Most of us at one time or another have had our authority questioned. Even if it was as basic as when we were in grade school and gave instructions or opinion about which game everyone should play. Resistance at some point by a fellow classmate would arise and challenge the idea by asking, “Who made you boss?” This scenario has been played out repeatedly in every arena of life including our spiritual position in Christ.
In the book of Exodus, we find Moses who was born of a Hebrew family but raised in the house of Pharaoh. Moses was taught in the ways and culture of Egypt and treated like a Prince.
One day upon being informed of his heritage, Moses made his way out to his brethren and saw the harassment they faced daily. On this specific day he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and after looking around to make sure no one would see him, Moses killed the Egyptian. The next day, feeling somewhat empowered by what he thought had been an unnoticed event, he went out again to assist his fellow Hebrews. This day Moses came across two Hebrew men arguing and fighting and instantly jumped into the mix questioning them about the disagreement. In the Common English Bible, it tells us in Exodus 2:14 the men’s response to Moses’ refereeing. They asked him, “Who made you boss…?” They continued the challenge, asking if he was going to kill one of them as he did the Egyptian? Moses fearing Pharaoh, fled for his life and took residence in Midian.
After 40 years in Midian as a shepherd, Moses came across a burning bush on the backside of the desert where he has an encounter with God. God introduces Himself to Moses and begins to talk about the oppression of His people. God had heard the cries and seen the cruel treatment of His people and was going to do something about it by sending Moses. In the first instance in Egypt, Moses went out on his own to see the condition of his fellow Hebrew and this gave him no authority to act as he had no backing or assistance. But in Exodus 3:8 and 10 we read words that change everything. Exodus 3:8 reads, “So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up…” This is the gospel message literally spelled out in front of Moses. In the same way, Jesus came down from heaven to defeat the enemy and reinstate mankind to our original position and bring us up to a place where we sit together with Christ in heavenly places; the enemy being made our footstool.
God decided before the foundation of the world that man would be a co-laborer with Him bringing about His plans and fulfilling His will. God has always shown us His plan by giving us His word first. In this moment with Moses, it was no different. God lays out the scope of deliverance to bring liberty to His people and then comes alongside His man to bring it to pass.
Continuing in Exodus 3:10 God says to Moses, “Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt.” Previously, Moses was a “lone ranger”, going out on his own will, which meant there was no ability to truly bring lasting change or freedom to his people. There was no aid to any action or decision Moses would make. This all changed when God came alongside Moses and commissioned him and gave him the assignment of deliverance.
Authority is given in the command and commission.
I want to restate a thought from last month. Authority establishes and reinstates order. All the chaos in the world is a result of sin. Loss, death, and destruction are the direct result of Satan’s influence. Jesus came and not only delivered all mankind from sin and the oppression of Satan but also restored mankind to the level of glory we were created to live in so that we could once again fulfill the mission set out by our Creator.
Jesus lived with this commissioned mentality as we see in John 12:49 which reads, “For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me (commissioned Me) gave Me a command what I should say and what I should speak.” Moses was no different. He had given God several reasons why he was not the guy for the job and in Exodus 4:12 God says to Moses, “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall say.” True authority is derived from words given that are backed by power. (Hebrews 1:3)
Now, here’s where it gets good. In the same way that Moses was sent to liberate, and Jesus was sent to liberate, we have been sent to liberate. John 20:21 reads, “So Jesus said to them again, Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” The same authority that Jesus had while on earth that brought order to the chaos, has been given to us.
There is so much to say, but the main idea is this, we have been sent into our areas of influence to prosper others, to heal, to liberate, to give sight, to remove oppression and depression, and to restore, reclaim and reinstate God’s divine plan and purpose in the world. I believe that we will not go quietly into the dark but instead expel all resistance with all that heaven has to offer and has given!