Why Christian leaders should never doubt their authority
In one of the most empowering moments in the Gospels, Bible readers are treated to a private moment between Jesus and His team. Jesus empowers His team to take the next step in their leadership journey. He calls His disciples together and equips them with power and authority to go out to the towns and villages to heal people and cure them of demon possession.
Jesus begins this engaging moment with a statement of identity for the disciples, giving them supernatural authority. The Bible states in Matthew 10:1, “Jesus called his 12 disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”
Authority is an engaging word that every Christian leader needs to understand. The implications and impact of delegating authority should not be treated casually. Many leaders and Christians do not fully understand or embrace the authority they have been given—and can give to others. Thus, they miss out on a significant component of the calling God has given them, as ones selected to carry out the kingdom impact of their work and efforts.
In his book, I Give You Authority: Practicing the Authority Jesus Gave Us, longtime seminary professor and leadership expert Charles H. Kraft writes these words for modern-day Christians:
[pullquote] “Our authority gives us the ability to use the power God gives us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Most of us, however, seem only vaguely aware of how much power that is. We would do well to consider that when the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we are invested with the power of God Himself, and with the full authority of Jesus to use it. What a tragedy that many of God's choice people, although given both His power and the authority of His credit card, either do not realize what is theirs or else refuse to exercise those rights!”
Paul further enlightens as he explains this power in Ephesians 1:18-20, where he writes: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.”
In the Ephesians passage, Paul reiterates what Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:1. The followers of Jesus have been given the same power and authority to complete their tasks and mission that enabled God to raise Jesus from the dead. That is pure power! It cannot be denied by or subjected to the problems, issues and frustrations of the world. The Christian leader has significant power through the authority of Jesus to overcome and obtain victory in every situation he or she faces in life, which includes success in the business that God has given them to operate.
How aware are you of the power that God has given you as a Christian leader? What could you do to become more mindful of this authority?
God loves to elevate His people. He wants His followers to experience the full expression of His power and strength. God is not holding back from you what you need to achieve a victory in your life or your business. Moreover, God is propelling you to achieve more than you could even imagine, as it illuminates the authority and strength of the Sovereign God, who has delegated His power to you.
Kraft continues in his book: “As Jesus ministered, His ears were always open to the voice of the Father: He was always listening for what the Father wanted to do. Because He listened, He could take authority confidently, knowing He was acting in God’s purposes. Jesus’ intimacy with the Father enabled Him both to maintain His authority and to get God's instructions concerning what the Father wanted Him to do each day.”
The goal for those in authority is to act in alignment with the One who has commissioned the authority. When a leader stays close to God, they will experience the power of God in both memorable and remarkable ways. The Christian leader should never doubt the authority that has been given to them to be a leader in their field so that they can better shine their light and have a more significant impact for the kingdom of God.
Photo source: istock
 | Ken Gosnell is CEO and Servant Leader of CXP (CEO Experience). CXP is a premier coaching and executive roundtable business that serves Christian CEOs in Washington DC, Maryland and Florida. Ken serves leaders by helping them and their teams to have great experiences that both transform the leader and their organizations to go further faster. Learn More » |
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