INTRODUCTION
1. There is a worldwide great awakening in
which God is gloriously restoring all things to His church, including an
understanding of biblical authority.
2. For too long the church has held to the
Gentile system of authority that she inherited from Romanism. But all this is
changing, as the Lord raises up a beautiful wineskin to contain the new wine.
3. The LORD JESUS CHRIST will ultimately be the
one and ONLY head of HIS church. Human control will not be tolerated.
4. Many have said that this is the single
greatest issue in this renewal, such as David
Dyer, Mike Bickle, Bob Birch & Moishen Demian, John Arnott, Randy
Clark, etc
5.
This seminar paper has taken a lot from David Dyer and some others of similar
thinking
DAVID DYER
Dave & Mina Dyer "A GRAIN OF WHEAT' MINISTRIES" , USA
David
Dyer is a missionary to Brazil
where the Spirit of God has been gathering in a great harvest on the very
ground where Romanism has for centuries been exercising illegitimate spiritual
authority.
Many have
found these articles by David Dyer to be among the most helpful and refreshing
teachings on biblical authority available today.
Dave
has been involved in home church meetings for over twenty years. As is obvious
from the introduction, it is interesting to note that these were 'renewal'
folks in Canadian home churches
WHAT IS AUTHORITY
God
is the source of all authority.
i. He
holds the ultimate power.
ii. He
is the one who is sitting on the throne of the universe
iii. It
is He who has complete control over all things.
Consequently,
we can deduce that any other authority which exists in the universe has been
set up by Him or at least is permitted to exist by Him.
Without
His consent, it would not be possible for any other authority to survive.
Exodus 9:15, 16
15 For
now I will stretch out my hand that I may smite thee and thy people with
pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
16 And
in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my
power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
Therefore,
no matter where we find authority in this world today (either good or bad), we
know that it is something which derives its legitimacy from God.”
Human
governments, police forces, judges etc. are institutions which are set up by
God to restrain the forces of evil in this world
Romans 13:1-7
1 “Let every soul be subject unto
the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are
ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power
resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to
themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to
good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that
which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to
thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not
the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath
upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be
subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute
also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their
dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear;
honour to whom honour.”
"When the righteous are in
authority, the people rejoice but when the wicked rule they are without remedy."
(Pro. 29:2)
TWO VARIETIES OF AUTHORITY
The
first type of authority, temporal authority was ordained by God to govern the
world
The
second, spiritual, type to rule His people, the church.
This
is a very important distinction.
Each
authority is valid but each has its proper sphere.
Unfortunately,
believers today often get these two types of authority confused.
Some
are not even aware that such a distinction exists.
Consequently,
they often try to use the earthly kind of authority to build the church.
They
try, by using earthly methods and means, to bring Divine order to the body of
Christ.
However,
it simply will not work.
TEMPORAL AUTHORITY AND SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY
If a husband demands submission from his wife, then that
is temporal authority.
But if he sets her free and she willingly submits to him,
that is spiritual authority.
Just because he demands does not give it to him.
The story of the free slave
Deuteronomy 15
– 12 – 17
12 And if thy
brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee
six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.
13 And when
thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
14 Thou shalt
furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy
winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give
unto him.
15 And thou
shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt,
and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.
16 And it
shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth
thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;
17 Then thou
shalt take an aul (sharp-pointed instrument), and thrust it through his ear
unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy
maidservant thou shalt do likewise.
I. TEMPORAL
AUTHORITY
The temporal things in life are those things which can be
experienced through our five natural senses
Yet all problems and situations are
only temporary.
All things which can be seen are temporal.
Everything temporal is corruptible and potentially has
some degree of wickedness,
All can have purpose in the plan of God.
All of our problems, circumstances, and situations shall
pass from before us.
If one were to look at a temporal situation long enough,
it would be easy for them to begin to develop faith in what they are looking
at.
If viewed long enough, it will ultimately destroy them.
