THE JOURNEY - PART FOUR

REVIEW

The Journey

Know God

Find Freedom

Discover Purpose

Make a Difference

John 8:32 NLT

32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

1182 γινώσκω (ginōskō): vb.; ≡ Str 1097; 1. know, recognize, be aware fem.; 2. learn, acquire information, implying personal means;

Last week we started with 6 keys to finding freedom and got as far as key 3. They were...

1 - Understand the purpose of the law.

Galatians 5:1 NLT

1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

Philippians 3:9 KJV 1900

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

There is only one way to heaven; to be “found in Christ.” Jesus plus nothing!

2 - WALK IN THE LIGHT

Sin is progressive; it first blinds, then binds, then damns, then destroys. The sooner you stop sin in the process, the easier it is to get free.

Hebrews 10:26 TPT

26 For if we continue to persist in deliberate sin after we have known and received the truth, there is not another sacrifice for sin to be made for us.

We repent once when we turn from a sin habit in our lives; but before we repent, we must confess.

Once we find freedom through repentance, we continue to confess to stay free.

3 - BE AWARE OF DARKNESS

Ephesians 6:12 TPT

12 Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage.

And we learned the generational effects of sin in a family lineage.

4 - WALK IN AUTHORITY

You will walk in divine authority to extent you are willing to submit to delegated authority.

Submission

Sub-Mission

Sub="under, beneath; behind; under; subordinate.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary

Mission =

1 an important assignment, typically involving travel abroad.

2 the vocation of a religious organization to spread its faith.

3 a strongly felt aim or calling.

What is authority and why is it important?

1. as in expert (Noun) - a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field, the leading authority on neural anatomy

Synonyms : expert, master scholar, adept ntonyms: amateur, novice apprentice, non-expert, beginner...

2. as in government - lawful control over the affairs of a political unit (as a nation) the sheriff had authority over the whole county

Synonyms government, administration rule, governance jurisdiction, sovereignty leadership dominion... dictatorship tyranny domination...

3. as in influence - the power to direct the thinking or behavior of others usually indirectly speaks with a persuasive authority on matters of public health

Synonyms: influence, sway leverage, clout, importance...

Antonyms: powerlessness, impotence, helplessness, weakness.... 4. as in power - the right or means to command or control others by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you married

Synonyms: power, dominion, control, sway, reign jurisdiction, sovereignty, influence...

Antonyms: powerlessness, impotence, helplessness, weakness...

There are three basic categories of Kingdom authority, and none contradict the other:

Direct: The known will of God for your life: That which you know God has spoken regarding His call on your life.

Indirect: The Bible — The written will of God as it applies to His plan for all mankind. (submission, tithing, prayer, repentance, etc.)

Delegated: Five Fold Ministry and their designated personnel within the local church where God has called you to submit your life for the equipping of your calling.

Submission to Authority is the Foundation of all Lasting Works:

“So why do you call me ‘Lord,’ when you won’t obey me? [47] I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. [48] It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. [49] But anyone who listens and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins.” Luke 6:46-49 (NLT,)

Submission to Authority is the True Benchmark of Faith

[8] Then the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed! [9] I know, because I am under the authority of my superior officers and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this or that,’ they do it.” [10] When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all the land of Israel!”

Matthew 8:8–10 TPT

8 But the Roman officer interjected, “Lord, who am I to have you come into my house? I understand your authority, for I too am a man who walks under authority and have authority over soldiers who serve under me. I can tell one to go and he’ll go, and another to come and he’ll come. I order my servants and they’ll do whatever I ask. So I know that all you need to do is to stand here and command healing over my son and he will be instantly healed.” 10 Jesus was astonished when he heard this and said to those who were following him, “He has greater faith than anyone I’ve encountered in Israel!

Submission to Authority is Essential to Defeating the Devil

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4.7 (KJV)

Submission vs. Surrender – The Importance of Understanding Authority

Before we talk about hot button topics like “submission”, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the importance of authority. Authority is at the heart of free will, without it, there could in fact be no free will. We are divinely endowed with sufficient authority to be unique individuals. While our DNA may be hardwired to produce some predictable events, our souls are a much more volatile commodity. We are after all the product of millions of free will decisions great and small. Without the inherent authority to make those decisions, we would in fact not be what we have become. Anyone who has children can testify to the unpredictable ways in which two children will turn out when raised in an identical environment.

The Necessity of Authority

The antonym of authority is “powerlessness”. The absence of authority is equal to the total lack of accomplishment. Authority is a very necessary element of existence. Ask most people if they like rules, and they will probably say “no”. But then ask them this: “When your driving home today, would you like the opposing traffic to stay in their lane?” and they will adamantly answer in the affirmative. Without rules, we would have chaos. Without authority, we cannot enforce rules. The universe itself declares that we were created with the need for authority, rules and order. The laws of physics could really be referred to as the rules of physics, and you can imagine our fate were they not in operation. Responsibility without authority is chaos. Authority without responsibility is tyranny, which leads to the next point.

The Abuse of Authority

The exercise of authority outside of responsibility is always destructive. It can be a tyrannical dictator who imposes his will and passions on his subjects at the expense of their humanity. It can be an out of control bureaucracy that imposes excessive laws and restrictions upon its people to the destruction of their character and sense of self worth and responsibility. Or it can be as simple as a business, church, or school that begins to major in the minors at the expense of its core purpose.

If you have ever been a victim of the abuse of authority, the challenge is to not “throw out the baby with the bathwater”. The abuse of authority by imperfect individuals in no wise diminishes its value and necessity.

5 - BINDING AND LOSING

Matthew 12:22–29 (NLT)

22 Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.

23 The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”

24 But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”

25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.

26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive.

27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said.

28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.

29 For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.

The word tie him up, is

Matthew 16:19 NLT

19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

BIND

δέω (deō): vb.; Str 1210; 1. bind, tie together; 2. imprison; 3. compel, force; 4. restrict, put under authority of; 5. prohibit, formally, bind; 6. cause illness, cause physical hardship; 7. δέδεσαι γυναικί (dedesai gynaiki), be married, implying being under the authority of

LOSE

3395 λύω (luō): vb.; Str 3089; 1. untie, loose from ropes or straps; 2. set free, release from condition or circumstance; 3. destroy, to ruin by tearing or breaking; 4. dismiss, disperse; 5. transgress, failing to conform to a law or regulation; 6. permit, allow, exercise authority; 7. do away with, remove, eliminate; 8. put an end to, cause to come to an end

1 Samuel 15:7–23 NLT

7 Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt. 8 He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. 9 Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality. 10 Then the Lord said to Samuel, 11 “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night. 12 Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, “Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.” 13 When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the Lord bless you,” he said. “I have carried out the Lord’s command!” 14 “Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded. 15 “It’s true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle,” Saul admitted. “But they are going to sacrifice them to the Lord your God. We have destroyed everything else.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! Listen to what the Lord told me last night!” “What did he tell you?” Saul asked. 17 And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a mission and told you, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.’ 19 Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?” 20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. 21 Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” 22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

Next week we will finish up with Finding Freedom when we message will be entitled “Understanding Deliverance.”

6 - UNDERSTANDING DELIVERANCE