Christian Seer
Spiritual Christianity Teaching & Mentoring
Spiritual Authority: Be Effective
Spirit School
Preface
It is important to remember our Father in Heaven wants us to live in freedom, govern according to his rule and advance his Kingdom. He has given us everything we need to do this, but there are some things we do that can hinder the process and our impact.
This session does not provide religious rule or rotes about how to have effective spiritual authority, rather it offers examples to learn from and consider. We have inherent spiritual authority, but when faced with large principalities from the dominion of darkness, overcoming them and exerting spiritual authority over them can be hindered by our own lack of confidence, feeling condemned from spiritual attack or having things in our lives that accord with the darkness.
In his book “Unmasking the Jezebel Spirit”, John Paul Jackson conveys an important lesson concerning spiritual authority. We may have certain blocks within us that can prevent us from overcoming strong evil spirits. The larger the spirit we confront, the stronger they are and the harder it will be for us to overcome it if we have things in common with what the spirit stands for.
This is because evil spirits will not hesitate to contend their ground. They will put up a fight, just as the demons often confronted and challenged Jesus, so they will challenge us. In two examples in Jesus’ ministry, we see him deal with both large and small demons. In the case of the larger demon, or cluster of demons, in the region of the Gerasenes
(Mark 5:1 - 20), the demons put up a larger fight than the “smaller” demons that Jesus faced in the synagogue (Mark 1:21 - 28).
This may be a difficult session as we may have to face some personal issues, but it is worth overcoming so that we may stand if we are challenged by evil spirits.
Otherworldly
The Kingdom of Heaven is not of this world (John 18:36), yet the authority of Jesus Christ that governs it surpasses all other authorities. It is above authorities of this world, angelic and demonic realms and governs over the age to come. People of this world, that is the current universe, who are not born from above and of the Holy Spirit, do not recognise the authority of Jesus Christ because they are not of his Kingdom. They can not “see” or perceive the authority of the King because their spiritual eyes have been blinded to the light of Jesus Christ.
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People require the eyes their hearts to be enlightened with the light of God in order to perceive his Kingdom authority. Some people have attuned their spirit senses and are able to pick up on spiritual reality, although they may not understand what it is they perceive. They often describe it as light, warmth or brightness, but are not able to comprehend the source.
I am often approached by monks of other faiths who stop me in the street and describe how they can see that I am a spiritual man. Witches are also aware of the spiritual authority of Jesus Christ in me, they describe me as having a light and that they see that I am a “spirit worker”. Yet they do not understand where the authority comes from or the source of my light.
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We can not expect those of “this world”, even those who would consider themselves to be spiritual, to recognise the spiritual reality and authority of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of our Father in Heaven. Our spiritual authority is only perceived by spirit and can only be truly perceived in the light of God (Psalm 36:9).
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Jesus understood this and conducted himself in line with what our Father in heaven was doing. The spiritual principle of obedience to the Father determined how Jesus related to others in day to day life. Although Jesus carried the name of God, being God himself, his spiritual authority was only recognised in context by all who were around him.
Example in the Synagogue
While teaching in a synagogue (Luke 4:32), Jesus was in the context of a rabbi, or spiritual teacher / guide. The crowds who were in the synagogue that day expected Jesus to teach. So when he stood up and unrolled a scroll of scripture, their hearts were open to receiving him as a teacher, and so they recognised his spiritual authority. He gained a platform within their hearts, to speak into their lives with authority.
Example of Obedience to Revelation
When Jesus directed his disciples to go across the lake (Mark 4:35 - 41), he knew what our Father in Heaven had revealed to him. Even though there was a great storm that could capsize their boat, Jesus fell asleep on it! Jesus knew what was going to happen next, so he was not shaken by circumstances or opinions of those close to him. He remained steadfast on the course revealed to him from our Father. Immediately after arriving on the other side of the lake, Jesus gets out the boat and heals a demoniac, restoring his mind and social status, even appointing him as an ambassador for God (Mark 5:19 - 20).
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Jesus could have crossed the lake after the storm had passed, but he remained steadfast in the revelation given to him from our Father. He pushed through all opposition of circumstances and disbelief of his closest companions. Remaining on course with the revelation given to us from our Father is the source of spiritual authority.
Relational Authority
Throughout my career in a commercial environment, I have seen various kinds of responses to leaders. Those who were kind, spoke well of others and were upbeat, gained a warm reception. Those who were negative, spoke ill of people and cause strife, effectively caused the workforce to lose morale and enthusiasm.
As people were honoured and felt valued, their enthusiasm and engagement in the company improved. On a spiritual level, they were being affected by the spiritual dominion over them, whether it was positive or negative. As we honour friends, colleagues, family or governmental officials, we build a reputation in the spirit that affects those around us. Through honour, we sow a kingdom deposit in the spirit realm that will in time, reap a harvest (Romans 12:14 - 21).
These spirit deposits that are either of honour or dishonour, form a “house” or “stronghold” that is built up over time, in which a spirit that corresponds to the deposited spiritual substance will dwell. This spirit can be felt so that the attitudes of those around us are influenced accordingly.
These constructs are built in spirit through our attitude which forms our behaviour and spoken words. A good construction is built in the spirit through praising God (Psalm 22:3). Jesus even told us that those who hear and do his word, build their lives on solid ground. In the spirit, they build a solid, reliable construction.
