Under Authority, With Authority

Let me get here. Next weekend is our breaking barriers. It starts Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. That is our at our parent church at Fountain of Life in Elizabeth City. I know it’s a drive from Virginia beach, but I would highly recommend that if you get a chance to go, I would recommend that you go.

You will definitely not be disappointed. God does some amazing things. My wife and I have been doing this probably for about five years with Fountain of Life and ever since our first one, we typically do not ever miss them. They’re great. Great opportunity not only to fellowship and get to know people, but to be challenged.

If you want to be challenged in your relationship with Christ, then I would highly, highly recommend going down there again. That’s next Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I don’t know who’s speaking when, but I can tell you there isn’t a bad speaker among them. Worship is absolutely awesome today. Before we get started, real quick, a.

Couple announcements I want to go over before we get ready to receive our offering. We’re going to go ahead. I want to get the ushers ready. Ushers, ushers. Guess that’s you.

All right. Before we get ready. That’s another part of our worship. We don’t want to forget that. A couple things.

If you’re new to the church, Salt. Church, first of all, we want to welcome you. If you’re new online, we want to welcome you guys. Thank you for coming. Thank you for clicking on the button and showing up to the seat.

Next to you is a welcome card. It says my next steps. We want to welcome you to Salt Church. If you would not mind filling that out and getting that to Casey or Bailey at the front. My wife will also be at the front.

We have a gift for you. We love to welcome you, give you a hug, say thank you and just talk to you and get to know you. Also this week we’re going to resume our life group. This week on Wednesday nights, We meet at 7 o’ clock at Palon’s Baja Grill up at the beach. We are going to continue our walk through acts.

We will be going over, we’ll be kind of culminating between session four and session five. So I want to get you guys,. If you’re new and you still want to just come out, come on out, you’ll learn something. We sit around the table and we basically just break bread and we share. And I’ve really been surprised and I say that not in a bad sense.

I’ve been doing life groups for the last 20 plus years and this is actually. We usually do it in a home. But this is the first time a local church member has offered this restaurant and it’s his cousins. And he said, why don’t you guys try this? And we really like it.

I mean, we’ve really had some impactful conversation. It’s great. So I just want to thank you guys and if you guys want to come, Thursday as well is our Encounter nights. Now, that’s a little bit different. On Encounter Nights, we have no agenda.

We start at 7 o’ clock and we end when the Holy Spirit basically tells us that we’re ready to end. And that is here at this facility. We’ll usually either meet in here or meet out there. And we basically come for a night of prayer. If you have a need that you need prayer for, we will lay hands on you.

Yes, we do believe in the laying on of hands. We believe that God can do great and mighty things. We’ve seen God do great and mighty things. We’ve seen ears open up, eyes open up. We’ve seen back sealed.

We’ve seen deliverances. We’ve seen cancer healed. We have seen things done here in Salt Church. I want to tell you, Salt Church is not just. We’re not.

I don’t. I say this, and maybe I’m a little biased. Salt Church is just the church. Our sole purpose is to see the presence of God manifest in service, in everything that we do throughout the staff and throughout whatever we do outside of this church. Our goal is we want to see.

God move in the lives of believers as well as unbelievers. We want them to walk in victory. We want to walk them into authority. And understand that the enemy has been defeated. Okay?

He has been defeated. And as Salt Church, we’re here to help you and spice up your life a little bit and get you to. Realize that, hey, what he says in. This word is the real deal. And that’s why we’re here.

That’s why Salt Church has been here for 10 years. And we’re happy we’re here. We’re not going anywhere. And we’re expecting God to do great and mighty things. Amen.

Amen. All right, so with that being said,. The ushers will go ahead and they’re going to pass out the buckets while I’m speaking, but we’re going to go ahead and pray. Heavenly Father, I thank you for this time. I thank you, Lord God, for what.

You’re going to do. We’re going to bless you, Lord God, in our giving, in our tithes and offerings. Father God, I thank you for everything that you’re doing in our life. And I thank you. Bless our finances, Lord God.

Bless the giver as well as the gift. Make it multiply, Lord God, in your name we pray. Amen and amen. All right, so if you have your Bibles with me, you’re going to open them up. Our primary text is going to come from Luke and that’s going to be Luke 10 and 19.

I did not plan this. So over the past couple weeks I’ve just been kind of praying and saying, God, what do you want to talk to us about? What do you want us to do? And preparing messages and stuff. And I didn’t realize the next couple messages are actually, I, I don’t really do like, I don’t really plan series.

They just seem to happen and I don’t. That’s kind of weird. When I first started speaking here, we. Did a sermon and I did a. Said, well, I’m going to do a series and it’s going to be a three Sunday.

And I think it stretched out to be a five week series. Matt in the back would come to. Me and he’d go, hey, are we. Doing a continuation of the series? And I go, I don’t think so.

And by the end of it, he. Goes, I think it was. It’s just the way that the Holy Spirit works. Last week, if you weren’t here, we talked about where God changes the meaning. Of things and we talked about the.

