Written by Dr. Steve Wittmann | Print

Unchained & Under Cover - Lesson 02

by Dr. Steve Wittmann

 

Empowerment Under Authority



Click Play in the video player window and follow along on the class notes below.



Operating Under Authority


The Three Demands of Spiritual Protection

  • Respect for Christ’s Authority operating in and through each Local Church
    • Col 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
    • 2Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
    • 1Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the commandment of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope,
    • Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
  • Unqualified Forgiveness for all who have wronged or harmed us
    • Mar 11:25 "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions."
  • An attitude of submissiveness toward all our fellow Christians
    • Eph 5:21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.


The Roman Centurion

Luke 7:2-9 "For I also am a man placed under authority…"

The Greek word "kai" is a conjunction that links the likeness of two conditions.

καί

kai
Thayer Dictionary Definition:
1) and, also, even, indeed, but
Part of Speech: conjunction

Like Jesus, Centurion is "under" authority


Use or Abuse of Authority

God’s Armor & spiritual covering are empowered while under His authority.

Like we saw with the seven sons of Sciva from Acts 19 in Lesson 1, if we operate outside of the authority Jesus has given to the church, we are not under His spiritual protection.


The Danger of the 3-R’s

There’s no room for Renegades, Rebels, and Rambos in the Kingdom of Heaven.
  • Notice in Eph 1:3-12, Paul never addresses the individual. Instead he addresses the church collectively, writing in the plural.
  • Eph 1:3-12 – God has blessed us...He chose us...He predestined us...He made us accepted...we have redemption...He has made known to us the mystery of His will...we have obtained an inheritance...we should be to the praise of His glory.
Now notice in Ephesians 6, the description of spiritual warfare is also plural.
  • Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
  • We are the church. We are many – there’s no room for lone rangers, Renegades, Rebels, or Rambos.


The Authority Chain - Link 1

Mat 28:18 – Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.”

The Authority Chain - Link 2

Eph 1:22 – God put all things under Christ’s feet and gave Him to the church as supreme Lord over all things.

The Authority Chain - Link 3

1 Co 11:3 – But I want you to understand that Christ is supreme (head) over every man, the husband is supreme over his wife, and God is supreme over Christ.

κεφαλή
kephalē
Thayer Definition: 1) the head, both of men and often of animals. Since the loss of the head destroys life, this word is used in the phrases relating to capital and extreme punishment.
2) metaphorically anything supreme, chief, prominent
2a) of persons, master lord: of a husband in relation to his wife
2b) of Christ: the Lord of the husband and of the Church
2c) of things: the corner stone


The Chain of Authority in the Church

God’s Spirit flows to the church through Jesus and the chain of authority. The pastor, church elders, and church leaders are links in the chain.


Church Leaders are Targets

If the church leadership is disabled through spiritual attack, the flow of God’s Spirit is choked and the body starves.

Church leaders are targets just like officers are targets on the battlefield.

Leaders must be strong in faith and be under a spiritual covering. Leaders must be protected from spiritual attack through spiritual armor, authority, and the protective covering of God’s Spirit.

When a leader comes under attack – the whole body can starve, can dry up, because the flow of God’s Spirit is cut off – the chain is broken.


Authority over Serpents & Scorpions

Through the church, Christ gives His authority to the body of Christ. Mission leaders must be careful to operate under the authority of each local church.

Luke 10:19 – Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.


Empowerment of Authority


In Groups of Three

Triune:
  • Latin "tri" = "three"
  • Latin "unus" = "one"
  • English = "three in one"
The Holy Trinity is Triune
  • God the Father
  • God the Son
  • God the Holy Spirit


God Created Man Triune Like Himself

  • Man is Triune – made in God’s likeness and image.
    • 1 Thess 5:23 "…may your spirit, soul, and body be preserved complete…"
  • Spirit
  • Soul
  • Body


Man’s Soul is Triune in Nature
  • Will – "I Want"
  • Emotions – "I Feel"
  • Intellect – "I Think"


Man’s Spirit
  • Man’s spirit exists in the spiritual realm.
  • Through Christ, man’s spirit is reunited with Spirit of God.


Man’s Physical Body
  • Man’s physical body exists in the physical world. It is separated from the spiritual realm.
  • To release the power of God’s Spirit into the natural realm, God’s Spirit must flow from man’s spirit to man’s body in the physical world.


Man’s Soul is the Connector
  • Man’s soul spans both spiritual and physical realms connecting man’s spirit to his body.
  • Man’s soul must receive God’s truth from man’s spirit and through free-will pass it to man’s body in the physical world.


Release the Power of God’s Spirit

James 2:17 – "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."

James 2:20 – "Faith without works is useless."

Faith and works must work together – the soul has God’s truth but the body must act upon it before it becomes real in the physical world!


Rhema – The spoken word of God is the empowered Sword of the Spirit!

It is acting upon God’s word in faith that allows His power to flow through us. Some common ways we allow God’s Spirit to flow include:
  • Proclaiming God’s Word
  • Speaking a prophetic utterance
  • Laying on hands to impart God’s Spirit
  • Speaking knowledge of spiritual truths


When you speak God’s truth aloud, what happens? Your lungs exhale air molecules that vibrate your vocal chords creating sound waves of God’s truth. Your speaking has converted God’s truth, received from His Spirit in the spiritual realm into something physical in the natural world – sound waves moving air molecules – real, tangible, and physical in the natural world.

Satan has no defense against the spoken word of God. This is key to your spiritual authority.


Key Point Review
  1. The 3 Demands of Spiritual Protection are:
    1. Respect - Respect for Christ’s Authority operating in and through each Local Church
    2. Forgiveness - Unqualified Forgiveness for all who have wronged or harmed us
    3. Submission – An attitude of submissiveness toward all our fellow Christians
  2. There is no place for renegades, rebels, and Rambo’s in the Kingdom of God.
  3. The chain of authority in the Kingdom of God flows from God the Father to Jesus, to the church and the body of Christ, to church leaders, to heads of families, to each family member.
  4. A church leader may come under spiritual attack to choke God’s Spirit from flowing to the members of the body of Christ.
  5. God created man in His likeness – as triune beings of spirit, soul, and body.
  6. As a triune being, man exists in both the spiritual realm and the natural realm.
  7. Through belief, choice, and faith, man’s soul allows God’s Spirit to flow from man’s spirit to his body in the natural realm.
  8. Faith without works is useless. It is by acting in faith through works that the power of God’s Spirit is released into the natural world.
  9. The spoken word of God is the Sword of the Spirit and makes God’s word physical in the natural world.
  10. Satan has no defense against the spoken word of God.


Study Questions:

  1. Explain how you will apply each of the three demands of spiritual protection to your life or ministry.
  2. Explain how a spiritual attack against a leader in the church can affect the body of Christ.
  3. In James 2:17,20 we know that faith without works us useless, being dead by itself. Explain, in context with this lesson, the relationship between faith and works shown in these verses.
  4. The spoken word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit. Explain what happens when we speak God’s truth aloud.