THE AUTHORITY AND POWER OF KINGS
THE AUTHORITY AND POWER OF KINGS
Preached by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Sunday, January 23, 2011
One of the purposes of this study on Kings’ is to help all of us have a greater understanding of spiritual authority. In order to understand spiritual authority and for the church to rule and reign with King Jesus, we must learn from the Kingdom of God. The church of the First Born is still living below our provision.
The Kingdom of God is a theocracy and not run by garnering the majority of votes. God’s will, plan and purposes do not depend on popularity, public referendum, congressional debate, nor senate approval. God is the true Sovereign.
Today there are kings and queens in some nations who possess only ceremonial power. In many countries, the real power to govern and administrate the nation lies in the hands of the parliament, the prime minister, or the president. Though some kings and queens may still posses the title “sovereign”. Today, in reality, they do not possess the same degree of authority and power wielded by kings in Bible times.
On an appointed day of visitation, the Lord Jesus is going to download into the saints Rev. 5:9-10; “And they sung a new song, saying, You(Jesus) are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, tongue, people and nation; and have made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.”
When the ministry of kings and priests is raised up and established, the Church of Jesus Christ will move into a new level of spiritual authority and power. By faith, when they decree a thing in the Spirit while under the anointing and unction of the Holy Ghost, it will come to pass!” Job. 22:28: “You shall decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you, and the light will shall shine upon your ways.” Job was a great man of influence in the land of Uz. After the Lord proved him, he was given this anointing. Job’s fame lives on into the 21st century and through all eternity.
Kings wield much power. Power can either be a great blessing in the hands of a good man/woman or do much harm in the hands of an evil person.
This week during a time of prayer with Sara Ballenger and some intercessors with Capitol Hill Prayer Group, the Lord quickened a scripture to me.
Matthew 13:33: He (Jesus) told them another parable: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three “measures of meal until the whole was leavened.”
One small verse of scripture in the midst of thousands of other verses. I studied the commentaries. There are those who believe the “leaven” is the principle of corruption working subtly. It is used by our Lord in Mt. 16:11 as evil doctrine. After much prayer and meditation over the scripture, I tend to lean in agreement with H. L. Ellison (F.F. Bruce Bible Commentary). The parable is about the Kingdom of Heaven. He believes in this instance the leaven is symbolically neutral referring to the hidden forces the human spirit can release. The woman represents the church. The usual interpretation sees the rapid spread and all penetrating influence of the Kingdom through the church for good in this parable and the one prior to it on the Mustard Seed.
However, there is a Kingdom principle here of the three parts of the Kingdom journey: Outer court, Holy Place and Most Holy Place. Satan can read. He also knows the mystery of this parable for the advancement of his kingdom.
We see the bad leaven in the “prayer” given by Dr. Carlos Gonzales, Associate professor at the University of Arizona College of medicine at the Memorial Service at the University of Arizona:
CNSNEWS.com: “Wednesday night’s memorial service for the shooting victims in Tucson did not open with a prayer from a Jewish rabbi, a Protestant minister or a Catholic priest---it began with a Native American “blessing” that left many puzzled about what it meant and why it was performed. The prayer, which did not use the word “God” and did not make the traditional request for God’s comfort for the bereaved that many might have expected, did mention the Creator and called for “honoring” the Sven Directions (counterfeit of the Seven Spirits of God) including “Father sky” and “Mother Earth”---and remembering our “fellow creatures” who “crawl on the earth” and “slither on the earth.”
All of this is great deception, bad leaven. The deception of the anti-christ is that he will try to convince us that “he looks like us and we look like him”. The devil’s three measures of leaven are (1) familiarize; (2) equalize; (3) neutralize.
But there is the Kingly anointing of the Kingdom of God. Prov. 25: 2-3: It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter. As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable.”
BUT THE LORD HAS THOUGHTS AND PLANS THAT MAN KNOWS NOT OF:
Micah 4: 9-13: “Now, why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished? For pain has taken you as a woman in travail. Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion like a woman in travail; for now shall you go forth out of the city, and you shall dwell in the field, and you shall go even to Babylon, there shall you deliver. There the Lord shall redeem you from the hand of your enemies. Now also many nations are gathered against you that say, Let her be defiled (raped), and let our eye look upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of the Lord; neither do they understand his counsel; for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will make your horn iron and I will make your hoofs brass; and you shall beat in pieces many people; and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.”
The devil is a usurper. A usurper is one who seeks to take power or a position by unlawful means or by force. Lucifer the usurper sought to seize God’s position but failed (Isa. 14: 12-15) “How have you fallen from Heaven, ‘O Lucifer, son of the morning! How are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars (churches) of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see you shall narrowly look upon you, and consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; that made the worlds as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof, that opened not the house of his prisoners. All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. But you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass trodden under feet. You shall not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, and slain your people; the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.”
