CORNERSTONE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL

DES EGLISES CORNERSTONE Int – CORNERSTONE CHURCHES INT.

IBPV MusiC – IBPV MUSIC INC.

ACADEMY Chretienne VictoIRE - VICTORYCHRISTIANACADEMY.

Institut Biblique Parole Vivante-WORD ALIVE BIBLE INSTITUTE.

Enregistré au Ministère de l’Education, Direction de l’Enseignement Supérieur de la République du Sénégal

Le 23 Mai 2002,.sous le n°2688/ME/DES/DFS

Bureau National: Villa 558 Sicap Baobabs, B.P. 10099 Liberté, Dakar, Sénégal Tél: 221 824 48 33,

Cell: +221 632 29 69; Fax: +221 8259579, E-mail: ,

AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVER

Course Outline

Topic 1.What Is Biblical Authority and How Did We Obtain It?

Topic 2.Great Authority Begins with the Character of the Believer

Topic 3.Some Key Attributes of a Godly Character

Topic 4.The Relationship of Submission and Authority

Topic 5.The Significance of Jesus’ Authority

Topic 6.Authority of Binding and Loosening

Topic 7.The Relationship of Faith and Authority

Topic 8.The Relationship of the Armor of God and Authority

Topic 9.The Relationship of the Weapons of Our Warfare and Authority

Topic 10.The Authority of Our Words

Topic 11.Our Authority in Our Home and Family

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Topic 1. What Is Biblical Authority and How Did We Obtain It?

  1. Introduction
  2. God is authority and has the ability to give it
  3. There are two basic forms of authority

a)Intrinsic authority - belonging to one’s nature (inborn authority)

b)Delegated authority - given to one from another source

  1. A person cannot give something he/she does not have

a)God gives love because He is love (1Jn 4:16)

b)Jesus gives peace because He is peace (in Isaiah He is called the Prince of Peace)

  1. In the same way that God has love because it is part of His nature and Jesus has peace because it is part of his nature, God has authority because it is part of His nature, therefore, God has intrinsic authority - Ro 13:1For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God
  2. Believers do not have intrinsic authority--we have delegated authority given to us by God

a)God has the ability to give authority because he is authority just as He can give love because he is love and Jesus can give peace because He is peace

  1. Biblical definition of authority that is given to believers: power that is lawfully delegated to believers and the right to exercise that power
  2. When you became born again, you were born to rule and reign under God over the devil and his works

a)We are not born to live in fear or depression

b)We are not born to live under circumstances but to rule over them

c)God made you to receive His life and to release it to the earth

d)He made you to subdue earth and bring it under control

  1. Seven ways to have authority and reign in life
  2. Decide to reign; you are born again with a new nature, so live it - Ro 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace
  3. Declare your authority- Job 22:28 You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.
  4. Realize the greater one is in you, therefore you have the ability to reign - 1 Jn 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world
  5. Forget past failure, we all have them - Ro 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit
  6. Be ready for battle -- realize that in our earthly life as a Christian, we are constantly at war with our enemy, Satan - Eph 6:10-11 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
  7. Forgive and get rid of strife which is one of the biggest hindrances to walking in our authority and victory - Eph 4:25-27 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
  8. Continually praise God by faith - Ro 4:20-21 (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform

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  1. How did we obtain authority?
  2. We’ve just learned that authority is part of God’s nature
  3. In Creation, when He spoke, it happened - Gen 1:1, 3, 6-7, 20-21, 24, 26
  4. When He spoke with His authority circumstances changed
  5. God created Adam to have the same mind as He had - Gen 2:19Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.
  6. He had the ability to name all animals and birds God brought to him
  7. He named his wife, Eve, because she was the mother of all living (Gen 3:20)
  8. God delegated to Adam the authority to rule and reign over earth - Gen 1:28...and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.
  9. Dominion in the Hebrew here means authority
  10. We are to have the same delegated authority over the works of God’s hands as Adam did - Ps 8:4-8 What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxenEven the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas.

a)The only thing that keeps a believer from having authority is allowing Satan to deceive or lie to him

