Rom. 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. ³For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. ⁴ For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. ⁵Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. ⁷Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

1 Peter 2:13-17 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme. ¹⁴ or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. ¹⁵ For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— ¹⁶ as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. ¹⁷ Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

          We must settle in our hearts that all governing authority comes from God, in whatever form. Not just our spiritual authority that we see in church leadership, (pastors, associate pastors, ministry department leaders, etc.) but the natural governing authorities as well. (Local government, state government, the president, law enforcement, commanding officers, bosses, teachers, parents, landlords, etc.)

          All of these people are appointed and anointed to fulfil a certain role in the lives of people. Not just Christians, but all people. Whether we agree with that authority or not, it doesn’t change the fact that God put them there for a specific purpose, to fulfil a specific role, and we are to honor that person as God’s representative. His delegated authority. Yes, even the ones that you didn’t vote for, and the ones you think are evil.

Titus 3:1-2 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, ² to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

          In the last 60-70 years we have lost so much concerning honor and respect for authority that in our society today, people have no problem speaking evil about the President, parents, teachers, law enforcement, or anyone else that they don’t agree with. It is pathetic, dishonorable, and shows the absolute depravity of our generation.

          It is amazing to me how many “Christians” believe that they have rights. The right to automatic respected, the right to speak any way, about anyone they choose. The fact is, you can be right in your position and sacrifice your righteousness. Being right and being righteous are not always the same.

          If you truly give your life to Christ, you lay down your personal rights. It’s no longer about you, it’s about God and others. It’s about Love that never seeks its own benefit or agenda. Being born again means that you were purchased, paid for, redeemed.

          If you buy a house and pay for it in full, you have the right to move in and do what you wish with the house. God the Father purchased you with the precious blood of Christ so that He could come and live in. He sent the Holy Spirit to clean up the house and prepare it for His habitation.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

          Obedience to God’s authority is what enables you to host the presence of God. Look at what Jesus said to His disciples just before the crucifixion.

John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

John 14:23  Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

FAITH WORKS BY LOVE!

          You can’t be completely submitted to Christ and refuse to submit to authority. They go hand in hand. To be submitted to one you must be submitted to the other. If you don’t submit to one, you are not submitted to the other. They are the same.

          If we don’t come to this realization we will live a powerless, frustrated Christian life. The measure of Christ’s authority expressed in our life is in direct proportion to the authority we understand and are submitted to. If we are not under authority, we will have no authority.

          Submission to authority is not submission to a person. It is submission to God. It is an act of love and honor for God and His appointed/delegated authority, as well as the anointing upon that person. It is an act of faith that shows your trust in God’s way of doing things.

1 Peter 2:18-19 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. ¹⁹ For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

          Many Christians believe that they are submitted to authority and yet they speak negatively about their President, other government officials, law enforcement, their boss, their pastors or leaders, and think its ok. It is not! When you speak against authority, you speak against God Himself! You actually subvert your own authority when you speak against those over you.

          You may say, “I didn’t vote for that person so I don’t recognize their authority.” That just means that you don’t understand submission, you don’t understand authority, and you don’t understand who you are, and who’s you are.

          Until you disagree with authority you don’t have the opportunity to practice submission. Submission can only occur when you don’t see things the same way your authority sees them. Disagreement is when submission is tested.

          To believe is to obey. Obedience is the act of faith. Disobedience is the act unbelief. Until you submit to authority, you will never have true spiritual authority. That means authority over sickness, devils, poverty, oppression, the elements, nature. Jesus had authority because He was in perfect submission. Even unto death!

          God has called us not only to receive life through faith, but also to maintain His authority through obedience. God’s plan for us in the church is for us to submit to His authority and to all the authorities He has established. This covers our home, our government, our school, the church, and so forth. He does not want to specifically mark out whom we should submit to. As long as we have met God’s authority in the Lord, we should learn to submit to authority.

          Jesus established God’s Kingdom through submission. Whatever the Lord did on earth was entirely based on submission. He did nothing that opposed God’s authority. Everything was in submission and perfect cooperation with the authority of God. In this way the Lord set up the Kingdom of God and executed His authority. The church today must also allow God’s authority to have its way and manifest His kingdom through our submission.

          There is no authority that is not of God. To resist authority is to resist God. God will not overlook this. Those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves according to Romans 13:2.

          Faith in God is made evident by honoring His position as creator, His authority as our Lord, and by obedience to His word. When these conditions are met, the power of God becomes readily available, and easily accessible.

Honor releases the power that authority contains!

Authority creates boundaries and establishes identity.

Our submission defines our Authority

Submitting to authority empowers us to thrive.

Willing obedience to the King expands and increases the Kingdom within.

Opposition to ANY authority is opposition to God.

Understanding authority, and functioning within authority enables great faith in God’s authority.

Submission to authority is simply coming into agreement with the authority above us.

All of man’s problems are due to living outside the realm of God’s authority.

Only those who submit to authority will have great faith.

When we disregard, despise, speak against, or deny authority, we sacrifice and subvert our own authority.

If the matter of authority is not settled, all other matters will remain unsettled.

The One above us is now INSIDE us because we declared belief in Christ. If we now refuse to submit to the authority inside us it is the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.