This usurping spirit of the devil is manifested in one form as the spirit of rebellion. This spirit works in opposition against God’s authority or representatives of His delegated authority. The devil hates and opposes the rule of God that operates through His church. Those who possess true spiritual authority threaten the devil and its works. Therefore the evil one will employ Jezebels in its schemes to weaken kings. Jezebels are forms of controlling and usurping spirits. They seek to undermine and weaken those in position of authority. Often these Jezebelic spirits work through people who allow themselves to be demonized (come under strong demonic influence) because of their carnality.
Some kings may have to contend with many foes because of the satanic assignments arrayed against them. King David had his fair share of enemies to contend with but God was with him and helped him overcome all his enemies. 1 Chr. 17:8: “I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth.”
1 Chr. 17:10: “Since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a house.”
Because of the spiritual foes that abound, dealing with rebellion and insurrection may at times be part and parcel of a king’s job. Though no king relishes such unwelcome tasks, these challenges do arise. Moses had to confront Korah’s rebellion. King David had to face Absalom’s coup and King Solomon had to deal with Adonijah’s scheming. Satan will try to steam roll the Lord’s anointed.
Bill Yount spoke a Word of Wisdom to me that will forever ring in my Spirit. I knew it was true, but it was such a comfort to hear it from a Prophet of the Lord. I have seen this over and over in ministers. He said, “You have stood in your calling and now you will have respect. Some will respect you, but others who walked along side will be jealous of you.” We must “overcome” that we are not hurt nor offended by the jealousy of others.
The spirit of rebellion that hates and opposes God’s rule and authority is often vented upon the authorized representatives of the High King of heaven. Even God had to deal with a situation in heaven, when Lucifer and a large number of angels that sided with him rebelled.
Rev. 12: 7-9: “And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the devil and satan, who deceives the whole world, he was cast to the earth, and the angels were cast out with him.”
The challenge against God’s authority will persist until God the Father makes His enemies the footstool of Christ. Ps. 110:1: “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool”.
Christians have to be on guard against the abuse of authority. We must never lord it over people. Authority is for serving and building up people. We are to help others develop and perfect their gifts and callings. “2 Cor. 10:8: “For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed.”
Kings possess measures of authority, wealth and power that can make wishes and dreams come true. They have the power to grant favor, open large doors of opportunities or grant promotions.
In 2 Kings 8: 1-6, a needy widow appealed to the king for the restoration of her house and land. The king was able to restore those things that rightfully belonged to the widow because he had the power and authority to do so.
The return of the widow is the principle of the restoration of the Church. The famine of seven years duration, double that of the famine in the time of Elijah (3-1/2 yrs) (James 5:17). The woman “arose” (In obedience), and “sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years!” So the church has been in the land of the enemy in a time of famine. At the end of the seven years, the widow returned, “and she went forth to cry unto the King for her house and for her land.” (8:3). at the same time Gehazi was rehearsing to the King “all the great things that Elisha had done.” As he was telling of the widow’s son being restored to life, the widow appeared to make her request! “O king, this is the woman (Church), and this is her Son (the overcomer). (Rev. 12: 1-5) The King appointed a certain officer (a type of the Holy Spirit). “Restore all that was hers and all the fruits (produce) of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.” Here we see God’s care for the Godly during a time of national judgment through the anointing of a Godly king.
Very often a person will not enter the fullness of his destiny until he meets with the divinely appointed person or persons. Joshua would not have had the anointing and spirit of wisdom to lead if not for Moses who mentored him and imparted to him through the laying on of hands. Deut. 34:9: “Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.”
King David would not have entered the fullness of his destiny if God had not arranged for him to come into contact with the judge, priest, and Prophet Samuel. Elisha would not have received the double-portion anointing without his spiritual father, Elijah. The ordinary fishermen from Galilee would not have become apostles if they had not followed the Master. Likewise, a person may not walk into the fullness of his destiny until he has come into a divine appointment and connection with one or more of these kings.
Joseph was elevated to the highest office soon after coming into the divinely arranged appointment with Pharaoh, the “King of Egypt’. Prophet Daniel was promoted prime minister after a divinely arranged appointment with the King of Babylon. Even heathen kings are used by God to fulfill His divine purposes.
We have King Jesus and the door that he opens, no man can close.
Preached by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V.; Bibliography: Ministry of Kings by: Pastor David Swan, West Malaysia; F. F. Bruce Bible Commentary, H. L. Ellison; CNSNEWS.COM; Crislam Throughout America by: Paul L. Williams, Ph.D.; Sara Ballenger; Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those from whom I have gleaned.