“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 NKJV
Have you ever been stopped by a policeman on the road before? No matter how ordinary a policeman looks, as long as he is in uniform, he has the right to command any citizen to stop on an expressway. This is because he represents a government that has the authority to command any citizen. In this same way, as believers, we have authority over the devil because we represent God here on earth.
Authority describes the legal right to take an action, it emphasizes position and identity. As believers, God has given us the right and legal backing as His sons to trample upon the enemy, as our anchor scripture highlights. There is no power of the devil that is beyond your authority in Christ.
Knowing who you are in Christ Jesus makes all the difference in your walk of faith. You have been adopted into sonship by the resurrection of Christ (Romans 8:15). You are not a slave, you are a son, this means you have the authority of your Father, God, whom you represent on earth. You have authority in the name of Jesus, and it is important that you stand firmly in your position and identity in Him.
Every authority has a system that backs it up, and you are backed by the power of God. As a child of God, the devil does not have a right over you. When Jesus resurrected, God put all things under His feet, and now by believing in His resurrection, you share in that reality (Ephesians 1:22). You can perpetually live a life of victory because the devil is already under your feet.
This applies to every aspect of your life. You can enforce the will of God, destroying every work of darkness in any area of your life and family. More importantly, this authority is reflected in the fulfilment of purpose. You are God’s envoy on earth and a representative of His kingdom. He wants you to partner with Him in His agenda to see all men saved (1 Corinthians 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:3-4). The authority that Jesus exercised has been given to us, and we must put it to use in evangelizing the world!
Finally, take responsibility. Wherever you find yourself, seek to know what God is doing and how you can partner with it. Stand in your authority as a son and overthrow the works of the devil in your generation. God is counting on you.
Bible Reading Plan: Isaiah 23-27