SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY

Spiritual Authority
by Wade Taylor www.wadetaylor.org

“Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” Job 5:7
None of us are exempt from problems in our lives. These are neither accidental nor coincidental, but rather, an integral part of the Lord’s program. He will have a people who choose to choose Him, not because it is easy, but because they are determined to push through life’s problems in order to apprehend Him.
Many, however, take the easier route and give-up when trials come their way. Thus, the promise and reward is to those who rise above the pressures of life and overcome.
Through redemption, we have become a new creation. Now, the Lord desires to bring this new creation into spiritual maturity, that we may fulfill His calling and purpose for us. Therefore, we must fully commit our lives to the Lord, place our old pattern of life (the works of the flesh), upon the cross and “reckon ourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God” (Romans 6:11).
“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” I Peter 2:2 NKJ
This growth process requires that we (as being a branch that receives its life from the vine), are to set apart time to be with Jesus for fellowship and communion, and wait on Him in His presence, that His life might flow into our lives, and become a personal reality within us.
“If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.” Isaiah 1:19
Although this opportunity is given to all who are saved, not everyone is willing to adjust to a “diet” that is conducive to spiritual growth. Therefore, Jesus said, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).
In other words, “Few will pay the price in order to be chosen.” This process of qualifying begins after we have received the free gift of salvation, which has been provided for us by Jesus upon Calvary’s cross. The outworking of this gift of salvation requires that we not only acknowledge that we will face problems and difficulties in our life experience, but of greater consequence, that we view them rightly. Only then will we be able to appropriately respond to the Lord in the midst of them.
We mature spiritually by becoming actively involved with the Lord in the outworking of this process. Therefore, there are levels of experience and responsibilities in our spiritual growth. For this process to be accomplished, we must develop a sensitivity to His presence, that we might rightly respond to Jesus as He seeks to guide us toward spiritual maturity.
Our problems and difficulties come from two main sources, human and satanic. Because we have embraced the cross, died to our own ways, and have submitted ourselves to His governmental Kingdom rule, each of these problem areas will be tested in some form or way, so a correction might be made. Only then can we be changed (experientially) into His image and likeness and become compatible with His will and purpose for us.
“To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Revelation 3:21
We will never be qualified to rule nations until we have first brought into subjection the “nations” that reside within us. As we overcome in our struggles with the problems created by our Adamic nature in every-day life situations, we will be experientially seated with Jesus in heavenly places, and thus receive spiritual authority.
This will result in our being (as overcomers) caught up to the Throne (seated with Him in His Throne, Revelation 3:21) to “wrestle” in intercessory authority. As these principalities are brought down, they will vent their rage on mankind and the end-time calamities and judgments mentioned in Revelation will begin to unfold.
While the children of Israel were in Egypt, it was easy for them to exercise positive thinking and say, “Canaan is ours, a land that flows with milk and honey.” But, upon their arrival, they encountered giants and walled cities. When the walls of Jericho were brought down through obedience to a Divine directive, it was a type of the spiritual warfare that results in a mighty defeat of principalities.
“To the intent that now to the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” Ephesians 3:10
This is the wisdom of the Lord - He will use the very humanity that Satan defeated in the Garden of Eden to bring down his kingdom. Christians often recite Ephesians 2:6:
“And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
But, the enemy is entrenched in the heavens and must be confronted through actual warfare before we will be able to experientially enter into our place with the Lord - to be seated with Him above all principalities and powers.
For us to wrestle against these principalities means that there is to be a present, active warfare. Just reciting that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places will not transport us there. We must have an overcoming quality in our lives wherein we enter into a relationship with our Lord in prophetic intercessory authority – a “wrestling authority” whereby victory may be won in our present circumstances.
Today, our Lord is looking for a people who actively seek to grow into a level of spiritual maturity which will enable them to assume this prophetic role of spiritual authority. Just as the children of Israel walked together around Jericho in obedience to the Word of the Lord, so also, we must become part of a prophetic army that will function in total harmony and unity.
Then, principalities will be brought down, and the heavens will open to His glory and presence. This will release a moving of the Spirit of God on the earth in visitation, as never before.
The Lord is calling us to arise and come up into the heavenlies with Him. Only as we fully avail ourselves to Him, reject the path of least resistance, and begin to walk in the Spirit, will this be possible.