David [00:00:00]:
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been talking about the four steps or phases we go through so we can emerge and be all God created us to be. That’s what God wants. He wants us to be all that he created us to be.
David [00:00:43]:
And those four steps that I’ve talked about are to edify, to encourage, to equip. And the fourth one is to empower. Edifying means the act of one who promotes another’s growth in christian wisdom, piety, which is devotion, happiness, and holiness. To encourage someone is to strengthen, to give support and to refresh them. To equip someone is to furnish them with arms, a complete suit of arms for military service, to supply with the necessary items for a particular purpose. Today we’re going to look at what it means to be empowered, to empower someone. And once again, our key verse this week is ephesians 4411 and twelve. And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
David [00:02:04]:
Now, this word empower here means to give power or authority to someone, to authorize them, to enable them and permit them to go forward. When we confess Jesus is our Lord and savior and come into relationship with him, we have power. We are given power. We are empowered through his power. Every day, whether you realize it or not, whether you feel like it or not, you have power. The power of God is resident within you. You are powerful. You need to tell yourself that every morning.
David [00:03:01]:
The power of God is resident within me. I am powerful. I am the child of God. Hallelujah. As children of God and heirs according to the promise, we also have authority. Again, every day you get up with authority. The authority of Jesus Christ. He has made that available to you.
David [00:03:28]:
You have authority. You have been authorized to walk in the power and authority of Jesus Christ through his name, just like a police officer directing traffic. You are authorized to take authority and dominion in the earth. We see a police officer, what do we do? We watch him. We pay attention to what he’s directing us to do. Stop. Come forward. Turn to the left.
David [00:04:03]:
Turn to the right. We look, we listen. We pay attention to him because we know he has been empowered. He stands in the authority of law enforcement just like the police officer. God has given us that right and authority. He gave it to us in the beginning and Satan came and stole it from Adam and eve. But Jesus has restored that authority to us through his death and resurrection. You are authorized.
David [00:04:50]:
Say that. I am authorized. I have the authority. You are authorized to walk in power and authority every day. Last but not least, you are enabled and permitted to walk in God’s power and authority as his children and believers in Christ Jesus. He has enabled you and permits you to walk in his power and authority every day. He expects it. He wants you to do it confidently and with boldness.
David [00:05:29]:
Paul said in Romans, chapter 15, verse seven. For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one, much more, they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. So how does this power and authority come to us? Through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. Through God’s grace and favor. Through his gift of righteousness. We now reign in life by Jesus Christ. That word reign there in Romans means this to be king. Think about that.
David [00:06:20]:
You’re going to reign in life. You’re going to be king in life. You’re going to exercise kingly power in life. It means to exercise the highest influence. You have the influence of God Almighty, the Lord Jesus Christ, resident within you and you can exercise his influence here in the earth today. It means to control, to take authority, take control over the enemy. You have been empowered to reignite in life. In Christ.
David [00:07:04]:
You have the authority to exercise kingly power. Think about that. Your three year old knows how to do that. You have the right to exercise the highest influence and control. John said in revelation 510, and hath made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. You stand before your father God today as a king and as a priest. You are a part of the royal family of the kingdom of heaven. God looks at you.
David [00:07:55]:
Let’s think about that. He sees a king, a ruler. That word king there in the Greek means a leader. God sees you as a leader. It means a commander. God sees you as the commander. God sees you as a lord, a kingdom, one who has dominion, power and authority. This is exactly how God sees you.
David [00:08:28]:
Let me say it again. You are a leader, a commander, a lord, a king, representing the kingdom of God here in the earth every day. Now, while Satan stole our dominion and our power and authority from Adam and Eve, Christ has restored it all to us. Just not some of it, just not part of it. He restored it all to us. It’s ours. Right now, the word Lord here in the Greek means one who has power, authority and influence. Influence.
David [00:09:12]:
Jesus is the Lord of my life. He is the Lord of lords. And I stand and walk in his power, authority and influence. Every day you have the power and authority and influence of Jesus Christ within you. He is the king of kings and the Lord of lords. He is our king and our lord as we act and reign here in the life and the earth, as kings and lords. Hallelujah. As a part of his kingdom, representing him here in the earth.
David [00:09:52]:
The second thing it said, we will reign in life as kings and priests. We are made unto our father God as kings and priests. A priest is one purified bye the blood of Christ and brought into close intercourse with God. They devote their life to God alone and to Christ. So what John is saying here, God has purified us by the blood of Christ and brought us into close intercourse with him, to intimacy. God wants intimacy with you. He wants you to know him like he knows you. He wants you to know him intimately.
