from the Lord Jesus Christ, who received all authority from God the Father.  

Observe the words of a commanding soldier who spoke to Jesus concerning authority:

When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  Matthew 8:6-9

The centurion understood and teaches us this principle:  

To be in authority, we must be under authority.  

Jesus illustrates this principle further when some questioned the authority of his teachings:

About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.  John 7:14-18

So from the Lord Jesus, and from the commanding soldier, we see that authority is delegated from God and by God.  The Lord himself didn't consider his authority to speak and act his own.  From this the Spirit shows me three things about speaking and acting with authority:

1.  We must speak and act in unity with a higher identity (God's or his delegated authority)

2.  We must speak and act for a higher glory than our own glory

3.  We must speak and act with the backing of a higher ability.

Higher identity.

Higher glory.

Higher ability.

For example, a deputy sheriff should not speak on his own authority, or based on his own identity and personality.  She is a representative of the sheriff.

The deputy should seek the glory of democracy, the glory of the sheriff voted into office by the community.

This deputy does not use his own personal ability, the limited strength of her body.  He uses the weapons issued by the sheriff with the skills taught by the sheriff.

When people in the community sees the deputy's uniform, badge, and gun, they understand they are not encountering Howard or Ramona, but Deputy Howard and Officer Ramona.  

Even if you are not an officer of the law, in every relation there is a correlation of authority, of higher identity, glory and ability:

• If you are a child still living with your parents, God commands you to honor and obey your father and mother.  Their identity is your higher identity.  You seek their glory, which comes before yours.  Their ability to care for you, guide, provide, and protect you are higher than yours.
• If you are an employee, you take the employer's higher identity, seeking his reputation and glory, depending on her resources and training.
• If you are alone, at the store, or in the community, you seek the higher glory of your Creator in the expression of your personality and liberty, which are images of Divine identity, and your free will sovereignty is a God given ability. 

• If you are a believer, and a member of the body of Christ, you seek unity with the Spirit, the Highest Identity, doing all things for His glory, being filled and empowered with His ability.

No matter what situation or relation you find yourself in, there is always a higher identity, glory, and ability than your own, connected to your own.  

 

Speak and act in unity with these three, and you will speak and act with impact and authority!