A bad construction is built through negative speak, criticism, gossip, slander or evil intent. So if we continually speak ill, we build fortresses in the spirit that embody an ill spirit that will try to influence our thinking and perception into critical thinking, suspicion and taking offense. Effectively, building a bad construction in spirit is under the realm of cursing, which can give way to the influence of evil spirits, which primarily turn against us and cause us difficulty in life.
An interesting snippet on this from the point of view of those who work with evil spirits (sorcerers and black witches / warlocks): they acknowledge that if they work with curses and evil spirits, they believe they need to invoke “magic charms” and certain incantations to prevent the negative effect against them from working with such beings. Even workers of evil and wickedness in the spirit realm recognise the primary effect of sowing in to evil is for that evil to be aimed back against them.
If we continually speak well of people, we build deposits of wealth in our spirits that will serve to enrich our perception and the way we see the world. It will turn our hearts outward with love, kindness and generosity to others, which aligns with love and the way God sees people. He sees both the good and bad about us, yet he chooses to love us as we are. Love is the realm of blessing and overcomes all darkness, evil and sin.
We can speak well of people while being real concerning what is not right or correct, if it is done in a way that honours the person without inciting gossip or slander. We need to protect our hearts above all things, for our heart is the wellspring of life. We have been given spiritual authority to speak well over people and so, by upright speech, build a good spiritual deposit from which we can reap various rewards that bless others.
It is important to retain good relational authority so that our spiritual authority will not be hindered when we need to exercise it.
Personal Testimony
When I joined a cooperative working space, I could have chosen to remain silent in conversations, but instead I spoke up and joined in office banter. After a short while, someone randomly shared a dream of a friend, which I interpreted for them. Apparently the interpretation was spot on and moved them.
Shortly afterwards, I was approached to give people dream interpretation and give prophetic words for them. On each occasion they were astonished, but the opportunity to do so would not have arisen had I not chosen to build good relationships at the beginning.
Behavioural Authority
We can also sow into spiritual deposits through our behaviour and attitude, adding to spiritual constructs that are formed in the spirit realm. Over time, with continued behaviour or attitude, our spirit sends out a light in the spirit realm that attracts certain spiritual forces according to our behaviour. For example, if we are intent on seeking revelation and wisdom, then angels of revelation and wisdom will be assigned to minister to us. If we are intent on spreading slander and gossip, or as a biblical example in 1 Kings 22:22 outlines; intent on hearing what we want to hear and not pay attention to the truth, then we attract a lying, deceitful spirit (1 Timothy 4:2).
Consider as an example, someone who has been living according to one of the ways which God hates - slander and gossip, badmouthing other people and spreading lies. Now if that person finds themselves in a situation where they have to confront a leviathan spirit, which works through confusing communication and causing discord among people, the person will probably have a difficult time casting down the leviathan spirit.
Evil spirits can challenge someone’s unrepentant attitude and find a stronghold over them, which contests the right to exert spiritual authority. If that person is repentant and rejects all things to do with slander, gossip and dissension, then the leviathan would have nothing in them, just as Satan could not find a hold in Jesus (John 14:30).
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The leviathan is a strong evil spirit that operates under a government of confusion and dissension. There is not just one leviathan, but many who would come under its authority. Later sessions explore these spirit dynamics.
We have been granted the spiritual authority of Jesus’ name, but we can only affect it in so far as we live in accordance with his name (2 Peter 1 discusses this point but verse 10 highlights it so well). This is not to say that if someone is not raised from the dead after prayer, it is because of sin, or if someone is not healed, it is due to lack of faith. Not at all. Rather, we are exploring situations where we have an “effective spiritual authority” in confronting an evil spiritual being, namely a demon or evil spirit, but lack potency to overcome.
Authority Through Overcoming Temptation
In 1 John 2:13 - 14 we are given a glimpse into increasing maturity concerning evil, sin and relationship with our Father in Heaven. The journey begins as small children, who know the Father, which is an image of simplicity. They have begun their journey of faith and are caught up in the love of God, which comes from the Father. Soon comes temptations and perhaps even demonic onslaught, through trials and resisting temptation, they grow into young people whom have overcome the devil.
In overcoming evil, we have a vantage point, just as Jesus does, who is able to empathise with us through all our weaknesses and struggles (Hebrews 4:15). By overcoming evil we gain experience in dealing and defending against evil, which gives us a relational authority with others to speak into their lives (on invitation), to offer support, help and advice where needed.
This in turn, moves the person of faith from an overcomer, strong and mighty in the faith, into fatherhood, where they know him who is from the beginning and are at rest in their identity in the “Ancient of Days”. In this place of rest in God comes great effective spiritual authority, no longer needing to wrestle or strive, but being at rest in the presence of God and his authority.
Our focus becomes one of growing, nurturing and supporting others to release them into maturity and increasing effectiveness of service under Jesus Christ. Our focus as fathers and mothers is no longer on ourselves and our struggles, because we have grown to realise all authority comes from our Father in Heaven. So it is not us who fights our battles, but God. So then in taking our stand in him who is from the beginning, we can stand in the face of evil (Ephesians 6:13), knowing we need only rest in his name to win and prevail.
As we overcome and live according to God’s ways, progressing through the maturation process in Christ, the eyes of our heart increase in enlightenment to God’s ways. Jesus is so passionate about our hearts, he wants us to be effective in the Kingdom of God with the spiritual authority he has given us.