WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.760 I just want to invite you to live the high life. I want to invite you to realize 2 00:00:05.760 --> 00:00:11.080 that you have been given authority from Jesus. If you are saved, if you're 3 00:00:11.080 --> 00:00:18.300 trusting in Christ for your salvation, you represent Jesus here on earth. Amen. You 4 00:00:18.300 --> 00:00:24.000 know how to make it a good morning? Say good morning. Maybe it wasn't, but now it 5 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:29.840 is. Amen. Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today. 6 00:00:29.840 --> 00:00:35.520 As we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that He has for us. If 7 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:40.960 you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at CityLightNYC.com 8 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:47.580 that's CityLightNYC.com. Pastor Boyan Jansik and his team believe that the 9 00:00:47.580 --> 00:00:52.900 power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you 10 00:00:52.900 --> 00:00:57.860 listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are 11 00:00:57.860 --> 00:01:05.300 surrounded by His grace and that He has a real hope and a future for you. I've 12 00:01:05.300 --> 00:01:09.380 preached a lot of Palm Sundays. So if you want to Palm Sunday message there on 13 00:01:09.380 --> 00:01:17.580 YouTube and on Spotify, Apple Podcasts. Today I want to continue on with the 14 00:01:17.580 --> 00:01:24.020 series that we're doing on faith and you cannot teach about faith without 15 00:01:24.020 --> 00:01:33.220 talking about authority, the believers authority, commanding power. And it's 16 00:01:33.220 --> 00:01:38.860 something that seems to elude most Christians. I'll read a couple of 17 00:01:38.860 --> 00:01:46.460 passages with you and then you let me know where you stand. Luke 916. Here's one 18 00:01:46.460 --> 00:01:52.340 of the quickest ways you can tell. You can judge. You can judge your fellow 19 00:01:52.340 --> 00:01:58.340 believers when you go out to eat with them at life group. This is how you can find 20 00:01:58.340 --> 00:02:05.300 out whether you have and walk in more revelation than them. So I'm so glad for 21 00:02:05.300 --> 00:02:08.620 Pastor Mo. If it wasn't for Pastor Mo, half of you wouldn't know that I was 22 00:02:08.620 --> 00:02:16.060 kidding. But just remember when I kid every joke is half true. At least 30% of 23 00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:23.220 the time. This is how you can tell when they pray for the food. You say who 24 00:02:23.220 --> 00:02:26.340 you're nitpicking. I'm just showing you little ways because I want you to come 25 00:02:26.340 --> 00:02:31.340 up. I want you to be the ambassador, the Christ child that God has called you to 26 00:02:31.340 --> 00:02:37.620 be, and the Mickey Mousey man be Pambi spirit. It creeps in in all sorts of 27 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:43.020 subtle ways and makes us take a back seat where God wants us in the front seat 28 00:02:43.580 --> 00:02:48.180 right along with him. In fact, so much along with him, you're seated together in 29 00:02:48.180 --> 00:02:53.020 heavenly places with him. This is how Jesus blessed the food. Then he took five 30 00:02:53.020 --> 00:02:57.380 loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he asked the Father to bless 31 00:02:57.380 --> 00:03:05.740 the fish. No, he blessed them. He blessed and broke them and gave them to 32 00:03:05.740 --> 00:03:14.660 disciples to set before the multitude. Mark 14, 22. And as they were eating, 33 00:03:14.660 --> 00:03:20.980 Jesus took bread. Did he ask the Father to bless it or did he bless it? He blessed 34 00:03:20.980 --> 00:03:28.340 it. He blessed and broke it and gave it to them and said, take eat. This is my 35 00:03:28.340 --> 00:03:33.460 body. I'm no, I'm choosing to start my sermon off in a bit of a different 36 00:03:33.500 --> 00:03:38.100 way, but I'm trying to catch your attention here. And I would venture to say 37 00:03:38.100 --> 00:03:50.820 eight out of 10 of you, you as God to bless your food. Why? He's busy. He's holding 38 00:03:50.820 --> 00:03:54.500 the whole universe together. And he went through the trouble of being made 39 00:03:54.500 --> 00:04:01.820 flesh, dying on the cross for your sin, giving you authority, giving you his 40 00:04:01.820 --> 00:04:08.140 name, telling you to go out and represent him. And now you're asking him to do 41 00:04:08.140 --> 00:04:15.220 what he told you to do. So bless the food in Jesus name. Now religion comes, oh 42 00:04:15.220 --> 00:04:21.380 that sounds so arrogant. That sounds so. No, it's not arrogant to walk out in 43 00:04:21.380 --> 00:04:26.580 biblical principles. It's not arrogant to do what Jesus told us to do. When he 44 00:04:26.580 --> 00:04:31.060 saved you, he forgave you all your sins. Okay, that's the fundamentals. But he 45 00:04:31.060 --> 00:04:37.580 raised you up. He put you into the family of God. He made you his representative. 