Tag Archives: God’s authority

Strongholds that protect, not defeat you

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The proof of our love is found in our motives and actions, not just our words. Words persuade and entice. But actions speak louder. We can say, “I love God. I’m a Christian. I love others.” But saying does not prove anything about love. The proof of our love is found in the outward expression of the goodness God has placed in our hearts. It was never intended to remain there, but to fill us with an overflowing contentment that spills into the lives of others. The proof of our love comes not with boasting of our deeds but rather with “gentleness and meekness of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:1)

 

To find the source of the proof of our love requires we look more deeply, beyond “the surface of things” to the authority that speaks into our lives. What authority is this? It is whatever we allow to persuade our thinking and control our actions. Think of authority as being a stronghold in your life.

 

Have you ever noticed that there are two types of strongholds in life? There are those that keep you safe, like the protective walls of a great city. And there are those that take you captive and imprison you, like negative thinking and other lies. Your house is a sort of stronghold, built with secure walls and locked doors. But if we leave our front door open who will protect us? Our minds are like that. Either we have built up protecting walls, built on the solid foundation of God’s lasting truths that secure our thinking or we invite danger and evil to set up negative and pretentious arguments that distort our way of thinking and threaten our well being.

 

What king of a stronghold have you established? Is it one that protects and provides for your wellbeing or one that takes you captive to vain philosophies and self-limiting possibilities? One that builds you up or tears you down? One that makes you a conqueror or one that conquers you?

 

Paul reminds us that we have divine spiritual weapons to fight against strongholds that set to defeat us. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

 

Sometimes, we think we can defend ourselves with boasting of our own history of accomplishments and abilities. But those strongholds hold no protection for us. Everything we boast of could be gone tomorrow. Our bank account looks strong until it fails. Our health seems strong until it’s suddenly taken from us. Our family seems like a rock and refuge until it is divided.  Our vain thinking seems clever to us until the lies are exposed.

 

It’s only in submitting to the authority of the one who is able to demolish the negative strongholds in our life that we find real strength and protection. God is that final authority who speaks proven love and conquering truth. His Word builds protecting walls around our lives.  But strongholds are continually tested every day. Each new argument that speaks divisiveness, self-depreciation, and hurtful lies sets siege and seeks to become a stronghold that holds us prisoner, separated from all the good God intends for us. Each day it’s a new battle and a new battle field. Each moment is a choice, an opportunity to to trust and honor God or to go our own way.

 

Today is the day. This moment you are reading this is the time to declare again, “I will remain awake today. I will be vigilant. I will take captive every thought that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and make it obedient to Christ.  I will examine every lie against the truth of God’s Word and seek refuge in the walls that protect and prosper me, not the ones that imprison me in negative and futile thinking. Today I will live free as God intended.

 

 

 

By what authority?

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Have you ever been in the position where someone asks you a question but they aren’t really interested in your response? In fact, they’ve already formed their response and are eager to challenge you. And all of a sudden, you are in a battle of who’s right and whose authority will prevail.

 

Authority means to have power or control. It is defined as “the power to determine or settle issues or disputes; the right to control or command.” Jesus was teaching and preaching in the temple when the religious leaders interrupted him. How typical of the the enemy’s tactic to distract us and throw us off guard. He questions God’s authority and tempts us to act in our own authority and power. He knows that whenever we act in our own power, we will forget God in the pursuit of our own ambitions.

 

“Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”” Luke 20:2

 

It was a test to see if they could trap the teacher. They weren’t really interested in knowing the answer; their interest was entrapment, not understanding.  But Jesus didn’t fall for the trap. Instead, he asked them if John’s baptism was from heaven or from men. The leaders wouldn’t answer because if they said, “by heaven” Jesus would ask why they didn’t they believe him; if they said, “by men” they would earn the wrath of the people who considered John a prophet. Not finding a politically correct solution to their dilemma, they copped out and refused to answer.

 

It brings me to wonder, by what authority do we form our opinions and by whose authority do we make and act on decisions? If our answer is by the authority of God, we need to be prepared to reconcile how that claim lines up with God’s Word. If our answer is by our own authority, we’re setting up an authority that stands in opposition to God.

 

It’s tempting to think that we are our own boss, the captain of our own destiny. Without an understanding of the full gospel, we come to God asking him to bless the decisions we have already made and to defend the opinions we’ve already formed in our minds. But the bible says, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God…” 1 Corinthians 19-20

 

If we were our own, then we would have authority to do whatever we want. We could say a mindless prayer and live life any way that pleases us. However, God’s Word has a different claim on our lives: “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” 1 John 4:4

 

Our victory over “those” people, the ones who offend and persecute us, comes from the authority of God’s Spirit who lives in us. Think about it: when Jesus said, “All authority has been given to me in Heaven and in the earth,” (Matthew 28:18), he was delegating that same authority – his authority – to us. His next sentence began with, “Go therefore and make disciples…” It wasn’t “Go and make a living” or “Go and pursue your dreams.” He didn’t say go make a plan in our own minds and worry when it didn’t work. He said to dedicate our lives to following and serving him fully, in his authority and power.

 

We aren’t called to make it up as we go or to follow our emotional irrationality or the vain philosophies of man. We aren’t called to live by opinions. We’re called to live by faith that the full authority of God has power and victory over every situation we confront. Isn’t that how you want to live? You can claim the authority of God in your life. Learn to wield it with wisdom and skill by understanding the power of God’s Word alive in you. We are not God, but he gives us his authority to live victoriously. “Go therefore,” and live a victorious life according to his purpose and calling!

 

Submit

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Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  James 4:7

 

We like to have our way, not give in to others. Jesus showed us we should submit to authorities. But we think we have the right to ridicule our authorities. Jesus’ brother James warns that our selfish desires cause fights and quarrels, envy, and aggression. We think it’s the other person’s fault. We seek pleasure over God’s will and enjoy friendship with the world, instead of friendship with Him. (James 4:1-6)  These evil ways have become part of who we are. So what are we to do with these temptations? James answers:

 

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:7-10)

 

Submit, resist, draw near, purify yourself, grieve over your rebellious heart, humble yourself before God. Change! This isn’t a multiple choice option. It’s the path to drawing closer to God. He knows we will never be perfect at this. But there is danger in compromising on God’s instructions. What if instead of first submitting to God we just try to resist temptation in our own power?  When I try this I get beat up over and over. We live a lifetime of frustration, guilt, and defeat with just such an approach.

 

Worse yet is befriending and justifying that which tempts us. If we insist on this pseudo relationship with God He will give us over to our own way of thinking as He did with King Saul, with the Israelites, and with those in Jesus’ time. “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts…” (Romans 1:24). He will do the same with us if we insist.

 

When we acknowledge that God is God and we are not, it makes sense to first submit to God’s authority over our thoughts, motives, and actions. Just as Moses removed his soiled sandals before stepping on holy ground, so we too serve our best interest when we ‘wash our hands’ of wrong ways of thinking and behaving. By purifying our hearts of wrong desires, and ungodly ambitions we humble ourselves before God. We can’t be humble while laughing at things that disgust Him, remaining apathetic to those things that make Him sad, or believing lies about who we are.

 

Humbling ourselves before God draws us close to Him, where He restores and renews us. Ask God today, what areas of your life have not been humbly submitted to Him and find the satisfaction of being lifted up by His righteous right hand.