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In the previous part of “spiritual authority”, I explained what it means to acknowledge that you have God-given authority. If you missed it, go back and read it because it builds a foundation for what I’m going to be writing here. In this part, I’m going to dive into what spiritual authority is exactly, the purpose of this authority, and how to use this authority in situations it was designed to be utilized in.

I’m going to start with an example inspired by Charles Kraft that I absolutely love. He talked about a credit card. 

Let’s just say, for the purpose of this example, I have adult children. If I went to my children and said to them, “Since you’re my son (or daughter), I’ve added you to my credit card. This is for you to use whenever you need it. I want you to look for opportunities to use it. Keep it with you always and don’t worry, I’m going to pay all the expenses. I’ve got you covered. Spend as much as you want. You can keep using it for as long as you live. For the rest of your life, it’s all yours.” Do you think my kids would take me up on that? Would they use it? Most definitely.

In a sense, this is what God has done for us. He’s added us, his children, to his “Bank of God” credit card. He’s told us to go out and use it when we need it, and use it often and he’s got it all covered. This credit card that we use from the “Bank of God” is our spiritual authority. The purpose of this is so that we can use the power of the Holy Spirit. I love this quote from Charles Kraft explaining what spiritual authority is. He says it’s “the God-given right to receive and use God’s power that flows from the indwelling Holy Spirit”. We’ve been given the right to use the power of the Holy Spirit to fight against the enemies of the spiritual realm. 

It’s like our super-weapon, one that always wins when we’re faced against attacks, troubles, trials, and messes. You’ll notice that this super-weapon we call the “Holy Spirit” is used to instantaneously break down the barrier of what’s impossible for us. 

Without the power of the Holy Spirit, we wouldn’t stand a chance against the evil rulers, authorities, dominions, and powers of the spiritual realm. Without the Holy Spirit, we wouldn’t be able to rebuke the enemy. Without the Holy Spirit, we wouldn’t be able to even put up a fight as warriors God is calling us to be. I think that’s why He gave us authority to use the power of the Holy Spirit in times where we need it most. That’s the purpose of it. Using our God-given authority to fight the battles we face.

The past few years have been a whirlwind of disasters. From sickness, to destruction, to hatred, to political disagreements, and so much more that have opened up doors for the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy. The world has become open to many things that open doors for evil to enter into individual lives. In fact, evil is becoming so normal to people. As Christians, we’re called to reach those who are lost, or know the truth but choose not to abide by it. 

However, we’re the primary targets of the enemy, which is why we need to learn how to use this authority God has given us. Learning how to use this authority can be difficult, but once you’ve begun to win a series of battles using that authority, you’ll understand that this authority wins everytime. Our ultimate weapon is the Word. This weapon is something that can’t be shaken. It can’t be broken. It’s been given to us to use when troubles come our way that are far greater than we can handle. Meditate on the Word. Understand that every word in there is from God, the one who gave you the authority to use the power of the Holy Spirit. These words are what the enemy is scared of. Use them against them because they’ll flee no matter what.

In addition to that, when you’re in your mind playing with thoughts, PRAY. When you’re sick, PRAY. When you’re faced with uncertainty, PRAY. When you come across a mountain, PRAY. Prayer is something that the enemy doesn’t want you to do because as soon as you bring God into the equation, the devil and his demons flee. They know that Jesus is undefeated and when you bring an undefeated authority into battle, the enemy will run. Prayer is like a direct line to God. Prayer is like when you call up a friend for help. God will always answer and He will always help you no matter the circumstances.

I hope and pray that this encourages you to use the authority you’ve been given to fight the battles you face today, tomorrow, a year from now, for the duration of your life here. Remember, the enemy can’t touch you when you have Jesus behind you in battle.