Sword that David uses to slay Goliath. And how it was placed in the temple. We’re not going to go too deep into that. But basically David understood his authority that he had through God. So the title of today’s sermon is.

Is basically going to be under authority with authority. Now I want you to write this down. I am under. I am under his authority, therefore I can walk in his authority. Amen.

See, we’re going to talk about keys to biblical authority. Okay, We. Now I’m going to try not. I’m not very. I’m not a very deep person.

I mean, I like things very simplistic. Okay. But biblical authority is not something we manufacture. It’s something that we have received from Christ. We walk in it and we exercise according to his word.

So keys to biblical authority is basically knowing who you are, whose you are, and what you’ve been given. And in our primary text, in Luke 10:19, and it says, behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy. And. And nothing shall by any Means hurt you. He didn’t say, I’m going to give you power over some of the enemy.

He said, I’m going to give you power over all of the enemy. What does that mean? It means the enemy does not have any power that you don’t relinquish to him. And we’re going to get a little bit deeper into this because I think some of us need to realize it’s time to wake up. We need to get out of the depression, we need to get out of the anxiety.

Because why? Because 2000 years ago it was nailed to the cross. We have it. We don’t have to fight for it. We have it.

See, Kenneth Hagin said this in his book In Believers Authority. And if you’ve never read that book, I highly recommend that you get that book. We’ve given it away more times than not. And every time I know I go to the front door, Amazon shows up with another copy and I’m like, my wife. I go, we have this already.

She goes, no, it’s not. I gave it away. But he says this. Our combat with the devil should always be with the consciousness that we have authority over him because he is a defeated foe. Not that he will be.

He is. Hagin’s larger point is that believers authority isn’t based on personal strength. It rests on the very victory of Christ and his authority as he delegates it to the believers. The book specifically develops the idea that the church possesses authority that many believers. Have not yet recognized or exercised.

See, here’s the thing about counseling and not. And please understand this, and I’m not against counseling or psychiatry, so I want to get that perfectly straight. But they don’t get, they don’t make money on getting you together on one shot. Well, we need to see you for. Six weeks or eight weeks.

Well, we need to see you for this much time. It’s the same thing with doctors, okay? Let’s be honest. They don’t make money on getting on you living healthy. They don’t, okay?

The sicker they can leave a culture or a society, the more money they make. Let’s be quite honest about that, okay? I, I’m learning that now, okay? I get coached by my wife, by my good friend’s wife. She sat out there, you need to do this, this and this.

And you know what? And they’re all right. Because it really comes down to good, clean eating. Good friend of mine says, hey, maybe what you need to do is stop eating after 7:00 or 6:00′. Clock.

I’m like, dude, really? Come on. I like the snack. He goes, yeah, well, what do you want to do? But it’s just.

It’s true. Healthy living does not pay for their airplanes, for their houses, for their vacation house. It just doesn’t. But what God says is God saying,. I have the answer.

I nailed your disease to the cross 2,000 years ago. I took care of cancer, then I took care of disease. Then what I need you to do is start walking in it. Believe what I say. So as we go forward on this, See, now, understand this authority is way different than power.

Sometimes we confuse the two. Well, if I have authority, I have power. No, let’s understand this. Power is the ability to do something. Authority is the right to do something.

See, a police officer has. A police officer has the authority to pull you over and arrest you. Now, he may be small, he may not have the power, but he has the authority. Why? Because it’s the position that he comes from.

The authority doesn’t come from an individual. It comes from the position he represents. See, a police officer has the authority that was given to him by us as the citizen. Okay? And it’s just important that, see, some of the battles you will never sit, you will never win simply because you are stronger.

Jesus said, all power is given unto me into heaven and into earth. He turned around to the disciples, and what did he say in Acts? Go. Because he says, in other words, I have the authority. And now I’m giving you the authority.

That’s the foundation of biblical authority. You don’t have to manufacture it. You don’t have to pretend you have it. You don’t have to scream to make it work. You have to understand where it comes from and learn how I’m going to walk in it.

We don’t confront the enemy to try to become victorious. We confront him because Jesus has already won the victory. We don’t fight for authority. We learn to walk in the authority that Christ has already given to us. Some of us need to write that down because we live in a constant state of, oh, woe is me.

I just. I don’t. I don’t know if I can make it today. Just. I just don’t know.

I just. You know, I’m just gonna sit in my chair and I’m gonna eat my bag of chips and I’m gonna watch the news and I’m just gonna go deeper into depression. You know, maybe sometimes having a little. Sand between your toes and a little bit of salt water between your. Your legs, maybe that’ll help you out.

Maybe getting out there and seeing what God’s doing and say, God, you know what I mean? I’m in your glory. We just saw what God did over the week. You know what? Look, weather.

Weather’s controlled by God. Weather’s controlled by God. I know. Alex told me this morning. He’s like, hey, dude.

