Operating In Your Biblical Authority: 3 Keys

As Christians it is eye-opening to realize the true and real biblical authority that we have both on earth and against spiritual forces. Jesus purchased the keys to hell, death, and the grave. He then passed that baton of authority on to you. Once you know your authority, you must operate in your authority. We have challenges that we face every day. They begin in our thought patterns and beliefs, moving to our emotions, what we speak, the behaviors that we choose daily, and the relationships that we keep and how we respond to them.

”For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:12-13 (NKJV)

The Bible is filled with knowledge and understanding for victory that you must apply to every area of your life. This would be a massive volume of books if I were to discuss everything that the Bible tells of how to live your life and walk in the authority God has given you. Let’s just take a look at a few.

There are three very important keys to operating in your authority.

1)  Know God’s character.

2)  Know your true identity.

3)  Know who you are in Christ and know your authority and operate from the offensive and not the defensive.

These keys open the door to be spiritually minded rather than carnally minded.

Satan will always challenge you in these three areas and test to see if you fully embrace your true identity and authority. The first time Satan comes on the scene in the Bible is in Genesis to question God’s character. We all know the results that occurred in mankind when Adam and Eve allowed their eyes to be turned, a corruption of the above 3 keys.

Satan shows up in the book of Job to then question Job’s character and the third time is when he shows up during Jesus’ time in the wilderness to question who He was in His God identity and authority. Note that Jesus defended Himself by knowing and operating in these 3 keys and being proactive He responded to Satan’s attacks from the offensive position. He wielded the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and you can use the same tactics in your life.

We face challenges in our body, soul and spirit. How do you truly walk in your authority in all three areas? When you know and walk in the truth of the above three keys you can operate in your true authority.

For example, when you face a challenge in your body, do you operate in authority? If you are diagnosed with a physical disorder, how do you react? Do you wear the diagnosis, own it, and believe the power of it is stronger than the name of Jesus? Please don’t get me wrong listen to your doctor, take treatment unless God says otherwise because God uses medicine but do not own the diagnosis for life. You walk in power when you are in agreement with God’s Word.

All people will react in fear if your eyes are on yourself or your situation, but when you move your eyes to who God is, you can have peace in a storm. When you truly realize that you are a child of the King and every day of your life and all the hairs on your head have been counted, then you can experience peace through trials.

When I know who I am in Christ, I can pray with authority because the name of Jesus is bigger than the name of any illness. When I know the promises God has made to me, I can hold fast to them. Walk with God step-by-step every day, having him direct your steps, and when a challenge arises that makes you question if what God said will be fulfilled, don’t allow it to kick you off of your peace.

If you are finding your truth and reality in the physical and the situational, it is difficult to reject giving the challenge power, but when your eyes are on God’s promises and who He is and who you are in Him, then you are focused on the abiding reality and what you see with your eyes does not have to move you. It is at this point that you are walking in agreement with the Word, in power and in authority.

If what you believe and prayed for does not happen, your faith must continue because you know that God’s ways are higher than yours, and He has good intentions and plans for you that are real. We don’t end in death and everyone will receive their 100% healing when we see God in the eternal kingdom. We pray and believe for today and pursue our healing, but we trust God because we will always receive good things from God for all eternity.

Your soul area is your mind, will and emotions. Satan uses your wounds that you have received through life experiences to hinder you and create challenges in your life. Christians struggle with the same things as every other person, but we can have victory over these challenges: relationships, fear, anger, negativity, rejection, addictions, and other forms of bondage patterns. There is no challenge that you cannot face when you know the power and authority that’s been given to you in Christ Jesus.

When you struggle in any of the above categories, remember God’s true character and faithfulness to you, your true identity, and who you are in Christ, then you can face the challenge and overcome them. Too often, as Christians, we take our eyes off of God’s character and who He says we are and the promises He has given us and put our eyes on the situation, whether it’s something in our body our soul, or in the spiritual realm.

To operate in the authority of a believer, you must apply biblical principles and be proactive rather than reactive. This begins with what you believe in your mind. If your mind stays focused and is in agreement with the Word of God, then what comes out of your mouth will speak life and truth over your situations. When you speak the Word of God in faith, in your situation, you are using the double edge sword.

“…you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God;” Ephesians 6:16-17 (NKJV)

In this Scripture, the Greek word for “Word” is Rhema and it means the spoken Word. When you think in agreement to the Word and speak it out loud, it is a weapon is coming out of your mouth. The biblical principle that you agree with becomes a sword that you wield to attack the situation that is coming against you. If you fall into negativity, fear, and doubt, you are operating in the carnal man, and allowing your flesh to override you spirit man.

“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God…” Romans 8:6-7 NKJV

The authority that you operate in will be determined by what you think, believe, and agree with. If it measures up to the Word of God, it produces good things. If it supports the flesh, it brings destruction. When you fall into negative thoughts, emotions, speech, life and relationship patterns, your mind is no longer focused on who God is, who you are, or who you are in Christ, but rather you are living, and agreeing with your carnal senses.

In counseling, I see the reactions of people every day. They use many faulty means to self protect and meet their needs when they operate in the carnal. For example you may choose poor life and coping skills such as people pleasing, self protection by erecting walls, fear, anger, substances, or harmful relationships, just to name a few.

This is operating in defensive tactics that are not in agreement with the Word and put you in a position where you are not operating in your authority but substituting it with choices from your flesh. When you know your authority, you confront every situation from a position of spiritual authority by posturing yourself in an offensive position rather than a defense position.

The challenges that we face in the natural are influenced and used by the spiritual to attack the people of God. Even the weakest Christian has the power of the Holy Spirit within him and can overcome any demonic thing because of what Jesus purchased.

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 (NKJV)

You have authority through Christ Jesus over all things that war against you in your body, soul, and in your spirit. Know your authority through Jesus and operate in it, and nothing shall prevail against you. Remember, God doesn’t see in time like we do. So you cannot look at your day by day situations to see the victory that is eventually yours. Seek, pursue, and choose to believe and operate in that authority that God gives in the spiritual realm.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)

God deeply desires to help you in your challenges and meet your needs. Knowing this brings you to a place where you approach challenges from the offensive instead of the defensive. When you meet your needs in unhealthily ways and try to fill the void in by feeding the carnal mind, you operate from a defense of position.

Your authority began by you choosing to agree with the gospel and receive the blessing of becoming the righteousness of Christ not by your merits but His. Now your authority operates through your agreement with the principles that God teaches in the Bible. It flows from keeping your eyes focused on feeding the spirit man and dying to the flesh. You do this by capturing every thought as it attempts to stray from the 3 keys. When you learn and remember who God is, His intentions, His character and His promises then you can receive who He says that you are in your true identity. When you know who you are in Christ, there is not challenge in the natural or the spiritual that you cannot overcome.

 Dr. Michele

 Copyright © 2013 by Michele Fleming, Ph.D.