The authority of the believer is one of the most important topics for a Christian to understand. When confused or misunderstood, avenues open to questionable theology. However, when properly understood, it can unlock amazing opportunities as you seek to live on mission for the Lord.
Understanding the authority of the believer
The key to grasping this topic is understanding that authority is not power. Authority is delegated power, and its power depends on the one who delegates it.
Consider this example. A man in flip flops and a Hawaiian shirt stands in the center of an intersection holding up his hand to stop one direction of traffic while motioning for other traffic to move along. The result? Everyone ignores him. Now, put that man in a police officer’s uniform. Now, everyone dutifully obeys. What’s the difference? Only this: he is now backed by a greater authority than himself – an authority that has delegated its power to him. That’s what happens to believers when they trust in Christ. Turning to Scripture is a helpful next step.
The source of power for believers
Ephesians 1:19-21 paints a beautiful portrait worth admiring.
…and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
What kind of power is “toward us who believe?” It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead, seated Him at the right hand of the Father, and placed Him above all rule and authority and power and dominion. This is why we can boldly repeat with John that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)” It’s the same reason why the apostle Paul says this to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 2:3-5):
“and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
It’s not us – it’s Him. He is the source. When we place our trust in Christ, we have power delegated to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The kind of power that gives us boldness in the midst of fear and spiritual strength in the face of physical weakness. How this should encourage us to live for Him!
The believer’s authority in action
So what do we do with this authority – this power that has been delegated to us. The following six steps are incredibly helpful.
The first step is knowledge. Until we recognize and acknowledge this truth clearly stated in Scripture, we will rarely exercise our authority as believers. Study the Scriptures, including the ones already cited in this article.
The second step is belief. We must also believe we have access to this authority or we will make little to no use of it. Belief carries the idea of active trust. When confronted with a situation that calls for us to step out in faith and speak or act, if we believe we are our own authority, we’ll shrink away from the moment. But if we truly believe the Greatest Authority stands with us through the power of the Holy Spirit, suddenly we’re representing Him and no longer ourselves.
The third step is humility. Humility is often misdefined as believing “I’m nothing.” However, that’s actually pride (because you’ve made it all about you). Rather, humility is knowing who you are in Christ and giving God the glory for it! In humility, I can say, “I’m not all I should be, but I’m more than I used to be because of Christ!” So I can move forward in His strength and give Him all the glory.
The fourth step is boldness. Boldness can be understood as faith in its full manifestation. This boldness comes from the same place as humility: knowing who you are in Christ. When I know I am not my own but belong to the King, I can boldly act and speak truth to others because all things are under His authority.
The fifth step is awareness. We should be on the lookout for opportunities to represent Christ in humility and boldness. Be in prayer for these opportunities to cross your path! We should also be aware of something else: that we have an enemy that will not leave us alone. He will start working on you as you begin to make strides for Christ. This is what makes the armor of God so important in Ephesians 6. We cannot be unaware of his schemes as he prowls around, but at the same time, we must be fully prepared to again proclaim that He who is in us is greater than he who in the world.
The sixth and final step is patience. When we pray; when we speak, and when we act out of the authority of the believer, we must patiently wait on the Lord and His perfect timing. Our evangelism may not result in someone’s conversion. Our reasoning may not convince the skeptic. Our act of selflessness may seem to have had no effect. We must remember that God is responsible for the outcomes, we are simply called to be His faithful representatives boldly living on mission for Him.
Why not take some time today to think about how you can begin to better rest in the authority of Christ starting today? How can you begin putting these six steps into practice?
This article is partially derived from Josh McDowell’s Talk, “The authority of the believer.”