He goes. He says, man, he goes, you know, it’s raining and it’s a little windy outside. He goes, I don’t. I don’t think I’m gonna put the. Tent and the flags up.

And I sat there and I was like. I almost thought. I was like, yeah, well, you know,. And then a minute, I was like, no, go put the flags out. We’re gonna put the tent out, and we’re gonna believe that God’s gonna do something.

He said, he come in, he goes, I walked outside, and I’m like, where’d. The sun come from? Alex goes, dude, he goes, this is no lie. He goes, I put the stake in. The ground and went to hit it with a hammer.

And I turned around and, man, the sun. This guy just opened up and I’m like, God, we’re gonna be obedient in what you want us to do as a church. We’re gonna be obedient. We’re gonna act with excellence. I’ve had people go, well, you know, you just act like you’re just a big church.

Well, why wouldn’t I act any different? Because I know the authority that I walk in. I don’t care how many churches are in the area. They can add another one for all I care. Salt.

Salt. Salt ain’t going nowhere, okay? Spread the word. We’re here. We’re gonna put up the tent, we’re gonna put out the flags.

We’re gonna play music loud. We’re gonna serve bad coffee. I made the coffee, okay? I made the coffee. I made the coffee.

I like it strong. Somebody looked at me, goes, man, you like coffee like jet fuel. Never been in the military, but, hey, I’ll take that. We’ll take that. So, anyway, let’s go over some keys.

We’re going to talk about keys, and I’m going to try not to keep you too long. We’ll get out before the Baptist hit the local grill, so we’ll be good. Look, just don’t worry. Hey, look, lucky oysters. Really great.

Okay. Really good food. I tell you what, no frills grill,. Man, we love that. That’s.

I love that. We’ll take that. Palons is even better. I love palons. There you go, awesome.

Okay, enough about food. Write this down. Key number one. Key number one. Authority begins with submission.

James 4, 7 says, Submit yourself, therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee. Notice the order here. Submit, then resist. See, part of the problem is, is that a lot of Christians, they get that backwards.

They want to resist, but they don’t want to submit. See, you can’t properly exercise authority until you’ve learned to live under the authority. See, my kids are learning now, okay? The dad wasn’t such a hard head, okay, when he was disciplining. Because I’m watching my son going, really, dad?

So my. My son now yells at me because my grandson will sit at the table and they’ll discipline him. I’m going, come here, Liam, come here. And my. And then he sits there and goes, dad, really?

Come on. Guess what? But see, Jesus demonstrated this himself in John 5 and 30. It says, I can of my own self do nothing. Jesus wasn’t saying that he lacked power.

What he’s simply saying is that I get. I submit to the Father, and the Father is the one that gives me the power. See, in Matthew 8, 9, it says, for I. This was. This was a conversation that the disciples were having or that Jesus was having with.

With one of the centurions. And he came and he said, for I am a man under authority and I have soldiers under me. The secret here is, is that he understood the. Because I am under authority, I have authority. Understand that.

Bear with me a minute. This is why I should just do notes. Sorry. Ah, Lord, there we go. All right.

Because I’m author, I am. I am under authority. I can exercise the authority. So, see, this is what the word. That the church needs.

Authority is not independence from God. Authority is alignment with God. You don’t become more authoritative by becoming more independent. Actually, it’s the opposite of that. You become more authoritative by being more submitted the more you submit to God.

The greatest evidence that you have authority over the is not how loudly you rebuke him. You could stand on your head and rebuke the enemy all you want. It’s how completely you have submitted yourself to God. God says, we stand there and going, God, why haven’t you done this? Maybe the fact of the matter is you look at yourself in the mirror and go, God, why have I not submitted myself fully to you?

Because I know in my life, I don’t know if you’re like this. Sometimes I get the feeling that I know more than God. Guess what? After 58 years of marriage, after 58 years of marriage. Number one.

I don’t. Let me just. I don’t. But God has all the authority. And the more that I submit to him, the more that he begins to.

Align things in my life. Number two. Write this down. Authority comes from knowing who you are in Christ. Ephesians 2.

6 Says, and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Jesus Christ. Notice the language. Raised, seated in Christ. Your authority begins with your position. Before you can ever do anything for God, you have to understand what God has already done for you.

You’re not fighting for victory. You’re fighting from the position of victory. Understand this. You don’t want to. You go, God, why do I feel defeated?

Probably because you’re operating within the position of defeat. You get out of bed already being defeated. Try this. When you get out of bed in the morning and your feet hit the floor, look at the enemy and go, I’m awake. I’m operating today through the position of the authority that’s already been given over me.

He gave it to us. You’re not fighting for victory. You’re fighting with being in that position. There are three. There are major differences here.

See, the enemy wants you to fight from the position of fear. God wants you to operate from the position of where your identity is. Where’s your identity? Is your identity in what the doctor told you? Is the identity in where your bank account is?

