Christian Living

A God Given Authority

by Lakella Davenport 
04/25/22
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A God Given Authority

To have authority means to have rule, dominion, or control over something. In the Bible, God has given numerous individuals authority or power over his people. In Genesis chapter one verses 26 through 28, God gave man authority over the Earth. “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,” (Genesis 1:26).

In the Bible, God put many leaders in a position of power, dominion, or authority. Moses was one of the first individuals in the Bible given a position of authority by God. Moses was given a position of power or authority over the children of Israel by God, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt and from under Pharaoh’s rule (Exodus 3:10). Before Moses’ leadership of the children of Israel was Noah and Joseph. God gave Noah authority over building the ark and gathering two of every kind of living thing into the ark. Noah was put in charge of saving his family and two of every sort of living thing, from the great flood that God would bring upon the Earth (Genesis 6: 13-22).

Like Moses, God gave Joseph positions of authority and power. Joseph’s first position of authority was over all of Potiphar’s house (Genesis 39:1-4). “And Joseph was brought down to Egypt: and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand,” (Genesis 39: 1-4). Joseph’s second position of authority was over the entire kingdom of Pharaoh and Egypt. “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt,” (Genesis 41: 41-43). “Thou shalt be over my house and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou,” (Genesis 41:40).

The most important individual that God gave authority and power to, was his son Jesus Christ. God gave Jesus power and authority over the Earth and everything within it. “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,” (Hebrews 2: 7-8). “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in Earth,” (Matthew 28:18). Jesus had authority to heal and cast out demons. “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people,” (Matthew 9:35).

Likewise, Jesus gave the apostles power and authority over sickness and demons. “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease,” (Matthew 10:1). Jesus also gave 70 other disciples power over the enemy. “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,” (Luke 10: 19).

As Christians we have power and authority over the enemy through our fellowship with Christ. Through Christ we are more than over-comers. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us,” (Romans 8:37).