Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Eph 1:15-2:7 KJV
Pop Quiz! A few questions concerning the two previous lessons!
What is the most precious commodity that is an ever constant factor before the Father?
Why is the Blood of Christ described as precious? Where was Christ’s Blood offered up?
So just how valuable is the Blood of Christ to us?
What is required take to see God? (Pursue, persecute holiness)
Is holiness made up of a series of do’s and don’ts? So what is holiness?
Where is the Holiest place? How can we enter into the Holiest place?
AUTHORITY AND DOMINION WAS GIVEN TO MAN
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen 1:26-28 KJV
MAN LOST THE GOD GIVEN DOMINION
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. Heb 2:6-8 KJV
JESUS CAME TO WREST CONTROL FROM THE ENEMY
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1Jn 3:8 KJV
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Heb 2:14-15 KJV
JESUS HAS GIVEN TO THE BELIEVER AUTHORITY
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luk 10:19 KJV
The Father was enabled to strip authority from the principalities etc that were struggling to ensure Jesus remained in the realm of the dead which would have made all our belief and preaching vain! However God the Father raised Him up and stripped forever all authority from the opposition and handed it over to Jesus!
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Mat 28:18-20 KJV
WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE AUTHORITY
We need to recognize the source of our authority and how it came about to become ours.
Imagine Jesus about to be resurrected and all the hosts of evil combining to restrain Him and keep Him in the realm of the dead. Then the strength and power and authority of the Father is displayed by the Almighty Holy Spirit as He wrenches His Son from their grasp without even breaking a sweat!
He not only raises Him from the dead but raises Him FAR above ALL principality might and dominion, and every name that is named in every age, past, present and future.
Then realize that the authority commanding this unspeakable might and indescribable power is bestowed on the believer who is now one with the Father and the Son! He's got your back and all of you!!!
As believers and disciples of the Lord, we are already positionally at the right hand of God the Father in Christ. So even though my body is resident here on earth it is a temporary setting in anticipation of my full inheritance through final redemption of the body. Spiritually I presently have access to the throne room of God and an audience with the Father into whose presence I can appear anytime through Christ's Blood with which I am sprinkled.
The spiritual armor is essential to combat the forces of evil that attempts to draw the believer out into the open where he may be successfully attacked.
Beware of abuse to this authority. Do not become a son of Sceva!