  1. Adam allowed Satan to deceive him in the Garden
  2. Gen 2:16-17And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
  3. Satan deceived Eve by confusing her, and Adam allowed her to convince him into being deceived also rather than taking the authority God had given him over every living thing that moves on the earth and telling the serpent to cease his activity and leave the Garden (Gen 3:1-6 reference passage)
  4. As a result of Adam allowing the enemy to lie to him, he lost the authority God had given him
  5. Gen 3:17-19 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, `You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return."
  6. Adam allowed his body and mind to take control over of his spirit - Ro 5:17-19 ...by the one man's offense death reigned through the one...through one man's offense judgment came to all men...by one man's disobedience many were made sinners
  7. This means you and me
  8. Because of Adam we who are born of man have sinned also
  9. The failure of mankind to walk in the delegated authority given to it is a result of Adam’s sin and the consequence of losing his God-consciousness
  10. Jesus regained man’s authority by dying on a cross and getting the keys to the kingdom
  11. We must believe by faith we died with Him, were buried with Him, ascended with Him, are seated with Him and glorified with Him

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a)Col 2:12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

b)Eph 2:5-6even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

  1. We must believe and act upon the knowledge that Jesus has now given us the keys so we can unlock heaven’s treasures for us - Mt 16:19"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
  2. We can lock out Satan’s activities in our lives and unlock those who are bound
  1. Five areas we have authority over:
  2. Sin - Ro 6:14 sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace
  3. Sickness- 1 Pt 2:24 Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousnessby whose stripes you were healed.
  4. Our thought life - 2 Co 10:4-5For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ
  5. Fear - 2 Ti 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind
  6. Confusion - 1 Co 14:33For God is not the author of confusion but of peace...

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Memory Verse: Lk 10:19

Topic 2. Great Authority Begins with the Character of the Believer

  1. The character of the believer - Col 3:1-17
  2. Col 3:1-5
  3. Vs 2 -- Set your mind on things above, not on things on earth

a)Material things

b)Recognition

c)Man’s praise

  1. Vs 3 -- Since we died to us or should have when we became born again and our lives are hidden in Christ, then Jesus should be our example

a)1Pe 2:23 When he was reviled He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously

b)One version says when they hurled insults at him, He did not retaliate

  1. Vs 5 -- Therefore (therefore what? Since you are seeking things above (Vs 1), setting your mind on things above (Vs 2), have died to self and hidden your life in Christ (Vs 3), YOU put to death:

a)Gal 5:19-20 lists fornication, adultery, uncleanness, and idolatry (covetousness) as works of the flesh

b)Eph 5:3 says fornication, uncleanness or covetousness should not even be named among Christians

c)Fornication - sexual immorality including adultery

(1)1Co 6:13the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord

d)Uncleanness - moral uncleanness, dirty-mindedness, indecency, sensuality

(1)Violent, sensual, suggestive, and fouled mouth movies and TV programs breed violence, moral uncleanness, sensuality and sexual immorality

(2)Sexually explicit magazines defile the mind

e)Passion - lust of the flesh

(1)Lust = intent longing

(2)Not all lust is bad; lust after the things of God and the Word

f)Evil desire - unholy desire

g)Covetousness - all greed, the lust for other people’s goods and honor--this is idolatry (something you give your heart, mind, attention, money, etc. to)

(1)Tit 2:11-12 says the grace of God teaches to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly, righteously and godly

  1. Col 3:6 - sons of disobedience = unbelievers
  2. Col 3:8 -- NowYOUare to put off all these
  3. Anger and wrath

a)Two different Greek words; both Greek words are translated anger and/or wrath

b)Orge - (mostly translated anger) active emotion; it causes you to want to act revengeful

c)Thumos - (better translated rage) inward feeling; quickly erupts and quickly subsides

  1. Malice - wickedness, evil, any form of slander
  2. Blasphemy - evil speaking, abusive speech, railings, speech that injures
  3. Filthy language - obscenity
  4. Eph 5:4(LB) dirty stories, foul talk, coarse jokes are not fitting for saints
  1. Col 3:9-11

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  1. Eph 4:24 (Amp) for put on the new man says cloth yourself in that new nature (character) which is created to be like God in righteousness and true holiness
  2. Vs. 11 - Jill’s translation there is neither black, brown, yellow or white; North American, South American, European, Middle Eastern, Asian, rich or poor; Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, male or female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus

a)Gal 6:15 says that in Christ Jesus all that is important is the new creation (new birth and new nature)

