3 Aspects of Authority

We are strangers and pilgrims in this world, a peculiar people. We have learned that we have the authority to become children of God (John 1:13), and set the captives free as Jesus did, but before we try to resist and overcome evil we must execute this more primary authority: the authority to rule over our own flesh.

When the Bible speaks of our flesh, it means our basic human instincts. Jealousy, anger, pride—they all come naturally to us. But we are no longer under the government of this world which says we have to be true to ourselves! Now we are under the kingdom of God and free to follow Him.

Contemplation, a photo by ZeePack on Flickr.

Here are three aspects of the authority we have over our flesh:

1. We have authority to be born of the Spirit.

John 3:1-7 tells the familiar story of Nicodemus' visit to Jesus. It lets us know that our new citizenship starts with being born of the Spirit. Babies have new life, and when we are born again we will have new life. Ephesians 2:1-5 declares that "God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions." We were once carried along by our flesh, but now Jesus has given us a new heart and a new spirit and a new life. We've gone through a total DNA transfusion. 

2. We have authority to say "no" to the flesh. 

Romans 8:13 says, "if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live." We are no longer obligated to the flesh, helpless under its rule. We now have the authority to be obligated to the Spirit, and this is how we put to death the deeds of the flesh. Galatians 5:16-26 speaks of being led by the Spirit. When we talk about being led by the Spirit, most of the time it seems that we have an idea of hearing the Spirit and trying to interpret His words, when this passage actually makes it sound more like taking the Spirit's power within us to say, "I choose to follow this lifestyle" (love, joy, peace, etc.). We have the authority and power to bear the fruits of the Spirit.

This doesn't mean that the Spirit of God won't move us to do something or speak directly to us, but the everyday process of being led by the Spirit looks like us exercising our authority to be loving, joyful, peaceful people. This is what makes Spirit-led people distinctive. Only by God's power can we say "no" to our flesh, as if we were keeping a feisty dog on a leash. 

3. We have authority to deny our flesh new power. 

Galatians 6:7-8 lets us know that we are all sowing, every day of our lives. If we have the authority to manage our own flesh, we also have the authority to turn authority right back over to that flesh. We will continue to sin after salvation; the flesh is still with us and we must manage it. Be careful what seed you're sowing, because you'll always reap more than you sow. When we give the flesh a little power we will continue to give more and more and more, until we get into a horrible mess. 

In Romans 13:14, Paul writes, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." We are to make no plans to satisfy our flesh. We make plans to go on a trip, or make a meal, etc., but we should never make that kind of plan for the flesh. In other words, know your temptations. Plan ahead to avoid compromising situations and deal with your personal weaknesses. The Spirit doesn't come upon us and drag us into the Kingdom of God, where Jesus takes us by the hand to make everything easy so we can avoid all temptations and never make mistakes. It doesn't work that way. This is a matter of us exercising authority over ourselves. We can never use the excuse, "The Devil made me do it." We are in control. 

Do you believe that these are some of the foundational authorities we have been given through Christ? How are you being proactive in denying your flesh and follow the Spirit?