Brief Summary
The speaker emphasizes that believers often misunderstand the authority and power God has given them. Instead of approaching God as beggars, they should recognize their inherent power through Christ. The speaker uses biblical examples to illustrate that God has already provided everything needed for life and godliness, and believers must exercise their authority to see His power manifest. The key points include:
- Believers have authority and power through Christ to heal and overcome challenges.
- God has already provided everything needed, and believers must acknowledge and use their inherent power.
- Limiting beliefs and small thinking hinder the manifestation of God's power in their lives.
Introduction: Understanding God's Power and Authority
The speaker addresses the audience, acknowledging their faith and commitment to God. He points out that many Christians, despite their belief in God's power, often approach Him passively, constantly asking for help as if they have no inherent ability. The speaker aims to discuss the authority God has given believers, using the example in Acts 3 to highlight the difference between the average Christian's approach and the actions of Peter and John.
The Authority of Believers: The Story of Peter and John
The speaker references Acts 3:1-10, where Peter and John heal a lame man at the temple gate. Peter doesn't offer money but instead uses his authority in the name of Jesus Christ to heal the man. The speaker emphasizes that Peter didn't pray a "chicken prayer" asking God to heal the man, but rather took action, demonstrating the authority he possessed. This approach, the speaker notes, is contrary to how many churches operate today, where claiming such power might be seen as arrogant.
God's Delegated Authority to Mankind
The speaker asserts that it is not Jesus who is failing to heal people today, but believers who are not exercising their given authority. Referencing Genesis, he explains that God gave authority over the world to mankind without qualifications. Humans then turned this authority over to the devil. God would be unjust to intervene directly because He has bound Himself by His word and covenant. The speaker quotes Psalms 82:6 and 115:16 to support the idea that God has given control over the Earth to humans.
The Sovereignty of God and Human Authority
The speaker addresses the misconception of God's sovereignty, clarifying that while God is first in rank and authority, He does not control everything. He argues that the extreme interpretation of God's sovereignty denies the delegated authority given to humans. Quoting James 4:2, he explains that wars and conflicts arise from human desires, not from God's direct control. He shares a tragic story to illustrate that blaming God for all events is ungodly, emphasizing that God allows what humans allow because of the authority He has granted them.
Exercising Authority: Healing and Deliverance
The speaker references Matthew 10:1, where Jesus gives His disciples power (dunamis) and authority over unclean spirits, sickness, and disease. He stresses that this power is not limited to the original 12 disciples but has been passed on to all believers. He urges listeners to heal the sick and cast out devils, as instructed by Jesus, rather than merely praying for them. He shares a testimony of a woman delivered from arthritis by taking her authority and acting on it.
The Power Within: Overcoming Limitations
The speaker quotes Ephesians 3:20, correcting the common misinterpretation by emphasizing that God's ability to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think is according to the power that works in us. He argues that a lack of manifested power limits God. He challenges the audience to stop blaming God for their struggles and to recognize that God has already provided everything they need.
Renewing the Mind: Spiritual Warfare and Truth
The speaker critiques the common teachings on spiritual warfare, which he believes empower the devil and diminish believers' authority. He argues against the idea that demons block prayers, stating that God lives within believers and is immediately accessible. He emphasizes the importance of renewing the mind to align with the truth of God's word, which reveals the power and authority believers possess.
Identity in Christ: Supernatural Power Within
The speaker explains that the power believers possess is not in their physical bodies or emotions but in their born-again spirit. He quotes John 6:63, emphasizing that Jesus' words are spirit and life. He encourages listeners to embrace their identity in Christ, recognizing that they are new creatures with supernatural ability. He contrasts this with the common tendency to focus on weaknesses and limitations.
Living Below Privileges: Recognizing Potential
The speaker laments that most Christians live below their privileges, failing to recognize and use their supernatural abilities. He encourages listeners to acknowledge the power and authority God has given them and to understand that the devil cannot do anything without their consent and cooperation. He challenges the audience to reject natural thinking and embrace the truth of God's word, which promises triumph and victory.
Denying Self: Embracing a New Life
The speaker contrasts self-improvement with the exchange of life offered by Jesus. He asserts that believers are already complete in the spirit and need to renew their minds to align with God's word. He challenges the glorification of weaknesses, encouraging listeners to recognize their strength in Christ. He emphasizes that believers are never without Jesus and possess His supernatural power.
The Power of Words: Speaking Life and Authority
The speaker shares an anecdote about advising someone with memory problems to speak life and authority over their mind, rather than dwelling on their struggles. He emphasizes the power of the tongue, referencing Proverbs 18:21, and encourages listeners to speak to the problems in their lives, exercising their authority in Christ.
Being the Donkey: Recognizing God's Power
The speaker shares a story about his friend Dave Dell, who ministered in Nigeria. Dell initially hesitated to receive praise for healings, but God told him that he was like the donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem. The speaker explains that believers are vessels through which God's power flows, and they should not deny the role God has given them. He urges listeners to stop acting like losers and start taking their authority and power.
Demanding from God: Approaching as Sons and Daughters
The speaker illustrates the difference between approaching God as a beggar versus as a child. He explains that children confidently ask their parents for what they need, knowing they are loved and provided for. He references the Lord's Prayer, emphasizing the command to "give us this day our daily bread." He clarifies that this is not about commanding God but recognizing that God has made everything available to believers through love.
Faith and Grace: Appropriating God's Provision
The speaker asserts that God has already moved and provided everything needed. Faith does not move God but appropriates what God has already provided through grace. He uses the creation story in Genesis 1 to illustrate that God anticipated every need and created everything perfectly before creating mankind.
Power to Get Wealth: Overcoming Limitations
The speaker references Deuteronomy 8:18, stating that God gives believers power to get wealth. He shares the story of a woman who started a successful business after realizing this truth. He emphasizes that everyone has the ability to be wealthy, but not everyone is capable of handling it. He clarifies that the motive for prosperity should be to be a blessing to others.
Limiting God: Personal Testimony and Transformation
The speaker shares his personal testimony of how he was limiting God through small thinking. He references Psalms 78:41, which says that the Israelites tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel. He explains that he repented and began to take the limits off of God. As a result, his ministry experienced tremendous growth.
Breaking the Dam: Releasing God's Power
The speaker emphasizes that God is big and that believers should not feel like they are imposing on Him. He shares a story about a man who hesitated to ask God for complete healing, fearing it would be too much. The speaker encourages listeners to believe big and to recognize that God's will for them is absolute victory.
Supernatural Living: Acknowledging the Power Within
The speaker concludes by stating that if life isn't supernatural, it's superficial. He encourages listeners to acknowledge the power within them and to quit limiting God. He references Philemon 1:6, emphasizing that faith becomes effective through acknowledging every good thing that is in believers in Christ Jesus. He affirms that born-again believers are loaded with power and have the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