  1. We have said what to put off or get rid of; now we will see what to replace it with according to our new nature
  2. Col 3:12-13 YOU put on
  3. Tender mercies - Other translations = tenderness in heart, compassion, actions of mercy
  4. Php 2:3in one translation says stop acting from motives of selfish strife or petty ambition but in humility let each esteem others better than himself

a)Strife = self-will; seeking to win followers; it is the fruit of jealousy

  1. Col 3:14
  2. Eph 5:1-2(NIV)Be imitators of God...live a life of love)
  3. Col 3:15
  4. Thankful = grateful, agreeable
  5. Heb 12:14-15 pursue peace with all people and holiness...lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble

a)If you are not pursuing peace, it is very easy to become offended and end up with a root of bitterness

  1. Col 3:16-17
  1. Summary of the general character of a believer
  2. Seek those things which are above
  3. Set your mind on things above
  4. Make Jesus your example
  5. Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience
  6. Let peace rule in your heart
  7. Walk in love always
  8. Let the word richly dwell in you
  9. Do all in the name of Jesus

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Topic 3. Key Attributes of a Godly Character

  1. Fear of God
  2. We are not to fear God but to have a fear of Him
  3. The Old Testament saints were required to have fear of God (Deut 10:12What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
  4. New Testament saints are not required to, but we need to choose to have a fear of God
  5. According to Deut 4:10, the fear of the Lord is learned, not something we automatically can do
  6. What is the fear of the Lord?
  7. Reverence and deep respect for God’s greatness and mercy - Mt 22:37-38 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, withall your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment
  8. Ex 18:21- being truthful and hating greed
  9. Deut 5:29- keeping His commandments (there are two for us today: Love the Lord with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself)
  10. Josh 24:14- obeying His voice
  11. 1Sa 12:14 - perfecting holiness (becoming more Christlike); 2Co 7:1 by cleansing ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit
  12. 1Sa 12:24 - considering the great things He has done for you
  13. Is 50:10 - trusting His name
  14. Ro 11:20 - not being high-minded
  15. Eph 5:21 - submitting self to another
  16. 1Pe 3:2 - controlling your conversation
  17. 1Pe 3:15 - sharing your hope (Jesus) with others
  18. Holiness
  19. The term holiness has gotten a bad name because Christians have tried to walk in it through their natural abilities
  20. They have tried fulfilling holiness by outward acts

a)(Women) - no make-up or jewelry; length and style of clothes

b)Going to church; quoting scripture

  1. Holiness is something within, not outward acts
  1. Definition
  2. Ps 93:5 (Amp)Holiness (apparent in separation from sin with simple trust and hearty obedience)...

a)Simple trust = believing God

b)Hearty obedience = acting upon it

  1. We become holy when we become born again and pursue it the rest of our lives on earth
  1. Integrity
  2. The word integrity is only found in the Old Testament
  3. The definitions of the Hebrew word for integrity are the Greek definitions of the words honesty and purityin the New Testament
  4. Definition
  5. Webster’s Dictionary = remaining loyal to a code of values (synonyms = incorruptibility, honesty, sincerity)
  6. Straight forwardness of speech and conduct
  7. Gen 18:19 - integrity is keeping the way of the Lord
  8. Ps 15:1-6 (combination of several translations together from The Word - 26 translations of the Bible)
  9. Vs. 1:Who is it that is a true believer and abides in rest?
  10. Vs. 2:He that walks in integrity, does what is right and speaks the truth from his heart

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  1. Vs. 3:He that does not slander nor defraud
  2. Vs. 4:He who despises a vile person but honors those who fear God and who keeps his word at any cost
  3. Vs. 5:He takes no interest on a loan nor does he take a bribe
  4. Vs. 6:He that does these things will never be moved
  1. Obedience
  2. Obedience is the underlying theme of the entire Word
  3. It is more than an action, it is a life principle
  4. God is not a God of compromise
  5. He has been specific in His Word so that we have a clear cut road to follow
  6. We are to practice obedience without negotiations; God is final authority
  7. Without obedience:
  8. You cannot walk in love
  9. God cannot trust you with His power
  10. You have no boldness or liberty
  11. Definition--in Webster’s dictionary, Strongs Concordance, and Vine’s Expository; the key words involved with obedience are attentive hearing, submission, and faith
  12. Attentive hearing - hearken (hear and obey or respond) Deut 28:2If you hearken unto the voice of the Lord all the blessings listed in that chapter will be yours
  13. Submission - not only to God and the Word but in general
  14. Faith and obedience are inseparable

a)Faith is of the heart (invisible to man); obedience is related to conduct (may be observed)