There's An App For That Part 3a. Authority

3. Authority

 

God Gave Man Authority

 

• Genesis 1:26-28
• Genesis 2:19-20

 

·         Man’s authority was in effect so long as he remained submissive to God’s authority. 

 

Genesis 2:15-17 (NIV)   The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

 

God Cannot Tolerate a Challenge to His Authority

 

Luke 10:18 (NIV) …I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

 

• The first thing Satan did to disrupt the order in which God created the world was to subvert his authority, “you will not surely die…”
• Adam and Eve were stripped of their authority, expelled from the Garden and would now taste the sting of death. 
• In an effort to gain independence from the rule of God, Adam and Eve gave up their very lives.  BAD TRADE!

Authority: God’s Plan to Protect My Life

 

• What Adam and Eve, and most people today fail to understand, is that authority is not about a dictatorship, dominance and abuse.  It is about protection, covering guidance and blessing.

 

The Kingdom Is Not a Democracy

 

• The Kingdom is ruled by the King of Kings and there is order, rank and authority ordained by Him. 

 

The Kingdom Chain of Command

 

• Luke 7:1-10

 

• Jesus submitted himself to the authority of the Father. 

 

John 5:19 (NIV) …I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

 

I Give You Authority

 

Luke 10:17-19 (NIV)   The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

 

• God cannot and will not give us the Keys to the Kingdom[1] until we submit to the authority of Jesus Christ. 

 

 

 

 

Delegated Authority

 

• We cannot separate submission to God’s _____________ authority from our submission to His _________________ authority, because all authority originates from Him. 

 

Romans 13:1 (NIV) …there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

 

Authorities That Have Been Ordained By God:

 

1.  ______________________ Authority

 

• Natural authorities are those we voluntarily submit ourselves to:

 

a.      _____________________ (Eph 6:1)

b.      _____________________ (Eph 5:22)

c.      _____________________ (1 Pet 2:18)

d.      Those who are _______________ (1 Pet 5:5)

e.      __________________ (Hebrews 13:17)

 

 

  2.  ______________________ Authority

 

• Civic authorities are the laws of the land given for the ______________________ of the people. 

 

Romans 13:1-2 (NIV)   Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

 

  3.  ______________________ Authority

 

• The highest and final court of authority is the __________ __________________.

 

Psalm 138:2 (NIV) I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness,  for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.

 

• God gave Adam and Eve complete authority over their environment until they questioned _________________ _______________. 

 

Summary

 

• How to properly apply the principle of authority:

 

1.      Choose natural authority _________________.

2.      Submit to civil authority __________________.

3.      Obey spiritual authority __________________.

4.      Exercise delegated authority _________________.