The following is a summary of the Second session of a Seminar conducted by John Paul Jackson in Mumbai this year. Those of us who attended it have come back fired up to live and think above the line. We hope to capture the content ,and the spirit of what was communicated there. Be blessed.Right at the outset of the conference John Paul emphasised that no matter what the gift Character is of utmost importance and we need to pay attention to it. Character gives the gift credibility and reliability. Many people are gifted but inconsistent. God wants to raise up a generation of prophetic people that will not succumb to temptation and not succumb to earthly treasures.
John Paul Jackson right at the outset wanted to emphasis the importance of Character and integrity in our christian walk and that no amount of spiritual experiences could be a substitute or a guarantee for ongoing holiness in our lives.Just because you have an angelic visitation, an experience, prophetic gifts that is no guarantee that you will not fall or that you will always be close to God.
The Israelites saw God doing powerful things and then they went out a built a golden calf. Experience will not change you – Its 5 years later are you still working on the same problem, that's a problem. There has got to be something more than that.
Luke 4:32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
His word was "with authority". We gloss over that word authority. We don’t talk about it much but everybody wants it. The Wimber ministry would pray “more power Lord, more power “for everything. But I learnt something a few years ago. There is no spirituality outside of God – only pseudo spirituality which is of a lower form.
We talk a lot but don’t have a lot – why? Why don’t demons manifest when we walk? Like it happened to Jesus?
What will it take to reach that purpose? How do you have the presence of God in you where demons flee? We have confused power and authority. They are not one and the same. When was the last time you said “more authority Lord”? There is no shame in wanting more power, but more power with more authority is stunning.
Jesus carried authority. Greek_ exussia. It’s the highest judicial control. Authority has control /rule over both the visible and the invisible world. It has rule over demonic forces and fallen beings.
Power – Gk: dunamis, creative, super natural strength to noticeably change something. Power – ability to change things in the physical world but not in the spiritual world.
We see sporadic power. We are taught that healing took time and that miraculous was instant. But in scripture we see healing that are instant . Realize that healings are always the removal of something – germs, bacteria, demons.
Miracles – creation, regeneration of something.
Scriptures classifies removal of demons as healings. Sometimes there is a combination. You remove a demonic hold over a kidney but it needs regeneration as well therefore there is healing and the miraculous at work.
Healings are related to authority
Miracles are related to power.
Kings rule with authority but conquer with power. Power to subdue and take dominion (authority)
Acts 1:8” You shall receive power..”Power shifts and changes reality. A leg that was crooked is now straight. It can also be as gentle as the Holy Spirit hovering over Mary at the time of Jesus conception. It’s the same hovering to the Holy Spirit over the earth at creation.
You can conquer without authority but you cannot have longevity without authority. The church can over throw but we have lost the understanding of a need for authority to rule.
Matt8:9 when the centurion came to Jesus he understood as a man under authority. Your authority will heal my servant he said. But we gloss over this. It was not power but authority. This may be the only time Jesus marvelled at faith. Why we are inconsistent in faith is because we have not understood authority. “Teach me your ways that I might know you”. There is a system an understanding of the ways of God and if we know it it will work. This goes back to Eden- eat/don’t eat. The ways of the Lord.
We need authority from heaven. Deliverance is about authority. It’s about relocating. Not having authority won’t help.
Luke 10:19”... I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. The KJV used the word “power” which is not right. It’s not dumanis but exussia i.e authority/. Authority is greater than power that is why satan does not want us to understand this.
In Ezekiel, Gabriel invoked the Lords authority when he said “The Lord rebuke you” We will reach an impasse if we don’t understand this. When Satan fell he lost his authority but not power. Luke 4 satan tempted Jesus with the lust of the flesh, eye and the pride of life (the same temptations in Eden)
“See all these kingdom and authority..” Who gave satan authority? – Adam and Eve did. Jesus got it back on the cross and all power and authority has been given to Jesus.
A king who has not authority will have chaos. Matt9:6-8 the son of man has exussia – authority to forgive (not power). Jesus healed and forgive with authority and not power. In John 10:18 – the word should be “authority” and not “power”.
One sign of authority is the ability to rule over something – to get obedience. “Even the winds and the waves obey him” This is not power but authority. If we exercise the wrong thing, nothing happens.
Power is a gift i.e “you shall receive power..”. Authority is not a gift. Gifts are irrevocable. ( Satan has power but no authority. Satan is not after power but after authority)
How do you get authority? One way it comes is through relationship. It’s more difficult to get. There is a protocol in heaven – also respect, awe and wonder by everyone of God. There are no “high fives” given to God and it’s not religiosity.
Relationship comes by closeness and proximity. With that proximity you begin to absorb authority. It is released through proximity. The closer you are the more authority you have.
Some people who talk about grace say “I don’t need to repent; I don’t have to have a deep relationship with God.” It’s got all twisted lately. Philosophy has replaced theology. We have to come back to a place of understanding the Word of God. In here we learn to handle everything. Authority is a result of being one with God. 1Cor 6:17.
Man lost authority in Eden because of disobedience. They gave it temporarily to Satan till he was defeated.
How do you give authority/rule to something when you do not obey your authority? Demons will not obey you. Sin separated us from God. It distances me from God .
God is the source of all life and light. Ezekiel 28. Satan fell on 3 levels. When he falls he gets darker because he is leaving the Light, He begins to decay because he is not close to the sustenance of life. Every day without God, he decays. Only God can give light and life. So when people tamper with demonic forces, they have invited darkening and decaying beings into them.
The more we obey God the more authority we will have.
Jesus had all authority when he ascended to the Father and while on earth he had authority because He obeyed the Father.
Phil2:4 “Became obedient...”v9-11 the result of that obedience. He was given the name above all other names. The more humbling , the more the exaltation. We are saved by grace but we cannot mis- appropriate grace. Lordship is a question of authority.
There is another level of obedience i.e submission. Submission has to do with attitude. Obedience has to do with action . Obedience is sitting down on the outside. Submission is sitting down on the inside. “Cheerful giver” – giver is obedience. Cheerful is attitude.
Submission is as close to God as you can get. Submission says if it’s important enough to God you will do whatever it takes,. Submission trusts in God’s soverenity. This is above the line thinking. You can’t have heavenly thinking without being submissive.
Heb5:8-9 “learned obedience through the things he suffered... to all who obeyed him”
Jesus obeyed the Father in totality. We need to change our thinking. We are almost guilty of teaching our people of how to walk on the edge of the kingdom. To the degree you walk on the edge the more darkness you will have. Increased righteousness leads to increased authority. Decreased righteousness leads to more darkness in our lives with diminished authority.
You need the authority in you to exercise heavenly authority. The closer you are to God the more authority you absorb. When you loose righteousness you loose authority. Matt 10 -The disciples has a measure of authority but they did not have the fullness of authority.
Do nothing that removes you from the presence of God or smears your integrity and character. Sacrifice what you need to. God can make it up to you.
To the degree you live right is the degree you know what s coming (Jn16:3)
Don’t walk on the edge of the kingdom but walk close to the throne. We need the authority of heaven for what’s coming in the next three years. Powers will shift, nation swill rise and fall, oil will be a war tool.
The goal is not authority but to get close to Jesus – the fruit is authority.
( This is a summary of a seminar conducted in Mumbai on the 27th of January 2012)
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