SteemChurch:Spiritual Authority- The mantle of the Leader.

Spiritual Authority

"Do not forget that here the boss is me." With trembling lips and forehead full of sweat, the leader of that ministry tried to remind all the members of his team, who he was.

When you impose yourself, it is the clearest sign that you have lost authority.

Each leader, whether from ministry, community or in the same family, needs to understand the value of living under authority to be able to exercise it. Understand both biblical principles and terminology, nature, limitations and purpose and incorporate them into your personal life and ministry.

Leaders are inevitably wrapped up in power. We can not get rid of it, we find it in every place where we move. In the house we have it, in the work also, in the School, the University and even in the street, when we drive the car we will find ourselves with the power.

One of the vital things that people recognized in Jesus was that he had and spoke firmly. Matthew 7: 24-29. Luke 4: 31-37.

Jesus spoke, acted and taught with authority and when He commanded the demons, they obeyed. Matthew 28:18.

Although power is an essential attribute of leadership and leaders can not function effectively without authority, at the same time the misuse of it by leaders is the main fault and the source of the most persistent complaint against leaders.

LUKE 7: 1-10.

Source
WHAT IS AUTHORITY?

In order to understand what Authority is, we need to differentiate between Power and Authority.
Some writers use the words Power and Authority as interchangeable terms and others use Authority and Responsibility to refer to the same thing. The concepts need clarified to understand the principle of this.

A U T O R I D A

From the Greek: Exousia. Power to govern. Ability to subjugate. It is the right to exercise power. It does not exist if the power is not delegated and there is no authority if the power is not used. Jesus gave the 70 disciples power and authority to cast out demons

POWER

From the Greek: Dunamis. Used to describe intrinsic strength or ability. It is the dynamism that enables a person to make people do something, change and achieve things even in the face of opposite circumstances.

R E S P O N S A B I L I D A

It is the willingness to be evaluated or to accept the response of the results. Many people want the right to use power but do not want to be responsible for their actions. Many others avoid leadership positions because they do not want responsibility.
Responsibility is a vital element for the subsistence of genuine power.
Let's describe these three concepts in this way. A Police has authority, power and responsibility.

Authority is the ability and ability conferred by superiors to represent the law and enforce it, its plaque and its gun is power. He can not use the power if he is not in line with the one who gave him authorization and that leads him to have responsibility. In life we ​​need to have the balance of these three concepts to be able to demonstrate the genuine authority in which we function, be it work, home or church.

Tom Marshall in his book: Understanding Leadership mentions that there are:

CLASSES OF POWER THAT LEADERS CAN EXERCISE.

POWER OF REWARD:

It is the power leaders use to reward the behavior they want to take place. Leaders have the power to promote, give wage increases or rewards to those who achieve a goal.

COERCITIVE POWER:

This is the opposite of the previous one. It is the leader's ability to punish those who do not behave in the desired way. Leaders can fire, discount or humiliate their followers.

POWER OF EXPERIENCE

This is the power that comes from superior abilities, knowledge or strength acquired by experience. The expert has the power because he or she can make things better.

LEGITIMATE POWER:

The people recognize power as legitimate when that power is in accordance with internal values.
When there is a balance between external power and internal values

What is the power we are demonstrating in the exercise of our authority?

Without a doubt, the best is the legitimate one. God has given us that power and that authority. We need to maintain the balance in our hearts between Authority, Power and Responsibility. We should not impose authority if we have already lost the power of an inner life in harmony with God. We can not exercise Power if we are not in line first with the divine authority and secondly with the delegated authority of God. Who is our authority? Who are we accountable to? Or we are merely independent to evade responsibility. How is that responsibility before the authority and power that has been conferred on us?

THREE KEY PRINCIPLES
1.- Those who have been entrusted with a responsibility must have the power to execute it. You can not give authority to a person if you do not have enough power to act.