Or how about your career? Maybe your identity is in your career. Okay, I know sometimes that the greatest thing that ever happened to me is the day that I got fired. Because the fact of the matter is that I realized is that I was trying to operate in an identity that God didn’t want me in. He’s like, you’re not subservient to any.

Man,. But you’re subservient to me. And when you listen to me, I’m going to move you into the position that I want. See, John 1:12 says, but as many received him, to them, he gave them power to be sons of. Of God.

So you’re not an outsider. You’re a son, you’re a daughter. You belong to him. The authority flows directly from the relationship, from heavenly places into you. You have the authority of the king.

Act like it. See, the sons of Sceva, kind of, they understand. They understood this the hard way. See, if you read in Acts 19 and 13 of chapter 19, verses 13 and 15. See, they tried to use the name of Jesus without actually knowing them.

See, honestly, that’s like. That’s like Present day of throwing a name out there of somebody in the mafia, and you don’t know them, good luck. Let me know how that feels. Because, see, I’ve hung out with somebody. That actually knew somebody,.

And they were like, you know, they didn’t just throw the name. And the fact of the matter is,. When the name came out, they were like, ooh. See, the demons under the demons turned around and answered the sons of Sceva. And they said, well, Jesus, I know, Paul, I know, but who are you?

They knew the name, but they didn’t. Know the person of Jesus. See, you cannot borrow authority from somebody else’s relationship with God. You can’t sit here and go, you. Know, I go to salt church.

So by the power and the blood that Pastor Carl speaks of, and go, no, it doesn’t work that way, brothers and sisters. Let me explain something to you. If you’re going and if you’re online, if you’re going to a church, and they go, hey, we’re here to put butts in seats and this is what we want. And you walk out of here and go, yeah, because I go to church. Because I check the box.

Guess what? You’re in for a rude awakening and a big hurt. Because the idea behind church, especially salt church, is to say we’re here to let you know you have the power. You get to walk out that door and you walk in. The same power that’s in here, that’s out there.

That authority. That authority and that presence and the power that God has here doesn’t stop here. The moment you cross that threshold. It doesn’t. Because God, the same God that operates in here is the same God that operates out here.

Somehow we choose to forget that. Your position in Christ is not based on where you warm a seat. It’s based on whose you are. And the moment that you realize that I walk in the authority and the power of the king, there is nothing the enemy can do. Nothing.

Sorry, getting a little excited. Your authority is not rooted in your. Your authority is rooted in your relationship with Jesus Christ. Understand this. You may want to write this down.

I don’t have to fight like I’m a defeated because I’m standing in the authority of the one who has already won. He beat him 2,000 years ago. The enemy thought that he nailed him. He buried him in a tomb. But on the third day, he rose again.

And the enemy went, oh, my, oh my, what happened? What happened? And Jesus came out and he kicked the hell’s gates open. And he said, not today, Satan. Give me the keys, because they’re mine.

They’re mine. But the enemy. The enemy doesn’t have to defeat you just by causing or throwing a disease on you. All he’s got to do, and we’re going to get to that, all he’s. Got to do is discourage you.

Key number three. Authority is exercised in the name of Jesus. Acts 3 and 6 says Jesus, Peter said, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. Notice he didn’t say to the cripple, in the name of Peter, or, I’m an apostle. I don’t go because I’m a pastor.

I’m going to pray for you and you’re going to be healed. What we do here is we say in the name of Jesus, because in the name, that name of Jesus represents authority. It represents character. It represents power. It represents the person behind who stood on the cross and bore my sins and said, that authority I give you.

It’s like having somebody that gives you a check and they sign the back of that check. See the authority. The name that’s on that check is. What’s guaranteed that you’re going to get paid Sometimes. Sometimes.

Let’s manage our expectations. See what it means to operate in the name of Jesus. You’re not saying by my power. You’re saying his authority. Philippians 2, 9, 11 says this God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name.

See, there is no other name above his name. Cancer is not above his name. Fear is not above his name. Hell is not above his name. Your past is not above his name.

Failure is not above his name. Your circumstances are not above his name. See, when you don’t know what to say, remember his name. When you don’t know what to do, remember Christ’s name. When you don’t know where to turn, remember his name.

Because there’s authority in the name of Jesus. And understand this. You’re his child. Your child. You’re his child.

Key number four. This is where sometimes we kind of. Get off track a little bit. Authority must always agree with the Word. See, where there is biblical authority, it becomes.

It’s different from presumption. You can’t just declare anything you want. And call it biblical authority. Well, I want that Cadillac, and I’m going to go lay my hands on that Cadillac. Really?

You check the word really? Because the last time I checked, you. Might be living in a Cadillac, but I could check your bank records and maybe the fact you may want to check your tithe record. I mean, I’m just saying, you can believe God for a Cadillac, but you can’t believe in giving him 10 bucks in the offering and going, God, your first mint is yours. We have a problem with that.