46 00:04:37.580 --> 00:04:44.180 He gave you his name. And most importantly, he gave you authority. And I'll show 47 00:04:44.180 --> 00:04:49.180 you scriptures for that. But Christians have to have a strong understanding of 48 00:04:49.180 --> 00:04:53.580 the authority they carry or the Christianity's not going to go very far. There'll be a 49 00:04:53.580 --> 00:04:58.580 short circuit there. He gave you authority. So you do the blessing. It's not that 50 00:04:58.580 --> 00:05:03.940 you have the power to bless. I never blessed anyone in Bose name. But I'll 51 00:05:03.940 --> 00:05:10.620 bless you in Jesus name. Now I'm a vessel. Now I'm a conduit. So you bless the 52 00:05:10.620 --> 00:05:17.700 food in Jesus name. I know in healing rooms, you better not ask God to heal for 53 00:05:17.700 --> 00:05:27.100 you. Yeah, show me in the New Testament where Jesus prays to the Father and 54 00:05:27.100 --> 00:05:31.780 ask the Father to heal. Yet someone needs healing. You call six Christians around 55 00:05:31.780 --> 00:05:38.060 them nine out of 10 times. Oh, Father, we come to you with this wretched sick 56 00:05:38.060 --> 00:05:48.300 miserable body here. And we ask you to heal them if it's your will. I know. Be 57 00:05:48.300 --> 00:05:54.420 healed in Jesus name. It's not that you're so great in and of yourself, but 58 00:05:54.420 --> 00:05:59.620 you're carrying his presence. And you have authority. What is authority? It's 59 00:05:59.620 --> 00:06:05.460 delegated power. Okay, I'm always amazed when you come out of the Midtown 60 00:06:05.460 --> 00:06:12.900 tunnel. What do you see traffic cops that famous or infamous depending on your 61 00:06:12.900 --> 00:06:19.540 take white glove and the whistle. And you can be doing 70 and have a 90 pound 62 00:06:19.540 --> 00:06:25.700 woman soaking wet. Put up that white glove and you're hitting the brakes. Is it 63 00:06:25.700 --> 00:06:30.540 because she's so powerful? No, she has authority from the state of New York and 64 00:06:30.540 --> 00:06:36.340 the city of New York. She has delegated power. That's what Jesus has given you. Amen. 65 00:06:36.340 --> 00:06:40.500 This message isn't about how you talk to God and how you talk to your food by 66 00:06:40.500 --> 00:06:46.700 the way. Amen. I'm using it just as a kickstart example. It also shorten your 67 00:06:46.700 --> 00:06:51.740 food so you can eat before it gets cold. Your prayer over food. Because in the 68 00:06:51.740 --> 00:06:55.860 other one, it said Jesus gave thanks and blessed. And then the second one, he blessed. 69 00:06:55.860 --> 00:07:07.220 Doesn't seem like it takes too long. Okay. Amen. Mark 437. But show me a Christian 70 00:07:07.220 --> 00:07:11.100 praying for their food and praying for a sick person. I know right away whether 71 00:07:11.100 --> 00:07:14.420 they are walking in their authority, whether they get it, whether they understand 72 00:07:14.420 --> 00:07:20.060 it. And if they don't understand it, they're struggling. They still see themselves in 73 00:07:20.060 --> 00:07:28.380 a lesser position. And Jesus bled to elevate you. Yes, to his position. You are in Christ. 74 00:07:28.380 --> 00:07:31.700 Some of you would even recall, what do you mean I'm in his position? He's high. He's 75 00:07:31.700 --> 00:07:37.340 lifted high. Yeah, you're in him. I'll show you scripture and verse for all this. 76 00:07:37.340 --> 00:07:41.460 But it seems to be so easy for Christians to take the back seat. Oh, I'm nothing. He's 77 00:07:41.460 --> 00:07:46.980 everything. Well, slow down there. You're nothing in and of yourself. But in him, you're 78 00:07:46.980 --> 00:07:52.900 everything. When you really get it, it doesn't produce arrogance. It doesn't. It actually 79 00:07:52.900 --> 00:07:57.220 produces true biblical humility where you realize the magnitude of what he's given you 80 00:07:57.220 --> 00:08:04.460 and it causes you to want to fall at his feet and kiss his ankles. Amen. And the great 81 00:08:04.460 --> 00:08:10.660 windstorm arose and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling. But 82 00:08:10.660 --> 00:08:17.620 Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And the awoke him and said to him, 83 00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:24.300 teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? Then he arose Jesus and rebuked the wind 84 00:08:24.300 --> 00:08:28.900 and said to the sea, how did he rebuked the wind? He said, we've been talking a lot about 85 00:08:28.900 --> 00:08:35.820 the power of saying and the power of our words, your words. He said, peace be still. And 86 00:08:35.820 --> 00:08:43.780 the wind ceased and there was a great calm. Now, we're very familiar with that part. But 87 00:08:43.780 --> 00:08:50.740 this verse, verse 40, but he said to them, why are you so fearful? How is it that you have 88 00:08:50.740 --> 00:08:59.220 no faith? He rebukes them. He's not really happy with them because he treasures his sleep. 