2.- Those who have been given Power and Authority must be totally responsible and ready to be evaluated in the results, otherwise their Authority and power will be used irresponsibly.

3.- Those who are totally responsible for the results should be given sufficient power and authority to do the job properly. Luke 19 talks about these three elements. Power is represented by the talents given to each servant. Authority was given through the Instructions. Responsibility was required when the servants were asked to account.

AUTHORITY AND OBEDIENCE.

A wife came up to me to ask me the question: "Is it true that I am obliged to obey my husband in everything, even though he is asking me something that is against my honor and my principles? He always says that he is the authority and I must be submissive in everything to him.
How far are authority and obedience taken by the hand?
God's purpose has always been for man to exercise authority as can be observed in the command he gave to mankind about ruling the world in Genesis 1:28. As all authority is delegated, authority can only be used by those who maintain an obedient relationship with the source of Power.
The Bible gives us an example of what is genuine authority exercised in God's perspective when he describes a soldier asking for a miracle of Jesus for one of his servants.
"After he had finished all his words to the people who heard him, he entered Capernaum.
And the servant of a centurion, whom he loved very much, was sick and about to die.
When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews, begging him to come and heal his servant.

They approached Jesus and begged him with solicitude, saying, "He is worthy to be granted this, because he loves our nation and he built us a synagogue.
Jesus went with them. But when they were not far from the house, the centurion sent some friends to him, saying, "Lord, do not bother, for I am not worthy to enter under my roof, so I did not even consider myself worthy to go to." you; but say the word and my servant will be healed, for I also am a man placed under authority, and I have soldiers under my command, and I say to this: "Go," and go; and to the other: "Come", and it comes; and to my servant: "Do this," and he does. Luke 7: 1-8.
The true authority is of spiritual origin. That authority comes from the spirit of the one who exercises authority and impacts on people over who exercises authority.
"Only obedience has the right to command." Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American poet and thinker.

When those who exercise authority are not living in obedience to their highest authority, what happens? In that case they do not have authority, but Power in their will, Emotional pressure or arguments of force. All this does not come from the spirit, but from the soul and therefore only touch the soul of his followers and for them, they can respond with resentment or bitterness and open themselves to conflict.

If men are to serve God, subjection to authority is an absolute necessity.
Obedience transcends what we do. David therefore stopped his hand from touching the "anointed of Jehovah"
To be filled with Christ is to be full of obedience.

"Let there be in you this feeling that was also in Christ Jesus: He, being in the form of God, did not esteem being equal to God as a thing to cling to, but he emptied himself, took the form of a servant and became similar to men. Moreover, being in the condition of man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, and death on a cross. That is why God also exalted him above all things and gave him a name that is above every name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow down to those who are in heaven, on earth and under the earth; and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2: 5-11
Obedience is learned through suffering. Hebrews 5: 8.
"Obeying is our duty, it is our destiny, and anyone who does not want to submit to obedience will necessarily be torn to pieces".
Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) English historian, thinker and essayist.

Have you ever been impressed with ministers or leaders who have special gifts?
You have been impressed with someone who sings like an angel or preaches with much anointing or eloquence and you have said: "Wow what a ministry. But, Spiritual Authority is not a matter of gifts, but of a life of gifts combined with a life of solid character and this comes from a life lived in obedience to the Lord. When you have a gift from God and a life of character, God is willing to pour out His Authority over your life. Obedience and Spiritual Authority are intimately linked and can never be separated.
Submission is absolute, but obedience is relative. Submission is a matter of attitude, while obedience is a matter of behavior. Peter and John responded to the Jewish council: "Judge whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God" Acts 4:19.
His attitude was not rebellious, since they still submitted to those in authority. Obedience, however, may not be absolute. Some authorities need to obey, while others do not, especially when Christian principles are at stake.
Biblical examples of this:
1.- The midwives who disobeyed Pharaoh's orders.
2.- The three friends of Daniel who refused to worship the statue.
3.- Daniel disobeying the royal decree of not praying
4.- Peter preaching the gospel despite the order of the governing council.
Tom Marshall in his book Understanding Leadership says: "Authority exercised in the spiritual or moral sphere is different from any other. Spiritual authority is intimately linked to character.