See, Hebrews 4:12 says this, for the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword. See, Jesus demonstrated this in the wilderness through Matthew 4. Three times Satan attacked Jesus, and three times what did he do? It is written he didn’t pull up to a table and negotiate with the enemy. He didn’t panic.

He went to the Word. See, here’s the principle with this one. Biblical authority never operates independently of biblical truth. It’s written, we used to say growing up, my wife and I in the early 80s, if he said it, I believe it. That settles it.

And the fact of the matter is, if God told it to me in a dream or told it to me in prayer, I go to Word. It’s in there. Guess what? It’s done. It’s done.

You say, well, how? We were talking about that this morning. And he says, well, how does that work? Well, I know because God has already laid out four promises for the Salt Church. I’m standing in it.

He said it, I believe it. It doesn’t matter where I stand physically, it doesn’t matter where I stand mentally. God already said it. He already said this church is going to succeed. He already said that Salt Church is going to reach Virginia Beach.

He already said that he was going to open up the portals of heaven. He said it. I’m just holding him to it. And it’s the same with you. God put a promise on you.

He put a call on your life. Stop walking away from it because you only make things more difficult when you submit to him and look at His Word and see his promises. See, if the Word says forgive, then forgive. If the Word says resist the devil, then resist. If the Word says pray, then pray.

If the Word says, and this is. Hard, the Word says, love my enemies, love your enemies, and sometimes the right hand of fellowship, you know, just kidding. But if the Word says give, then give. Because biblical authority, it isn’t giving me. Permission to make God’s Word say what I want.

The authority, it gives me the courage. To do what God’s Word already says. He said it in here. He said, he is my Jehovah Jireh. He is my Jehovah Nissi.

He is my Jehovah, Rapha. He is my provider. He is my healer. God didn’t say by his stripes, you May be healed, he said, by your stripes you are healed. He says, the flowers of the field and the birds of the air, they have want for nothing.

Why? Because I take care of them. Well, God, how much more would I not? I’m not going to worry. Key number five.

Authority is demonstrated through obedience. This may be a really important key. See, often we think authority is demonstrated when a demon flees. But sometimes authority is demonstrated when you obey God, even when everything you want. To tells you not to.

Jesus said in Luke 6:46, it says, and why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things that I say. It’s kind of like a parent. I tell my kid not to do that. I tell my grandson, don’t do that. He goes and does it anyway.

And then there’s punishment after this. And go, well, why didn’t you listen to me? Well, Papaw, you don’t love me? No, I love you. I love you enough because I’m going to discipline you.

Because if you get hit by a. Car, I don’t get to discipline you anymore. I love you too much. You cannot separate authority from obedience. If Jesus is Lord and his Word has authority over me, here’s the progression, and I want you to understand this.

Write this down if you need to. Relationship produces identity. Identity produces confidence. Submission produces alignment. Alignment produces authority, and authority produces obedience.

And what does obedience produce? Fruit. Fruit. Number six. Authority is not controlled.

It’s not about control. See, and this is especially for the. Church at large, Biblical authority is not about domination. It’s not about manipulation. It’s not about intimidation or not control or controlling people.

Jesus completely changed the world’s understanding of what leadership truly is. See, the idea is, and I’m learning. This, I’m learning this and being in. Ministry almost 40 years, you know, having conversations with friends of mine, and there were certain aspects of kind of redoing. And rethinking the whole way of church.

And how it is. There are certain words and aspects that. Used to kind of give me pause for concern. And, you know, some of those are like, well, we’ve got to make the church attractional or we’ve got to do this and we got to do that. And I was always like, you know, systemologies and processes and procedures used to always just kind of.

They raised the hair on the back. Of my neck until somebody taught me recently that, dude, you’re overthinking it. Number one, the Holy Spirit is not a spirit of chaos. And how do you think Jesus was. Able to preach to the thousands is.

Because in essence, Jesus was. He was attractional. The fact of the matter is, is that I bet you if I put a barbecue pit out there and let it sit there for about 24 hours, I probably have a line. But here’s the one thing I noticed. We can be attractional because what does.

The word of God says? The word of God says, if you. Lift me up, I will draw all men unto me. So the fact is, is that I had to get, as a pastor, getting into my crawl and say, you know what, God? Then I want to do it your way.

And then what God does is that God then begins to bring people into my life that says, hey, I. I want to show you how to do. This the right way. Because obviously, wherever you learn that from, you didn’t get it the right way. But what we’re going to do is, yes, we want to be a church that cultivates the atmosphere for the Holy Spirit.

We want to cultivate people to think. On their owns about the Word of. God so that when they can walk out, they walk in and walk through the week in victory and not defeat. And that’s the key. See first Peter 5 and 2 and 3.

Peter was telling him neither as being Lord, lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And see, this is powerful because biblical authority means I serve. The church isn’t here to serve me. See, Jesus had all the authority in heaven and earth, but what did he do? He washed feet.