89 00:08:59.300 --> 00:09:04.820 Amen. See, I'm very Christ-like in that way and that I treasure my sleep. 90 00:09:08.900 --> 00:09:17.300 He rebuked them. What? I mean, a hurricane's coming, right? A storm. What is already going 91 00:09:17.300 --> 00:09:22.660 into the boat? Easy for Jesus to get up and say peace be still, but he rebukes the disciples. 92 00:09:23.620 --> 00:09:30.020 Why are you so fearful? Where is your faith? He would only have rebuked them if he expected them 93 00:09:30.020 --> 00:09:37.620 to take care of that. He expected them to do that. They still didn't get their authority. 94 00:09:38.260 --> 00:09:44.260 So they're waking him up and he's enjoying a nice snooze, midstorm. And he rebukes them because 95 00:09:44.260 --> 00:09:56.180 they should have stood on the bow of the ship and said peace be still. Oh, yeah. Luke 9, 1 through 2, 96 00:09:57.700 --> 00:10:02.180 a good question to ask after I make that point is, well, did they know that? 97 00:10:04.020 --> 00:10:08.100 Because it would be unfair of Jesus to be upset with them if they didn't know that. Yes, 98 00:10:08.100 --> 00:10:14.660 they knew that. This wasn't on day one of their trip together. That was already when they've 99 00:10:14.660 --> 00:10:20.340 been traveling a while. It was after this, then he called his 12 disciples together and gave them 100 00:10:20.340 --> 00:10:29.300 power and authority, overall demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom 101 00:10:29.300 --> 00:10:36.900 of God and to heal the sick. So Jesus already gave them power, authority which is delegated power, 102 00:10:36.900 --> 00:10:43.700 you now get to do what I do, gave a miracle working power, power over the devil and demons, 103 00:10:44.980 --> 00:10:49.940 power over sickness and disease, and to announce the kingdom and all the miracles that accompany it. 104 00:10:49.940 --> 00:10:56.100 So you better believe they could have gone to the ship and commanded it to cease, but they didn't. 105 00:10:56.740 --> 00:11:03.860 So I just want to invite you to live the high life. I want to invite you to realize that you 106 00:11:03.860 --> 00:11:10.580 have been given authority from Jesus. If you're saved, if you're trusting in Christ for your salvation, 107 00:11:11.460 --> 00:11:18.340 you represent Jesus here on earth. Amen. You know how to make it a good morning? Say good 108 00:11:18.340 --> 00:11:29.220 morning. Maybe it wasn't, but now it is. Amen. Hallelujah. When you're at an airplane and that 109 00:11:29.220 --> 00:11:35.460 turbulence begins shaking, what does the Christian do? Oh God save me, please Lord. 110 00:11:37.140 --> 00:11:43.620 In Jesus' name this plane stays up. In Jesus, you know what Jesus said when he got on the ship, 111 00:11:43.620 --> 00:11:49.860 by the way, ooh, this just came to me, wasn't even my notes. When right before this whole storm, 112 00:11:49.860 --> 00:11:55.620 Jesus said we're going to the other side. He already's prophet, we're going to the other side. 113 00:11:56.260 --> 00:12:02.740 And so a storm came half an hour or whatever later, but they made it to the other side. 114 00:12:02.740 --> 00:12:09.860 That ship obeyed Jesus's words. You're on an airplane? I'm landing in such and such city. Amen. 115 00:12:10.500 --> 00:12:17.140 We're going to the other side. Now remember, I remember doing that years ago when I went to the Arctic 116 00:12:17.140 --> 00:12:23.540 with my pastor and it was, I mean, it is rough over there. There is no, you're over the tree line. 117 00:12:23.540 --> 00:12:28.500 Every, it looks like a Star Wars movie. Everything is white. Everything covered in ice and you're in 118 00:12:28.500 --> 00:12:34.020 a little eight-seater and you're feeling every bump and that thought just crossed your mind. If we 119 00:12:34.020 --> 00:12:37.620 go down, it'll be like three weeks before they find us. I wonder who I'd eat first. 120 00:12:37.620 --> 00:12:52.180 We're going to the other side. Amen. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. 121 00:12:56.820 --> 00:13:03.780 Nothing like a good cannibalism joke to wake everybody up. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 17. 122 00:13:03.780 --> 00:13:11.620 I want to talk to you about the source of your authority and I want you to challenge yourself. 123 00:13:11.620 --> 00:13:19.860 In fact, ask the Lord to arrest you when you pray these lower tier secondary prayers. The Lord 124 00:13:19.860 --> 00:13:26.260 will work with whatever you give him. But once you have the revelation, now you're responsible for it 125 00:13:27.140 --> 00:13:32.900 and he's calling you a pyre. You ever take a jacket to the dry cleaning or ladies of 126 00:13:32.900 --> 00:13:38.420 gold purse you're going through and you find like a folded $20 bill. You're like, oh, it's yours. 