Authority from Jesus

And He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. (Luke 9:1-2 ESV)

Luke opens chapter nine by recounting Jesus giving His disciples power and authority over all demons as they were sent out to prepare the way for Him. He didn’t give them ALL authority. He gave them the authority to overcome the enemy and to bring healing. The disciples couldn’t go anywhere THEY wanted and do what THEY wanted to do. They were given authority over all demons they encountered while doing the job Jesus had assigned.

Only the disciples of Jesus received power and authority. Those who merely heard of Him and were not working with Him didn’t receive power over demons. When God calls us to work for Him, He equips us to do that job and provides all that we need to accomplish the task. Throughout this chapter, we see what it looks like to walk in the authority and power of God and what it looks like when we fail to do so.

When the disciples were given “authority over all demons,” Luke shows us what that means: they healed the sick and cast demons out of people while preaching the gospel, the good news that the Messiah had come.

Results of Power and Authority

As Luke continues recounting the life of Jesus, we see the results of power and authority from God:

1. Fruit

2. Provision

3. Wisdom

4. Revelation

These are not only the most prevalent results when we listen to God and do His will, but I believe they are the order in which God grows in our lives as we operate in His power and authority. Let’s examine how this happened with the empowerment of the first disciples.

1. Fruit

The disciples did such a good job using the power and authority of God that Herod heard about Jesus and wondered what was going on. The ruler had killed John the Baptist, yet some were claiming that John had risen from the dead! The word spread to the common people, too:

On their return, the apostles told Him all that they had done. And He took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. When the crowds learned it, they followed Him, and He welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. (Luke 9:10-11 ESV)

People heard of the power and authority wielded by the disciples, and they went in search of the source: Jesus! When we are doing the job God assigns us, with the power and authority Jesus gives us, something will be produced by that work. Christians refer to this as bearing fruit. Like fruit-bearing trees, what is produced spreads and bears fruit we may not even see. If we remain close to the Lord, doing His will and not our own, we go to the next step.

2. Provision

Over 5,000 men, plus women and children, heard about God’s power and authority. They sought out Jesus and followed Him into an isolated place where He taught and healed them. Afterwards, the disciples wanted to send them away. God had other plans.

And He said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” And they did so, and had them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces. (Luke 9:14-17 ESV Strong’s)

This is a very clear example of the benefits of walking with God, doing His will, operating in the power and authority He has given us. He will provide for all that we need. Even more than that, we will have more than enough left over after that provision. The key is to trust in Him to provide for our needs! If there isn’t a provision for the work we believe the Lord has called us to do, we need to ask ourselves: is this the right time, or have I missed something?

3. Wisdom

After ministering to the crowds, Jesus had a moment with His disciples, and they received one of the most valuable gifts from God: wisdom.

Now it happened that as He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him. And He asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” Then He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” And He strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Luke 9:18-22 ESV Strong’s)

No one, from the common man to Herod the ruler, knew who Jesus was. However, those who were close to God and operating in power and authority from Him were given wisdom. It was granted to them to know who Jesus really was and what would happen in the future: Jesus would be crucified and raised from the dead on the third day.

After we have received power and authority and provision, we must be ready to receive additional wisdom. It may correct a wrong perception about the job or God’s ways. A willing heart that is ready for correction is a major key in continued operation in power and authority from God.

4. Revelation

After the Holy Spirit granted Peter wisdom about the identity of Jesus, He chose three people to accompany Him to a mountain.

And as He was praying, the appearance of His face was altered, and His clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with Him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His departure, which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Luke 9:29-31 ESV Strong’s)

The Lord was praying and seeking God when the glory of God descended upon Him. The disciples saw what Jesus looked like in the spirit: the perfect Jesus standing in the glory of God. Only after Jesus was in the presence and power of God did Moses and Elijah appear to Him. Jesus was not seeking to talk to Moses or Elijah; that would be necromancy, which is an abomination in God’s eyes. Why would it be seeking the dead? Didn’t Jesus say in Matthew 22, that those who die in righteousness are “alive?”

Let’s look at these scriptures. Jesus was speaking to a segment of the Sadducees that didn’t believe in the resurrection when He said this:

“And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astonished at His teaching. (Matthew 22:31-33 ESV)

The topic here is resurrection: what happens after we die. Those who are in right standing with God, who are righteous before Him, will continue to exist. The Greek word zaō is translated “living,” and can mean to live, breathe, be among the living, not lifeless, not dead. We know that doesn’t pertain to those who have died; all we have to do is look at their bodies: they are not breathing, nor are they walking among the living. This Greek word can also mean active, blessed, and endless in the kingdom of God. This is the type of “living” the righteous people do after they die on the earth.

