Authority

As believers in Christ, we have to know that we have authority to do the things that Jesus has commanded us to do. Matthew 28:18-20 says that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus, and he then turned and gave all disciples the authority to go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything Jesus has commanded. We have this authority as believers and disciples of Christ. In 1 Peter 2:9, we are told that we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light. WE, ALL BELIEVERS AND DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, are the priests of Christianity. We have authority to do the things Jesus has commanded in His name!

I recently finished a two day training in a village outside of our city with about 125 believers, 90% of which are brand new believers (within the last 3 months) and part of our training is to empower every new believer and let them know that they have the authority to do these things. Since God is our Everlasting Rock, we should trust in Him forever (Isaiah 26:4). And since all scripture is God-breathed and good for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16), then we should also trust the Bible.

The area we are in, many are Hindu, and their whole lives they have been brought up to think that the Hindu priests are the only ones who are able to talk to the gods for them. Even when they become believers, they still think that the leaders or pastors or teachers that they listen to are the only ones that can pray for them and ask God for healing or help in their situations. After re-instating the above facts of their authority from God during our training, they still came to me and my interpreter, who is a pastor, for prayers for themselves, their husbands, children, animals, homes, etc. It saddened me to realize that they are still locked into thinking that they cannot possibly communicate with the Heavenly Father, even though they are believers. While it says in scripture we should ask for our elders to pray over us in the name of the Lord (James 5:14), we must also know that we are able to communicate and pray directly with God because of the sacrifice Jesus made to allow us to be in right relationship with God. It may take a long time to help these people understand what they are able to do with the new life they have been risen to. This is the reason we train new beleivers instead of just telling them to attend a church.

Please pray for these new believers that they understand that God wants to hear from them. He wants them to cry out to Him and rely on Him, not just pastors and leaders of the church. 37 of these new believers were baptized yesterday after we left. HALLELUIA! They have taken the first step of obedience in their committment to follow Jesus.