Authority is responsibility

Authority is Responsibility

I.      Introduction

Boundaries are Real

1.      Boundaries were set first by God

Genesis 2:8 - And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Exodus 23:31- And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.

II.   Tangible and Intangible Boundaries

1.      Physical boundary of a land is visible

2.      Boundaries of worldly authority of a person is unseen

i.        An officer in an office has authority

ii.      His authority has a boundary around his office – not beyond that

iii.    Our State Chief minister has an authority – within the State only

3.      Spiritual boundary is also unseen

4.      Boundary shows (visible)

i.        What is your possession

ii.      What is not your possession

iii.    Limit of your freedom

iv.    The extend you can go and the limit you should not cross

III.           Boundary is Authority

1.      Boundary defines your authority

i.        You have authority over all things that comes within your boundary

ii.      You have no authority over anything that is beyond your boundary

iii.    You have authority is important

iv.    You should exercise your authority

v.      Or somebody else start to manipulate things

vi.    Even when someone manipulates things the responsibility will be yours.

2.      Spiritual authorities are also unseen

Luke 9:1 - Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

IV.           Authority is Responsibility

i.        You are entrusted with an area of authority by God with a purpose

Genesis 2: 15 - And the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep <shamar> it.

<shamar> a primitive root; properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.:--beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).

ii.      Authority is for use

iii.    Authority is the responsibility to keep everything run in the proper way

iv.    Authority is responsibility to keep away anything that disturbs the smooth run

v.      It is to safe guard the boundaries

vi.    We are responsible to keep away the enemy

Deuteronomy 4:38 - To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.

Deuteronomy 9:5 - Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

V.   In an Area of Polluted Authority

1.      Authority is Responsibility

2.      To drive away everything that pollutes the area

Numbers 33:52 - Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:

VI.           If You Do Not Take the Responsibility to Drive Away the Enemies?

Numbers 33:55 - But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Joshua 23: 11 - 16

11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. {yourselves: Heb. your souls}

12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:

13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

16 When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

VII.        Conclusion

1.      Take back the authority

2.      Be Responsible.

Professor Jacob Abraham

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