Now let’s look at what it says about talking to the dead.

There shall not be found among you anyone that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. (Deuteronomy 18:10-11 AKJV)

At the end of the list of actions that we cannot do because they are an abomination to God is consulting with a necromancer. We need to look at the word translate necromancer to see if we can. It is actually three Hebrew words:

Dāraš (daw-rash'): to seek, to ask

'Ēl (ale or el): of

Mûṯ (mooth): to die, or have died

This means speaking to or asking those who have perished from this Earth is an abomination. The only exception is Jesus because He is God, according to John chapter 1. This is why we never hear Jesus asking to talk to someone in Heaven, whether it be an angel or Moses. As a Man on this Earth, He had to abide by God’s ways!

Back to the topic of revelation from God after being given power and authority. Peter had been given wisdom about who Jesus is. Then Jesus was fully revealed to Peter, James, and John in His state of glory. After we accept who Jesus is, that is when His glory can be revealed to us.

As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” (Luke 9:34-35 ESV)

A revelation is a bit different from a vision. It is a powerful deposit of new, extraordinary information that has not been granted to anyone else. What was new about this encounter?

In the Holy of Holies, the most sacred place in the Temple where only the priest could go, God’s presence filled the atmosphere with a mist or cloud. This is referred to as the shekinah glory. Now, here was God’s presence, outside the Temple!

Many believe the second Temple didn’t have the shekinah in it, for the Temple no longer held the ark of the Covenant. The revelation of where God’s presence is was revealed to Peter, James, and John: it is with Jesus. With the shekinah glory, God gave them specific instructions: we are to listen to Jesus.

As Luke continues recounting events in Jesus’ ministry, the importance of listening to and obeying Jesus is revealed. Revelation is expected to increase our faith and the wielding of the authority He gives us. If you want more of God’s presence in your life, more of His power and authority, you must be willing to listen to Jesus. This is what brings the shekinah glory into your life.

Increasing Power and Authority

As Jesus came down from the mountain, a father sought out Jesus because His son was having epileptic seizures caused by a demon.

“And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. (Luke 9:39-43 ESV Strong’s)

Luke recounts the very basic details of this encounter that are described in all four gospels. Jesus calls them a faithless generation, so the reason the disciples are having an issue with casting out the demon is a matter of their lack of faith. Each one adds a bit of detail to the event. In Matthew, we get to the core issue of why the disciples were limited in their power and authority.

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, “Why could not we cast him out?” And Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief: for truly I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. However, this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:19-21 ESV)

It is easy to see that the demon causing the boy to thrash about stirred up unbelief in the disciples. The unbelief prevented them from operating in the fullness of the power and authority that Jesus gave them. The comparison of faith to a mustard seed shows us that unbelief is the opposite and a hindrance to faith. The way to increase our faith and remove unbelief is through prayer and fasting. The need for prayer and fasting cannot be linked directly to removing the demon because this would mean the power of the Lord is not able to cast out demons.

After the second time, Jesus tells the disciples that He will be killed, they begin fighting over who will be greatest in the Kingdom of God. The answer from the Lord shows us another way to operate in more power and authority from God.

But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” (Luke 9:47-48 ESV Strong’s)

And said, Truly I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name receives me. (Matthew 18:3-5 ESV)

Each disciple wanted to be the “greatest.” The Greek term Jesus uses for “great” is the word megas means persons, renowned for ability, virtue, authority, or power. When Matthew recounts this event in chapter 18, he shows us what “least” means. To receive more authority and power, we need to be humble before man and God. This is the opposite of presumptuousness and pride.

When Not to Weild Power and Authority

The next two events in Luke demonstrate how to use the power and authority Jesus gives us. When the disciples saw others casting out demons in the name of Jesus, but who were not submitted to the Lord as part of His party, they wanted to stop them.

But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:50 ESV Strong’s)

We don’t use God’s power against those who are not attacking us. Only when people or spirits come against us can we use God’s power.

The next account is also about refraining from using power. A village refused to support Jesus because He was going to Jerusalem, where He was being hunted. The disciples were offended by the rejection of the village.

And when His disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But He turned and rebuked them. (Luke 9:54-55 ESV Strong’s)

Not only did Jesus tell them no, but He rebuked them for it! God’s power should not be used against those who refuse to support us. There is a great reward for supporting those who are doing God’s work. If a person refuses, that is between them and God: He has others who will do what they choose not to.

Throughout the ninth chapter of Luke, we see that Jesus gives us authority over all demons, but not necessarily all authority. We have the power and authority to overcome the enemy when we are doing the job Jesus calls us to do. We have the power and authority to set people free. We do not have the power or authority to attack people who are trying to help others, apart from Jesus, or those who refuse to help us.