Authority = Power to Act

5 min readMar 18

The Greek word for authority is exousia and means power to act or authority.

So when someone says they have the authority of Christ, they say they have the power and the authority to act. They don’t need anyone’s permission, for they have been given power and the authority to act. It is theirs. They own it.

ALL AUTHORITY means ALL AUTHORITY. There are no limits to ALL. ALL is ALL. The pronoun ‘all’ means the whole number, quantity, or amount: totality,

everybody, everything. There is nothing that someone with all authority cannot do.

If Christians have the authority and power to act, why are Children’s Hospitals still filled with sick children? Jesus is very loving and protective of all children. Why don’t those who have His authority use it and set these children free from their crippled destiny?

The only times Jesus did not heal the sick was when there was unbelief. And not once did He find unbelief in a little child. If you don’t believe that, believe this, children have not reached the age of accountability, so only your faith would be required.

Do you who believe you can have the authority of Christ, which is ALL authority in heaven and on earth, without faith? And, how could you believe you had all authority if you don’t have faith? And if you do have both authority and faith, why aren’t you using them? You claim to have the power and authority to act, why aren’t you acting?

In reality, the truth is this, all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Jesus, not to you, me, or anyone else. Yes, He gave authority to 82 people while He was on earth, but that ended at Pentecost. Since Pentecost, we walk by faith, not by authority (see Acts 3:16). God disarmed the rulers and authorities and publicly displayed them, having triumphed over them through Jesus. Why on earth would you need authority over someone who has already been defeated? Why not trust the work of the Son of God instead?

If anyone thinks they have the authority of Christ, they should re-think their position, humble themselves before God, and seek mercy for thinking so highly of themselves.

Come out from among the impostors and follow Jesus instead. It will be healing and salvation for your soul. For Jesus is the source of eternal salvation to all those who submit themselves and obey Him, not for those who lift themselves to His level, Hebrews 5:9.

Dear ones, the Lord has revealed that an overwhelming majority of people who claim to have the authority of Christ do so because of the littleness of their faith. They ask and receive not, so they deceive themselves into believing they have the authority to get what they want through that authority rather than through prayer. Again, this is because of their unbelief or double-mindedness.

This is understandable because it is much easier to lay claim to something via authority than it is to deny oneself and abide in Jesus. Abiding in Jesus is the only way to assure your payers will be answered. The truth is that claims of authority are illegitimate, for we walk by faith in the name of Jesus, not by authority. See Acts 3:16.

I ask you, what does the word of God tell you to do when you are tempted?

Are you to

rebuke and bind Satan, commanding him to leave you alone?

or are you to

submit to God and resist Satan?

If you choose number one you are just whistling in the wind; if you choose number two you are doing the will of God and Satan will flee from you. He cannot bear being around one who is trusting in our Almighty God, but he will make himself at home in one who trusts in himself and his so-called authority.

We must open ourselves to Him to whom all things are open and laid bare. We must humbly submit ourselves to Him and allow Him to do a thorough cleansing of the things that are hindering us. We must be honest, for He desires truth in the innermost being, and makes us know wisdom in the hidden part, Psalm 51:6. We must allow Him to dig deep and reveal the thoughts and intentions of our hearts and cleanse us of all things that hinder us.

Luke 12:32,

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”

We may dare present ourselves to Him willingly and without fear or hesitation. He loves us and causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:24–37,

24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;

34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Notice that not a word about Christians having the authority of Christ was mentioned in any of the Scriptures in this letter, nor in any other Scriptures that were written after the Day of Pentecost. This is because the One who conquered all authorities and powers bares the name we are to bow to, that is, Jesus, the Messiah. We are to have faith in Him and not in ourselves because He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant

Authority = Power to Act

Written by Jon David Banks