Authority - 16

Let’s continue our discussion on Jesus identifying with us in the Garden and on that cross at Golgotha. What does identification mean here? Jesus became identified with man when He came to the earth in every way so that He could destroy what man’s identification with satan had done. He became as us so that we could become as Him. He took our place. He was our substitute.

As Lord, Jesus knew what was in man’s heart without God. He realized what He must be made. He must suffer all of evil AS IF He actually committed sin.
He and sin would become one AS IF He were guilty.
He would become the totality of all man’s sins as his substitute.

Though Jesus never committed sin, or was guilty, He allowed Himself to be made sin in order to break its power over man. He as the innocent Lord must identify fully, become the same hellish, satanic nature as man, His body becoming mortal and subject to death. The revulsion of it all was almost more than He could bear. YET, He had learned OBEDIENCE.

Before Jesus came to the earth, He was the supreme authority of the universe. From His throne He issued commands and governed all creation. He laid all that aside, took on the form of man and the place of a servant and came to this earth in a human body which was prepared for Him. He submitted Himself totally to the authority of God and experienced what yielding to another meant. He denied His own will, didn’t please Himself, honored the law and learned the righteousness required of Him to keep the law and operate as a perfect human. The final obedience was submission to the full impact of being made sin for us and death.

Now, because of Jesus we have been made righteous. According to 2 Corinthians 5:21, we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We have not just been credited with righteousness as Abraham and the Old Testament saints were but we have been made righteous.

In 1 Peter 2:24 we read that Jesus personally bore our sins in His own body on the tree, the cross, as to an altar and offered Himself on it that we might die, cease to exist, to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds we have been healed.

The greatest blessing of being born again is being right with God, being righteous.

Being righteous doesn’t free you from persecution. The Bible says you will be persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Satan still tries in every way he can conceive to whip you if you let him. It’s your decision to believe him or to take authority over him. You have been given authority over the devil. He has no power except what power you give him. He has nothing over you. He has nothing in you. He is not a threat to you in any way. He attempts to convince you he is a threat by putting you in the pressure cooker, but that again, that is your choice. You don’t have to go into the pressure cooker. When he puts pressure on you, put the pressure on him with the Word of God. He hates that. He can’t stand a Christian who knows Who they are in Christ Jesus, who knows their authority over him. It irritates him no end to be told what to do. But you know what, he has to obey your order that you base on the Word of God.

And here’s another thing. When you sin, remember: Don’t run from God; run to Him. You’ve got on the breastplate of righteousness. You’ve been given righteousness as a gift (Romans 5:17). You are not to walk under condemnation. Your righteousness is of God. In Isaiah 54:17 we read: …their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. In Isaiah 45:24 we read: Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength.

God’s work in Jesus is greater than satan’s work in Adam. The righteousness you’ve received and enjoyed because of what Jesus did is stronger and much more powerful in the eyes of God, in heaven itself and in earth than the death and sin that happened when Adam joined forces with satan.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:34, Awake to righteousness and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God. In Ephesians 5:14 he said: Awake thou that sleepiest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Yes, Jesus Christ will give you understanding of righteousness. He will make you strong in that knowledge and cause you to rise up to the fullness of the stature of Himself in you. So, today, rise up mighty man and woman of God and exercise your rights in God. He will back you all the way. He stands behind His Word. It has a lifetime guarantee, full warranty eternally.