Here is the God, the representative, the God of, of the human race, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and he lowers himself to wash the. Feet of the disciples. And yet we have some leaders in church that won’t even get out of their own way or step out front to shake a hand or give a. Hug or pray over somebody. We’ve gotten away from being the church.

We’ve gotten away from being salt, the savor, bringing flavor back into people’s lives, letting them know that, hey, man, you’re not in this alone. And we need to get back to that. See, if your authority requires you to make everybody beneath you, then you’ve misunderstood the kingdom. The kingdom authority doesn’t ask, how many people can I control? It asked, how many people can I serve?

Can I equip, Can I protect? And how can I lead them towards Jesus Christ? See, I’ve learned this, and maybe this is something that a lot of people need to understand. Does your church leaders, your pastor, smell like the sheep? Do they smell like the sheep?

I’ve learned I want to smell like the sheep. Now, I’m a country boy and I’m used to digging in stalls, so this is a shift for me because I can’t tell you the last time that my feet touched sand. I’m just being honest. These white legs, I don’t know. Okay?

I know my team, they’re like, hey, we’re going to get you on a surfboard. Do you really want to do that? You really want to do? Because I’m telling you right now, that may not be a good idea. Okay?

It’s a God idea. It’s a God idea. But let me explain something to you. This area is one of the darkest. Areas on east coast.

And we’re not here because it’s a good idea. We’re here because it’s a God idea. We’ve been here for 10 years and we ain’t leaving. The enemy has tried. The enemy’s done everything he can.

But I’m letting you know right now, Salt Church is as big as it’s ever going to get. And we’re going to keep going and we’re going to keep moving forward. We’re going to let the enemy know we’re going to be knocking on his door because we’re here to let people know that you’re going to walk in the authority that Jesus Christ gave you. You’re going to walk down in Virginia beach. You’re going to walk into your job, you’re going to walk into your school with the authority that Jesus gave you.

Walk in his authority. And that brings us to our next key. Authority must be exercised. See, if authority is never exercised, it doesn’t accomplish anything. See, a police officer can stand at a stoplight and have somebody blow through it and do absolutely nothing.

Is he operating in his authority? No. See, Jesus didn’t give us authority so we could talk about it. He gave us authority so we could walk in it. We need to walk in his authority.

Luke 9:1 says, Jesus and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases. He didn’t say, give you a power over some of the devils and cure some diseases. He said, all. All. It doesn’t matter what’s going on in your life.

It doesn’t matter how you feel. It doesn’t matter what sickness or depression you’re coming into conclusion with. Let me tell you something, brothers and sisters. Jesus gave you the authority. His blood covered it.

You just need to walk in it. You just need to walk in it. See, you’ve already been given the authority. Now you just need to take that Assignment. See, authority isn’t merely about what you can overcome.

It’s about what you’ve been set to accomplish. God didn’t give you authority to just survive. He gave you authority to advance the kingdom. So here’s three things I want that every believer should know. Three questions that you need to ask.

Yourself every single day. Especially when the enemy comes in for an attack. Who am I? When the enemy looks at you and. He goes, who are you?

You look at him and you go, I’m a child of God. I am in Christ. I have been redeemed and I have been given a new identity. That’s who I know I am. Number two,.

Whose authority do I carry? I don’t carry my authority. I don’t carry Salt Church’s authority. I don’t even carry the government’s authority. Carry his.

I’m not representing myself. I’m representing Jesus. And number three, what have you been sent to do? Why are you here? What plans does God have?

You’re not here just to survive. You’re not here just to attend church. You’re not here just to protect yourself. But listen what the Word says. He says, go, preach, pray, serve, love, make disciples and advance the kingdom.

That’s why we’re here. You want the answer to life? There it is, right there. He said, you’re to go. You’re to preach, you’re to pray, you’re to live, you’re to love your life, you’re to love, and you’re to make disciples.

Well, I’m not a preacher. I’m not an evangelist. No, that’s fine. But you’re going to abide in His Word every day. He’s going to give you boldness and authority.

God’s going to bring people in your life that you’re going to be able to speak to. Maybe somebody needs to hear this. Stop setting God on a shelf. Start letting him walk with you. Start abiding in Him.

See, here’s the danger of forgetting your authority. The enemy doesn’t always have to defeat you. Sometimes he just has to convince you that. That you’re powerless. See, if he can convince you, there’s nothing you can do.

You’re just a victim. Your problem’s too big. God’s not going to do that. Look at your past. Come on.

You honestly think you can get out of that? See, he doesn’t have to take your authority. He just has to get you to surrender it. Jesus said in 10 Luke 10:19, Behold, I give unto you power. He didn’t say, well, maybe I’LL give you power.

He didn’t say, well, maybe I’ll get. You to feel strong enough. No, he said, I gave you power. 2000 Years ago when he shed his blood on the cross. That blood gave you power.

That blood throws, flows through your veins. When you say, jesus, I will surrender myself to you. You have all power over depression. You have all power over disease. You have all power over sickness.

