Authority is power vested upon a person or institution by a higher power to do what the later will do without reduction in impact. A person or institution vested with authority is as potent and powerful as the person or institution who vested him with such power as long as it within the ambit of the law.
A policeman irrespective of his physical size when on duty with his uniform is vested with the power or has the authority to stop and check, or intrude into the flow of ones daily work requesting to check your car, or at times your personal effect to see if there is any criminating thing on you. This is because he has authority delegated upon him by the Federal Government to do such. I believe you would not allow just anyone to carry out a spot check on you if he is
not vested with such authority.
Beloved authority is good when used properly as to help to put law and order into our various lives and society. Do you realize how powerful the word of a person could be just because such a fellow is vested with authority? For example, a judge is a person like you and I yet because he is vested with so much authority, could by a simple pronouncement instruct that another person be put behind the bars never to be free for life if what he has done warrant such; but the underlying word there is that a few person like you and I could be vested with such powers as to determine the fate of his fellow human being basically because he has authority to do so.
Friends, in the realm of the spirit, there is also the recognition of authority. Remember the Army General that came to Jesus requesting healing for his son. Jesus was on his way to heal someone else when the man accosted Him saying you don’t need to come to my house as your words is vested with such authority that cannot be resisted in the spirit. Since sickness is spiritual designed, just speak the word that is to say just give a simple instruction irrespective of distance and I am sure whatever foul spirit that has held my son down will leave him because you are a person with a higher authority than those devils.
This man understood what authority is all about, alas Jesus said, I have found no greater faith not even in Israel. There and then he sent the word of authority that his son be healed and set free and at that same hour, distance not withstanding, the son was made whole. This centurion or military general had an in-depth understanding of what authority was all about. He knew the level of His authority, He knew that he could command a soldier under him and he surly will obey however he knew also that the level of his authority does not span into the spirit realm hence he had to look for someone who had authority in that realm. His understanding brought healing to his son.
The seven sons of scaever had no understanding of what it means to have authority delegated to someone. They did not know that for the fact you walk with an army General does not confer upon you the authority of a General expect it has being delegated. They said to the demon-possessed man, we command you in the name of Jesus that Paul preaches, but the demon-possessed man said, Paul I know, Peter I know but who are you. The possessed man jumped at them and tore their clothes, because they were not authorized to do so. Anytime, you try to live in a realm wherein you are not authorized to, you eventually meet with problems. Please note that, for the fact that a person put on a military uniform without the required training and swearing-in that empowers him with authority does not make him a General, if caught he faces the wrought of the law. He will definitely be punished.
However, I have good news for you, as long as you are a born again child of God you have absolute authority over the devil and it’s agent to give them instruction and they cannot resist you irrespective of your age whether old or young, once you are truly born again, you can give orders which cannot be defaulted or rejected. The only reason why Christian are not living in dominion or position of authority is because many are ignorant of the word hence the devil takesadvantage of this ignorance to rub their nose on the floor. In anything you do, if you are ignorant of your
authority, you can be sure you cannot make the difference. Shalom.