Prayer Power – Discovering Authority In Surrender
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As a Christian are you tired of the “same ol’ same ol’”? I am. Do you want to see God’s wonderworks? I do. My spirit cries out for miracles, signs and wonders, healings, prophetic words that will meet the needs of our world. But wonderworks take power. How do we get power and authority to work the works of God?
As I read about the centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 God began to speak to me about authority. This centurion was a captain in charge of a hundred men in a Roman legion; he had some power. He saw Jesus in Capernaum and recognized authority resting upon the Lord. Leaders always seem to recognize authority in other leaders. Although the centurion had a measure of power, he had a problem he couldn’t fix; his servant lay suffering and paralyzed at home. He desperately needed someone with enough power to heal him. Would Jesus the Healer help? Of course the answer was, “I will come and heal him.”
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But the centurion protested he wasn’t worthy to host Jesus under his roof and replied, “… just say the word and my servant will be healed. For I, too, am a man under authority; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
Did you catch that phrase, “I am a man under authority”? The word “under” startled and stopped me. I would’ve said, “I am a man of authority,” not “I am a man under authority.” What a great difference those two little words make.
As I pondered those words God spoke this truth into my mind: “To the degree you will be a leader under authority, you will be a leader of authority.”
God knows those submitted to Him. He releases miracle-working power through them because He trusts them. The instant we surrender and come under God’s authority and under those in headship over us, He invests us with ability to do His wonderworks. Committed disciples use power for His glory, not their selfish purposes.
Are you convinced Jesus is All Authority and will entrust His power to you? These scriptures prove He is and He will:
- Jesus is God and created all things. John 1:1,2; Revelation 4:11
- Jesus conquered Satan and redeemed all fallen men. Revelation 5:5
- Jesus purchased all men with his blood. Revelation 5:9
- Jesus makes all righteous men kings and priests to reign with Him. Revelation 5:10
Jesus commands surrender not to make us His slaves but to invest us with authority, ability and power for wonderworks. He wants us empowered to rule and reign with Him as kings and priests. What a benevolent, incredible God!
Our prayer: “We are your servants, Lord. Help us keep our lives submitted and surrendered. We want to do Your works so the world will see Your glory in us and choose You as their Shepherd King.”
Question: Is it difficult sometimes to surrender to God’s authority in prayer? Why might this be so?
About this Author: La Von (Petey) Prater
Daily audio podcast: Hear today’s daily devotional read aloud, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog
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thank you. this gives me something to really think about
thank you for this devotional.
If I say it is difficult sometimes to surrender to God’s authority in prayer and I don’t know why, then I continue to persevere because I know my heart and soul belongs to the Lord and that when He whispers, I pray and thank Him for His grace.
thanks for this devotional it has been a wonderful experience for me to find your website I have been truly bless from the first page of prayer and on it gave me just what I needed don’t ever stop.
01/18/2012
Still struggling sometimes, still persevering and still praising God for His abundance of grace and mercy.
Thank you all for your comments. I am glad you all found our site. It was like finding a young flower amidst rubble when I found this site myself – like a refreshing living manifestation of God’s abundant Life that has drawn many to be fed and interact with one another.
Kanj,
I am not sure if I understand you correctly with what you shared. I know that for me, it was not so much a matter of my own efforts that allowed me to submit and surrender to God’s authority. It is similar to how it is not by own works that I am saved, but by God’s work in my life He does the work for us.
The way I came to understand God’s authority, what helped me make sense of things was this scripture:
Luke 10:19 NKJV – Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luke 10:18-20 The Message –
18-20Jesus said, “I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what I’ve given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God’s authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that’s the agenda for rejoicing.”
For me I came to understand more of His authority as I came to simply receive it. It’s like love. We don’t have to work so hard to be loved. When you are already loved, sometimes it’s a matter of simply receiving love.
God already made up His mind to share His authority with us. We don’t have to do anything or jump through any hoops. All we have to do is receive it and apply to everything in our lives.
Abba father, I pray the You be the One to show Kanj how to receive Your authority. Help her to be still and know that You are God in all her life circumstances. Help her to be ministered by Your Holy Spirit so that she can understand more of Your word with wisdom and understanding. Thank You Lord for Your love for Kanj and for all of us, that Your promises are true and that You help us have wisdom and understanding when we ask for it.
Kanj I hope you return and let us know how this discussion is helping you.
-Rasheil
How incredible it is that God desires to know us, that He calls us ‘friends’, that He chooses us to share in kingdom rule and reign and power for His glory. Incredible: we are not His slaves, but Jesus calls us ‘brothers, friends, joint heirs with Him’! He has released all power to us; as we walk in faith we learn to wield that power for His glory and for our brother’s good.What privilege! What responsibility! What joy! hugs,petey
So true Petey…..it is incredible that we are called his friends, joint heirs with Him! Thanks for sharing with all of us!