We just need to walk in it. Somebody told me one time, they said, you know what? You know what, Carl? Maybe what you need to do is. Stop talking about what’s wrong with you and start walking into what’s right about you.

I said, oh, yeah, that’ll preach. And it’s. But it’s true. So as we start to kind of bring this down, I want you to understand something. Today you’re not fighting for a position you don’t have.

You’re learning. I want you to learn to walk. In a position that Christ has already given you. I’m not. When you stay, if.

Look, if you’re a Christian and you stood up at the altar at some point in time in your life, you. Said, God, I just can’t do this thing called life anymore. God, I’m getting my life to you. It’s kind of like the old. I don’t know how many of you guys used to read.

We had to read what’s called Pilgrim’s Progress when I was in school. And somehow the dude, he walks up. With his satchel and he puts it. Down at the cross, but then when he gets ready to leave, he picks it back up. It’s like, why?

Why? God’s not saying, well, I need you to be a preacher. I need you to be an evangelist. Look, if God has called you into the ministry. Listen to what I’m saying.

If God. If you knowingly that God has called. You into the ministry, you need to walk in that authority and do what he’s telling you to do. And I could tell you right now, you’re in the best church to cultivate that, because as a pastor and as a team, we want to cultivate that in you. Because we need more soldiers in the field.

We do. But look, if he hasn’t. He’s called you to be an ambassador. He’s called you to be a missionary. Where you’re at, it doesn’t make a difference if you’re in the military, you’re.

You’re doing a job, it doesn’t make a difference what you’re doing, even in your own family. Be the witness. Be the witness. See, the enemy. See, the enemy wants to intimidate you.

God wants to establish you. The enemy wants you confused. But God wants you grounded in his word. The more time you spend in this. What did Jesus say when the enemy tempted him three times?

It is written, so when the enemy comes in like a flood and you start quoting scripture, guess what? He’s got no rebuttal. The enemy wants you to operate in fear. God says, I want you to operate in faith. The enemy wants you to look at the size of the battle that you’re in instead of looking at the victory that you’ve already won.

See, we went over David last week. David didn’t defeat Goliath because David was bigger. David defeated Goliath because David understood something Goliath didn’t understand. Goliath was looking at David. David was looking at God.

And when you know who sent you, you don’t have to be intimidated by what stands in front of you. Let me say that again for some people that didn’t understand that, okay? When you know who sent you and you know whose you are, you don’t have to be intimidated by the garbage that stands in front of you. See, when the enemy comes in, don’t forget who you are. When the fear comes in, don’t forget whose you are.

When the battle gets bigger, don’t forget what you’ve been given. When you don’t know what to say, say the name of Jesus Christ. When you don’t know what to do, just stand on the word of God. God, this is all I got, God. I got a doctor’s report that says that I’m done.

I. I’ve only got so much time to live but God, 2,000 years ago. These are your promises and I’m going. To stand on them. You don’t know where to go.

You follow the spirit. Spirit, lead me. Lead me and I will follow. See, when the enemy tells you that you can’t and you’re never going to win, all you got to do is remind him and go. I’m not standing in my authority, I’m standing in his.

See, you’re wasting your time, you ugly. You just need to go. Because I know where my victory, it’s already been won and there ain’t nothing you can do about it, okay? Authority’s been given unto me. Jesus said to God, so church today, you need to go in his authority, you need to pray in his authority.

Pray like you mean it. Stop these popcorn prayers. Stop these little two minute prayers. Well, let me get up and hit my bed God, thank you for today. Lord God, just get into your prayer closet.

Start calling down the Holy Spirit. Start naming names. Start telling the enemy, you’re not going to have today, you’re not going to have tomorrow. You didn’t have yesterday, you ain’t got today either. Start walking in his authority.

Say prayers that just talk to him like you’re talking to your dad. It’s like, how many times have I thought about, you know, man, I would love to be able to have another. Conversation with my grandfather, just to have another conversation with him, or just even my best friend or my brother, just have a conversation with him. But the fact of the matter is, I can have a conversation with God every single day. And he listens to me.

I just got to make the time. God looks at his schedule and says, hey, buddy, I’m wide open. It’s up to you. See, we stand in his authority, we serve in his authority, we speak his. Word and we carry his name.

And ultimately we walk the authority that. Christ Jesus has given you. So everybody stand. We’re going to end. I’m getting you out in time.

So I want you guys to understand this. The question isn’t whether you have authority. The question is whether you know where it came from or whether you’re submitted to the One who gave it, or whether you’re willing to use it for his kingdom. You don’t have to become somebody else. God’s not saying, I need you to change who you are.

I want you to forget about everything. What you do is you have to. Become fully surrendered to the One who has already given you the authority. See, today there may be something going. On in your life, and you go, you know, I just.

I don’t know. I just don’t know. I’m here to tell you, God’s standing in front of you and he’s saying, release it to me. I got this. I got this.

