If we are going to catch the thief we have to understand his authority and where it comes from.

Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."(NIV)

Gen 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (NIV)

• The moment that Sin came into their lives they were able to see “Good and Evil” The problem was they were also naked. Naked of the Authority that God had given them. Authority to rule.
• They lost their Hope, their direction, their position, their protection.

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.(NIV)

• We have it back. Jesus gave it to us.

I Jn 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (NIV)

The Devil has come to steal your Soul. Your mind, your will and your emotions.

• How does he do it now? He has lost ALL Authority!

He has lost his Authority in the Spirit Realm. He lost it when he fell out of Heaven. When God cast him down.

• Then where did he get such authority on the earth? FROM ADAM!

The devil still has this authority in the natural realm. The systems of this world. BUT NOT IN THE SPIRIT!

The Devil gained authority over a fallen Man. He brought him down with a lie and took the authority that he had. He used this authority to rule over man till Jesus came. He was only limited by the Jews when they followed the laws of God. That is why he tried to kill them, to get the influence of God out of the world.

The devil could not stop them. Jesus came and brought authority from above. His lasts words were:

Matt 28:18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.""(NIV) authority with Jesus! Not without!

• When you are saved you are saved in the Spirit. The creature and the creation are still fallen. The flesh, the natural realm.

Gal 5:1-18

1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. 2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?

8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. 11 Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate them selves!

13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (NIV)

• It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Not to remain in bondage and control of the Devil.
• Love moves you into the realm of the Spirit. It fulfills the law too.
• Walking in the Spirit removes us from the Authority of the Devil. God is trying to get us to walk in the Spirit/Love not to spoil our fun, but to keep us out of the control of the Devil. Who’s ever side you are standing on is who’s control you are under.

Col 1:10-13

10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, (NIV)

Cross the line and stay there.

1. He can only steal from us if he can draw us over the line.
2. He does this by temptations to sin. We have to cross the line to sin.
3. When we do we have given him authority in our lives.
4. Run back to Jesus on the other side and repent. Walk in the Spirit.