The Believer's Spiritual Authority (Individual Messages)

THE BELIEVER'S SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY

The Three Realms

There are 3 realms in which believers are involved:

The physical, visible, and earthly realm (or the first heaven) – world governments, political structures, all systems and cultures belong to this realm.The spiritual, invisible, and demonic realm (or the second heaven) – here we have demonic spiritual authorities that are behind the authority structures, cultures and systems of the earth. They have authority over and influence the physical realm. This does not mean that we have to become super aware of the devil and believe that there is a demon under every rock.The spiritual, invisible, and godly realm (or the third heaven) – here is the throne of God along with all the angels and the angelic hierarchy structures.

 

The Right Approach to Spiritual Warfare
When talking about spiritual warfare and spiritual authority, many Christians say that we need to know the spiritual principalities we are dealing with and the ranks in the demonic world (demons of lesser power and authority, demons of greater authority, etc.). They say you must know your enemy well before engaging in spiritual warfare. And we all probably have examples of people making strange intercessions for cities involving all kinds of material symbols. These people start their teaching from the premise of “knowing your adversary” and focus heavily on the demonic world. But this is the wrong approach for born-again Christians. Yes, you should know your enemy, but before that, you need to know 3 things:

Who you really are in ChristTo Whom you belongWhat you possess or what you have

The true spiritual battle of the believer is fought between the two ears (that is, in the mind), not directly with demonic spiritual forces. Yes, you must know your opponent, but only in relation to those 3 things you must know and assimilate as your normal reality deep in your heart. Any teaching about authority and spiritual warfare must begin with these 3 concepts and their assimilation at the level of the subconscious mind. Let’s read Ephesians 6:12:

Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Here the apostle Paul speaks in detail about the demonic principalities and hierarchies. But let us notice in which chapter of the book of Ephesians this verse is found. It’s in chapter 6 of the book which is the last chapter of Ephesians. In verse 10 of the same chapter, Paul uses the expression: “Finally, brothers…” or “Furthermore, brothers…” or “Finally, brothers… ” This is not the first thing Paul teaches the Ephesians about spiritual warfare. Let’s also read Ephesians 1:19-23 to see where Paul begins his discussion of authority and spiritual warfare:

Ephesians 1:19–23 (NKJV)19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

As you see, Paul begins in Ephesians chapter 1 by talking about the boundless greatness of God’s power that raised Christ and placed Him at the right hand of God’s power, giving him a rank of authority far above any other spiritual authority in the heavenly places. Paul then continues the discussion of spiritual warfare in Ephesians chapter 2, stating that ALL that Christ has (that is, his sphere of authority) we believers also have:

Ephesians 2:6 (NKJV)6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Another extraordinary thing we can see in Ephesians 1:22 is that ALL things are under the feet of Christ FOR THE CHURCH. Christ is made up of Jesus (the Head) and the Church (His body). It is an indestructible and indivisible unitary whole. Ephesians 5:30 tells us that we are bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh. If all things are under the feet of Christ, and the Church is His body, what does this mean for us believers? It means that all things are also under our feet.

So, Paul begins in Ephesians chapters 1 and 2 to describe the authority and power of Christ and us, the Church, and then in chapter 3 verse 10, he describes the purpose of this conferment of authority, that of ruling over the second realm:

Ephesians 3:10 (NKJV)10 to the intent that NOW the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (meaning from the second realm).

Likewise, 1 John 3:8 describes the purpose of Christ’s manifestation in us, that of destroying the works of the evil one:

1 John 3:8 (NKJV)8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Only at the end of the book of Ephesians does Paul introduce the believers to the subject of spiritual warfare. So, what we need to know is: who we are, who we belong to, and what we have. Only when you know these things and live permanently with this awareness (when you don’t struggle to convince yourself) can you start talking about spiritual warfare.

 

What Are the Heavenly Places?

What are these heavenly places in terms of location? Notice that it is not the heavenly place (or God’s heaven), but the heavenly places. We have already seen in Ephesians 6:12 that demonic spirits are also in heavenly places. But now these spirits along with the devil were cast down to earth (Ezekiel 28:17; Isaiah 14:2; Luke 10:18). If the devil is also on earth and in the heavenly places and in the second invisible realm, this means that the earth together with the second invisible realm are part of the heavenly places. Then in Ephesians 2:6 we<...