THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS IS FOR YOU

... All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go you therefore... – Mat 28:18-19.

Have you pondered on the fact that the man Jesus was actually God in the flesh? Think about it. As Creator of the Universe, He has absolute and total authority over everything. Indeed, Heb. 1:3 says that ALL things are sustained by the word of His power.

It is impossible for God to lose His authority or power, let alone to a lowly creature like Satan. Yet we see Him in Mt 28:18 declaring “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” What is He talking about?

He’s talking about the power and authority Man had in the Garden of Eden. Ps 115:16 says, “The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s: but the earth has he given to the children of men.” God gave Adam total control to rule over Earth. Whatever he declared, as far as Earth was concerned, stood, (e.g. Gen 2:19).

However, when Adam fell to the subtlety of Satan, (Gen 3), he relinquished that authority to him, and automatically made Satan the “god of this world” (2Cor 4:4) with ownership of the kingdoms of this world, along with their powers and glory (Lk 4:5-7).

But, Halleluyah! In the fullness of time, God came down in the flesh as Man, (Jn 1:1,14; 1Tm 3:15, etc.), took our place on the Cross and went to Hades to wrest back the authority and power that belonged to us in the first place.

Today, Satan has NO power or authority. ALL power now belongs to Christ. And that authority now belongs to us who are “in Christ”. That’s the whole essence of the Incarnation, the Cross and the Resurrection: it was all FOR YOUR SAKE. Today, we have much more than Adam lost (he lost Earth, Jesus gave us Heaven AND Earth).

Eph 1:22 puts it clearly, “God has put all things under the power of Christ, and for the good of the church he has made him the head of everything”, (CEV).

 “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever.” – Rom 11:33,36.

Take a few moments to thank Him today.

AMEN.

GREG ELKAN