David [00:10:41]:
And he goes on to say, a priest is one who devotes their life to God, Lord Christ and everything we do in this world. We ought to do it from a place of devotion to God I and to Christ Jesus and to representing him and his kingdom here on the earth. See, we are not reigning in our own power and authority. We are reigning in his power and authority through Christ, who has saved and redeemed us for his plan and purpose. Jesus has delegated all power and authority to us. He has empowered us. So what is God’s purpose for us as kings and priests? Let’s look at that. Genesis 128.
David [00:11:37]:
You’ve heard me read this a lot, but let’s go back there just for a moment. And God blessed them and said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Now going back to the definition of kingship, one of the things we said, one of the ways it’s defined, is one who has dominion. When we’re reigning here in the earth, we’re standing in our place of dominion. One who has dominion is one who has sovereign or supreme authority. The sovereign and supreme authority of Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior and our father God. It’s ours today. It’s been delegated to us in the name of Jesus.
David [00:12:44]:
One who has dominion takes possession of their realm of responsibility. They rule a realm of responsibility, a jurisdiction. And they come as a priest to teach those who are there under their influence, their power and their authority. God’s heart for all of his children is for us to understand and embrace this and walk in this. From the beginning, his desire for us was to have dominion here on the earth, to rule and reign here in the earth. Your place of dominion is where you live. Where do you live right now? That’s your place of dominion. Where do you have influence right now? That’s your place of dominion.
David [00:13:50]:
Where do you have authority? That’s your place of dominion. It is your realm of responsibility. What are you called to as a person, as a spouse, as a parent, as a friend, as a colleague in your community, your work, your church? What are you called to? Where is your realm of responsibility? Are you standing in it? Are you raining? Now let me say this. Raining is not about being a bossy cow. It’s not about just bossing everyone around and having your way. One of the ways we reign here on the earth is sharing the life, the light and the love of God. And all we do and say and with everyone we encounter. Scripture says the ministry of reconciliation is expressed through our words and our deeds.
David [00:15:05]:
So as we share with others in a positive way, we are taking dominion. We are walking in our realm of responsibility, expressing our God’s power and authority in each moment of each day, through his life, his light and his love. Hallelujah. Praise God. So, in doing all that, we are kingly and we are priestly. As priests, we are devoted to our Lord, to his priorities, to his plan. We are surrendered to him daily, his plan, his purpose, his priority. A priest.
David [00:15:51]:
As a priest, one of the ways we take dominion is to teach others, to help show them the way, to share with them. You are empowered to be an example of God’s love and teach others to walk with God. You are empowered to empower others. Hallelujah. You have been authorized to express this gift of power and authority reigning here on the earth as kings and priests representing the kingdom of God here on the earth. Now, I shared this verse with you a couple times, but Ephesians two, four, six says this. But God, who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places.
David [00:16:57]:
In Christ Jesus. We are seated with Christ Jesus in heavenly places. And again, where is Christ seated? Paul tells us in Ephesians the first chapter, verses 19 through 21. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might have and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. Your place in Christ places you far above all principality, power, might and dominion, and every name that is named not just a little bit above, but far above in Christ. You are empowered to bring the kingdom of God here on earth to represent the kingdom of God here on earth. As Jesus prayed in Matthew 16, and he was telling his disciples to pray, this, your kingdom comes, your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. My goal is to pray that every day.
David [00:18:36]:
Every day, Lord, I pray that your kingdom come today, your will be done here on earth through me as it is in heaven. You see, we are empowered with the power and authority to see God’s kingdom come here on the earth each and every day. As we work together as believers, as the body of Christ, as a church, we will see it happen. We will see it happen. You are empowered to rule and reign here in the earth. You are a part of the royal family. Hallelujah. God has put within you the power and authority to come forth and be, to emerge, to be all that he’s created you to be.
David [00:19:44]:
This power into prayer. Father, we thank you for this word today where your scripture tells us that we are empowered. We have the authority, the right to go forth and take to me to subdue the earth using all of its vast resources in the service of God and man, to be all that you’ve called us to be. And so, Lord, we surrender ourselves to you today and to your holy spirit. We give ourselves to you, to your plan, to your purpose, to your priorities, flow through us so that your kingdom comes and your will is done here in the earth, through us as it is in heaven. And we thank you for that honor and privilege in Jesus name. Amen. God bless.
David [00:20:49]:
You have a powerful, powerful week. Pastor Conia has come in now with the closing words. Prayer. God bless.
