Day 27: A Higher Authority (Bible Tribe Matthew 9–11) - Denise Pass

Good morning, friends! Day Twenty-Seven! There is a pecking order and seniority in this world that can make advancement challenging. But there is a higher authority altogether that isn’t about advancement, but serving.

 Bible Reading: Matthew 9-11

Verse of the day: Matthew 9:6, “‘But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’”

Word of the day: Authority. It is the Greek word: ἐξουσία ex-oo-see’-ah.

This word means: Power, dominion, rule; permission, or freedom. It is the “ability to perform an action”, an intrinsic ability.

The word ‘authority’ is one of my favorite words. It was my word for the year in 2018. I will never forget the moment I really needed this word. God placed this word in my Spirit as I moved forward in His calling on my life. Out of my comfort zone, for sure. I was leading worship at a new church on the first day and that morning, water was coming through the ceiling in the basement practice room and we could not rehearse.

My natural flesh feels timid at times like this, but the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart, “Go in My authority, not yours.” Suddenly, I was empowered to lead. God had the authority to enable me.

Jesus Is Our Higher Authority

In our reading today, Jesus was healing and being judged for doing so. He reminded those around Him that He had the authority on earth to forgive sins and to heal. Jesus was not declaring His authority for a power trip. He wanted them to know and understand. Then in chapter 10, He gave that power to His disciples. This amazes me. We get to represent the King of kings and serve Him! He gives us authority to in Matthew 10:1, “And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”

Submitting to God

People will often try to find fault with what we do, just like Jesus encountered. Even in the house of God. Authority is often misused in our world. People want power for their own glory. But when we operate in God’s will, we follow His path, not man’s.

Application

• What is it in your life that makes you want to shrink back in fear?
• Ask God to help you submit to Him. He will enable you to do what He has called you to and open doors in accordance with His will.

Go with God and His precious word, friends! Join us tomorrow in the book of Romans.