I already beat it. I already beat the cancer. I already beat the debt. There’s a reason why I took your job from you. You just haven’t realized it yet.

It’s not you. It’s because I allowed it to happen. He’s not saying, look, the position where you’re at, I. I’m churning you. I’m turning the waters around you.

Because what I’m doing is. I’m trying to show you I’m getting ready to do something. I’m getting ready to do something. And what I need you to do is, are you willing to submit yourself. To my authority.

With every head bowed. And every Eye closed. I just. I feel like the Holy Spirit’s saying, there’s people here. You’ve been trying to do this on your own.

You’ve been trying to live out your walk with the Lord on your own terms. And God says, today is the day. That it ends, it stops. It’s time for you to get out. Of that rat race.

Because I got something better for you. I got something that I want to bless you. I want to do things in your life. If you just give it over to me and let me do it. If you willing to lay the depression down, if you’re willing to lay.

Look, I’m not denying. We’re not denying what the doctors are saying. We see the results. We see this. But are you going to walk in the manifestation of his glory and his promise?

Because, brother, sister, I’m going to tell you right now, I’m right there. I’m right there. You’re not talking to somebody. You’re not looking at somebody that doesn’t know. I know.

God has got blessing after blessing after blessing after blessing that he wants to unleash on your life. And he’s just saying, I’m standing right here. Just let me in. Just let me in. If you don’t know, if you’re online and you’re here at the church and you don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then I just.

Real quick, I want you to say this prayer with me. And what we’re going to do is if you’re online, I want you to just email in or just go online and just say, hey, I accepted Christ today. And if you’re here today and you’re saying, I made a recommitment, meet me out front and I want to hug you and I want to pray for you and say, welcome back. Heavenly Father, say this right now in your mind. Heavenly Father, today I commit my life back to you in the name of Jesus.

Father, I pray that you would watch my feet, that I would walk in your plans and not my plans. Father, I pray that you would forgive me for my sins. Forgive me for being ignorant of your word. Lord God, forgive me for walking away. Lord God.

Father, I pray right now, this day I accept you and welcome you back into my heart and ask that you would be Lord and king over my life. Guide me and help me in Jesus name. If you’re here today and you’ve been walking with the Lord, but your walk is just so hard. You’re going. Pastor, I just don’t know.

I just don’t know. Let me explain something to you, brother, Sister. Everything in this word. This is what I hold on to. I don’t hold on to what the doctors tell me.

I don’t hold on to what the bank tells me. I don’t hold on to what my. My boss tells me. I hold on to this. Because if.

I’m abiding in his word and I’m doing everything that he wants me to do, I cannot go wrong. All I got to do is just listen to him and he’s gonna direct my paths. If you’re struggling today, then what I want you to do is I want you to put that struggle at the forefront. And we’re going to pray and we’re. Going to believe and declare that Jesus is going to do something.

Starting the very moment you walk out that door. I’m going to pray and believe and decree and declare that you’re going to see noticeable changes in the areas that you need in your life. Heavenly Father, I just pray right now. For these needs that are represented here. Father, I pray that right now, whether it be financial, whether it be career or family, or sickness or disease, or.

Marriage or whatever it may be, Lord. God, I pray right now. We place it at the altar, we place it at your feet, and we decree and declare that it is now covered in the blood of Jesus Christ. That we are gaining our authority back. In the name of the Lord.

We’re getting our authority back. Father God, I’m going to stand today. On the authority of the word, Father,. I pray that beginning today that you would enlighten your word unto my life, Father, that we would be a lamp shining under my feet, Lord God. Father, I pray right here, right now, I would be set free in the name of Jesus, Father, help me to be the light, Lord God, that you need me to be.

Help me every day to recognize my authority in you. Help me to never take that for granted. And when the enemy comes in, let me look at him dead in his beady eyes and go, it is written, I’m a child of the king. I’m not going to walk in defeat. I’m going to walk in victory.

Because that victory is from the position that I already have and it’s been given to me. I thank you for what you’re going to do, Lord God. And I praise you, Lord God, for the testimonies that are going to come out of this. I pray for Salt Church, Lord God, today. I pray that we would be the light, Lord God, no matter where we go.

I pray for the safety of our military. Father, I pray for all those that have been affected by the nor’. Easter. Lord Jesus, I pray that you would meet the provisions. Lord God, I thank you for what you’re going to do.

I thank you for the testimonies that are already being cultivated in your name. Amen and amen and amen. Well, amen. Love you guys. Thank you for sharing Sunday with us again.

Wednesday night Bible study, 7 o’ clock at Palon’s and Thursday night 7 o’ clock right here at this facility next week we as I said before is breaking barriers. We are still going to have our life group and night so we’re still. Going to do that. We’re going to continue with the schedule as it we’re not going to cancel. So that’s where we stand.

I love you guys. Go with Christ. He’s going to go with you. Bless you. God bless every one of you.