She is deeply committed to:
The integrity of moral selection. Therefore, it is necessary for people to decide based on conscience.
Honor the individuality and difference of the people. God's way of governing is not uniformity, but unity in diversity.
Respect for private personal life. No power called Spiritual must violate these three approaches. "
"Obey more those who teach than those who rule." St. Augustine (354-439) Bishop and philosopher.
Tom Marshall continues in his book Understanding Leadership:
"Leaders in Christianity who are exercising their leadership strength should strongly avoid coercion or manipulation of the people either by force of personality, charisma or reputation. The people for their part must avoid at all costs to avoid assuming their moral responsibility allowing their leaders to make ethical decisions for them

"You are a man of God, therefore tell me what I have to do and I will do it" "You are a woman of God who knows God, I trusted in your discernment, please tell me what is right and I will do it "These expressions and attitudes need to be rejected as if they were a plague. You can not as a leader be the conscience of another person and you can not occupy the place of God before them.

MAL USE OF THE TERM

When the leaders declare categorically that they have the truth in moral or spiritual matters and do not allow questioning, healthy discussion or refutation, they are misusing spiritual power.
When they classify opposing views or different interpretations as a rebellion against the anointed, they are abusing their spiritual ministry and this evidently leads to legalism and borders on the sects.

Legalism eventually produces moral insensitivity. Jesus illustrated it when the Pharisees took the adulterous woman so that the Lord would give the order to stone her.
The spiritual strength of a person is based on his ministry and his ministry is based in turn on his resurrection, but there is no resurrection if there is no death before. Those who misuse their ministry are because they have never died.
The spiritual Force that comes from the ministry never imposes itself on the people.

UNDERSTANDING THE DELEGATION OF THE SAME

There are four requirements to play the role of delegated authority in the perspective
correct
Delegated authority must understand that all Authority comes from God. Romans 13: 1.
Delegated authority must deny itself. Luke 9:23.
Delegated authority must be maintained in constant communion with the Lord John 5: 19,30.
The delegated authority must be under authority.

Watchman Need in his Book Spiritual Authority describes the signs that identify a person who understands and lives under the Spiritual Authority.
• A person who has known the authority will of course seek authority wherever he goes. He knows that the place where obedience is learned is in the Church.
• A person who has had an encounter with the authority of God is gentle and tender. It has been softened and can not be harsh or legalistic, it is peaceful.
• A person who has really had an encounter with authority, never wants to be in authority. He does not have the worry or interest to become an authority. He is not pleased to give advice or less to dominate others. Only those who do not know authority are those who want to be authority.
• A person who has had contact with spiritual power keeps his mouth closed.
He is in subjection, and he does not dare to speak carelessly because in it there is a sense
of authority.
• A person who has been in contact with the spiritual force is sensitive to every act
of anarchy and rebellion that surrounds him. He sees how anarchy has filled the world and even the church.

"The church is maintained by two essential elements: Life and power. The life we ​​have received and dwells in us is a life of submission, which enables us to obey our leaders healthily. The difficulties that exist within the church rarely have to do with matters of manifest disobedience; for the most part they relate to the lack of inner submission. But the guiding principle of our life must be submission, just as the bird is to fly and that of fish, to swim "
Watchman Nee

May God help us to understand and walk the path of genuine, pure and holy authority that comes from God and is expressed in a life of obedience and character and never in imposition.

REFLECTION.

1.- In which areas do I have more problems in relation to the subject?

2.- How is the aspect of the interior submission manifested in my home, Church,
Studies or work?

3.- What aspects of this topic touched my life in a special way?

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