Delegated Authority - Part 2

      Every new recruit goes through a training regimen, affectionately known as boot camp. No new recruit is immediately assigned to the big guns. They have to first learn how to shoot a pistol. If you’ve never shot one, you might be surprised by the kickback. You have to be aware of the pushback coming and be prepared for it.
      Inevitably, there are some in the camp—including the Church camp—who can’t wait to hit the battlefield. They quote Jesus’ statement recorded in Matt. 11:12. “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” They hype up the army to jump into the fight with everything they’ve got and battle it out with Satan.
       But notice the time element here: from the days of John the Baptizer to Jesus’ earthly ministry. The political and religious leaders of Jesus’ time were making it difficult for Him, to say the least. They were throwing everything they had at Him, including the threat of crucifixion. That is the way of the violent. They use force.
         What do those in the Kingdom of God use? What Jesus told His disciples to use. “And Jesus summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity” (Matt. 10:1). “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19).
       This authority came directly from God the Creator. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19). So, by deduction, Jesus’ disciples knew that they would do the same things they had seen Jesus do in the same way—by God’s power. It wasn’t by their own works, but by God’s power working through them.
         And if that’s not enough for you, consider these consequences of the cross. “…the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His 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 age but also in that which is to come” (Eph. 1:19-21).
      The Chronos Lesson: The passage doesn’t stop there. The conjunction “and” tells us there is more to this truth. “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph. 1:22-23). In short, the same power that Jesus used when He ministered on the earth is the same power at work in us when we continue His ministry on the earth! Mind-boggling, isn’t it?
       That is why it is a process of getting this revelation, seeing it with the eyes of our understanding, and then acting on it by faith. Too often, we look at ourselves in the natural and roll our eyes or cover our faces and shake our heads in doubt. That is why there is boot camp training.
      Doubt is natural, but it’s not godly. The remedy is to trust God’s Word by faith, which comes by hearing and hearing, and continually hearing the Word of God. It’s especially helpful when we speak the Word aloud because it forces our brains to process that “data” and internalize it, building up a godly stronghold in our mind.
       Oh, by the way, in case you’re not battle savvy, there are both good strongholds and bad strongholds. Stay tuned.