Hidden authority sounds kind of like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? How can we have authority if it’s hidden?
What about a teacher and her authority over her classroom? If her authority was hidden, then her students would just run over her, and the classroom would be in total chaos. How about at work? Your boss has the authority to fire you; he has the authority to tell you what you should be doing (or shouldn’t be doing) at work, and obviously his authority is not hidden. And some bosses are pretty good at letting you know just how much authority they do have over your life at work.
The authority I want to look at though, is our spiritual authority.
Colossians 3:3 talks about our life being hidden with Christ in God. In that place, we are one with Jesus, inside of the Godhead. I see this as part of the intimacy Jesus was praying for in John chapter 17, when Jesus prayed for us to be one with Himself and the Father, like He is one with the Father.
I like the way the Message Bible puts this scripture in Colossians. It says, “Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life, even though invisible to spectators, is with Christ in God. He is your life.”
We are hidden in Christ, and that fact actually gives us authority. I want to share a couple of specific keys of authority that are given to us, within that hidden place.
1. The Word
Jesus IS the Word. John 1:1 is the Scripture we’re most familiar with about this. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” When I am hidden in Christ, I’m also hidden in the Word, because Jesus is the word Himself. He’s the Word of God. So when I speak the word of God into a situation, I am hidden behind that word because I am hidden with Christ. So it isn’t me the enemy sees; it’s the Word, which is Jesus, Himself, and he must respond to Jesus. He must respond to that authority of the Word in which I am hidden.
It’s not a blab-it-and-grab it, get whatever you want authority. But when God gives me a specific Scripture to speak into a situation, it’s like I am wrapped up and hidden within that truth; within that Scripture; within that Word. I am wrapped up and hidden within Jesus Himself; that Word going forth against the enemy.
2. The Name
When I speak the name of Jesus into a situation, I am also hidden. I’m hidden within the weapon of the name of Jesus. When I speak the name of Jesus, it’s not my authority; it’s Jesus Himself, because I am hidden within that.
I’ve had the blessing of doing a lot of international traveling (especially in Africa), as well as here in the United States. There are times I have had to cast out demons. (I don’t want to freak anyone out, but casting out demons is something we are told to do as believers.)
I remember one time in particular when there was demonic manifestation in a young lady. I started to pray for her and command it to go. Nothing was happening, and I realized that I was coming at it with my own mind. I was using words based on my own thoughts, trying to tell that demon to leave. So I actually stopped, pulled myself back, and reminded myself of my true position of authority; I am hidden in Christ, and I am seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Once I did that, and I positioned myself within Christ, I came back at the demonic manifestation. I was able to cast out those demons, because now I was coming from the position of being hidden in the authority of Christ.
“I think of it like an off-duty police officer. If an officer were to try to use his authority while in his street clothes, no one would take him seriously. It is the uniform and the badge that cause people to respect a law he is enforcing” (taken from my book Triple Crown Transformation). It is the exact same thing with us in a spiritual way. It’s like we are putting on the uniform of Christ, which gives us His authority. We are hidden in the authority (or the uniform) of Christ.
In Matthew 16:19, Jesus tells us that He has given us the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth is loosed in heaven. These keys work when we are wrapped up and hidden inside the authority of King Jesus!
I really want to encourage you to learn to wear the God-given crown of authority. I talk about this quite a bit in my book Triple Crown Transformation. As a matter of fact, it is the second of the three crowns I talk about; wearing the crown of His authority.
We need to see the crown, wear the crown, and be the crown, by being hidden in Christ.
If you’re interested in learning more about the book, Triple Crown Transformation, click here . You will find information on the book itself, along with where to purchase it, or how to get it for free.
Gems from the Crown is a weekly blog from Crown of Glory Ministries to strengthen and encourage believers in Christ in their walk with God, especially in the areas of vision, authority, and identity. If you would like to have Gems from the Crown delivered directly to you, please click here.