Viewing through a temporal mindset (traditions, thoughts)
will hinder the free flow the Spirit of God in our lives.
temporal
mindset – traditions & thoughts
Many times we look to the temporal to deliver us, but
temporal authority can never deliver us, because true deliverance is permanent.
"When the righteous are in
authority, the people rejoice but when the wicked rule they are without
remedy." (Pro. 29:2)
When we let the Lord's authority have its rightful place
in our lives, we will rejoice.
Regardless of the circumstances, He is Lord over all and
any situation that we may find ourselves in
He is the final authority
Temporal authority commands attention and it forces its
constituents to obedience.
Temporal says I am of Paul, or I am of Apollos.
When people are kept under temporal authority, the
spiritual authority is not present to end the situation that they are in.
II. SPIRITUAL
AUTHORITY
This authority
is from by God
to direct the souls of others.
In Spiritual
Authority is the authority is "of the spirit."
Spiritual
authority is a heavenly operation but it will operate in the natural.
We have tried
to take temporal authority and tried to rule in the heavens
God wants us to understand spiritual authority, not so we
can use it when we go to heaven, but for it to be released through us here!
We are likened to a fountain enclosed.
There is a river of life within and not only is it to
flow out of us, but we are to become that life.
As we yield to
that life, temporal authority will begin to wane and lose its power so that the
spiritual authority can rule and reign on this earth.
Authority is
directly in link with our ability to believe God
It will help
our faith when we understand that it is a release of His faith in the midst of
us that will bring us through because His word is the final authority
There is a ministry in the earth today that is going to
teach people how to hear from God for themselves.
But they are going to do it because they understand
authority.
They do not have a desire to control, but they have a
desire to give you the word of the Lord that will lead you to Jesus Christ that
will ultimately set you free.
God is raising up a people of understanding, a people who
understand spiritual authority so they can be delivered from all things.
Because he has chosen us, he is apprehending us, subduing
us and bringing us unto himself. When we are being subdued unto him, we are
being subdued in an understanding of spiritual authority.
HE IS BRINGING EVERYTHING INTO DIVINE ORDER!
CHARACTERISTICS
True spiritual authority never has to display itself,
command attention, nor demand obedience through intimidation.
True spiritual authority is confident within itself
True spiritual authority ministers an atmosphere of
freedom within its domain through service.
When one is set free by someone, they will automatically
gravitate back to the one that set them free!
Individuals
recognize and submit to spiritual authority in others
Spiritual
Authority receives power from individuals who accord credibility, respect and
recognition as spirit meets spirit in dynamic encounter.
True spiritual authority will subdue temporal authority
and take dominion.
Jesus never demanded attention nor allegiance from
anyone.
He never threw His weight around and never tried to
control anyone.
He never made Himself of any reputation and yet His
reputation preceded Him everywhere that He went.
His authority, though spiritual, reigned in the temporal
domain.
Everywhere that He went, the multitudes came. Even the
centurion came to Him and said,
"Lord, I am not worthy
that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will
be healed" (Matt. 8:5)
Because the centurion understood temporal authority, he
was able to understand the validity of commands and recognized that the
spiritual authority that Jesus had would command deliverance.
The church is the spiritual authority in the earth.
One of the reasons she has not experience much in the
realm of dominion is because she has allowed the system of temporal authority
to come in.
Spiritual authority and temporal authority cannot rule
the same house. Jesus stated:
"Every kingdom divided
against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against
itself will not stand" (Matt. 12:25)
Spiritual says there is none but Him and in him all
things exist.
Spiritual authority is
i. authority to serve
ii. Authority to put yourself last
iii.Authority
to say no to the world's ideas of self-promotion.
Christ has told us His secret
Matthew 20:26-28
26. “But
it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be
your minister;
27. And
whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
28. Even
as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give
his life a ransom for many.”
We are authorized to imitate Him.
To obey Christ means putting yourself at the whim of the
needs of others, to give up your rights and humble yourself, leaving the
promotion and control up to God.
Professor Jacob Abraham
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