127 00:13:38.420 --> 00:13:45.060 You always had it, but you forgot all about it. It's like it rained down on you. Oh, $20. I didn't 128 00:13:45.060 --> 00:13:51.700 have before. You did, but you just didn't know it. There's so many Christians that have God 129 00:13:51.700 --> 00:13:56.500 given authority folded up in their back pockets somewhere. It doesn't, you know, good until you 130 00:13:56.500 --> 00:14:04.340 seize it. I challenge you to walk in your authority. Stop asking God to do things for you that he's 131 00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:08.500 already given you authority to take care of. Kenneth Hagen had a vision of this. 132 00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:19.300 He was taken up by the Lord, his whole book. If you want a book that'll blow your mind. It was old 133 00:14:19.380 --> 00:14:23.540 when I read it back in college. Read, I believe, in visions by Kenneth Hagen. 134 00:14:26.100 --> 00:14:32.900 It'll really challenge you. Completely scripturally sound, an awesome book. He talks about how the Lord 135 00:14:32.900 --> 00:14:40.420 took him up and started conversing with him in heaven. An evil spirit came, a little demon and 136 00:14:40.420 --> 00:14:46.180 caused a black, impenetrable cloud like a dark mist to come in between Hagen and the Lord. 137 00:14:46.900 --> 00:14:51.220 And the Lord just kept on talking to him as though nothing were happening. And, you know, 138 00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:55.380 Hagen's like looking around. He says, I'm looking around. I'm going to wonder, I can't hear a word 139 00:14:55.380 --> 00:15:00.980 that Jesus is saying. And this little imp like demon is running around in front of the dark cloud 140 00:15:00.980 --> 00:15:04.500 with his hands up, mocking, going, yak, yak, yak, yak, yak, yak, yak. 141 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:13.700 Finally, Hagen's looking around and he's like, you know, when's the Lord going to do something about 142 00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:20.420 this? And then he commands the devil, stop it in Jesus name. The moment he said that the demon 143 00:15:20.420 --> 00:15:24.980 collapsed in the ground and ran away and the mist disappeared. And the Lord just kept on talking. 144 00:15:24.980 --> 00:15:31.300 And he said, excuse me, Lord, I'm just wondering, did you see what just, he's like, I saw everything. 145 00:15:31.300 --> 00:15:35.860 Why didn't you stop talking? And Jesus, why didn't you stop speaking to me and take care of it? 146 00:15:35.860 --> 00:15:42.180 Jesus says, I was waiting for you to. I think that would be the Lord's response to a lot of things. 147 00:15:42.180 --> 00:15:49.140 Lord, why aren't you, why aren't you helping? I was waiting for you to rise up in your God-given authority. 148 00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:57.460 Amen. Husbands, take authority over your families, over your houses, that that, let me just say, 149 00:15:57.460 --> 00:16:01.860 taking authority over your house doesn't mean crashing in when you come home from work and 150 00:16:01.940 --> 00:16:13.620 what's going on here? Where's my blue shirt? It means in prayer. In prayer, you say in Jesus name, 151 00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:20.100 this is a holy home. The devil has no foothold. He can't come in here even a minch. No. 152 00:16:21.380 --> 00:16:28.020 The Lord reigns here. The Holy Spirit flows here. My kids are protected. My wife is protected. 153 00:16:28.020 --> 00:16:34.180 Amen. If you're single, you have authority over your dwelling place. You have authority over your 154 00:16:34.180 --> 00:16:43.460 life. Hallelujah. I just saw a video. By the way, Pentecostal Charismatics are local, man. 155 00:16:45.300 --> 00:16:48.660 I just saw a video. And now we always knew there were local. 156 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:56.980 But now that everybody's got a video in their pocket, now we have like video proof. 157 00:16:58.740 --> 00:17:02.260 And there was this nice Midwestern woman, Southern, whatever she was. 158 00:17:03.300 --> 00:17:08.180 Bless God, she was taking care of her family, you know? And she had this bottle of Welch's 159 00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:13.700 grape juice. And did anybody see this video? Oh, and she's walking around the perimeter of her 160 00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:19.700 property and she's, you know, she's squirting the Welch's grape juice and the element of communion. 161 00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:24.100 And she, you saw the video and she's, she's warding off the evil spirits and 162 00:17:24.180 --> 00:17:28.500 and making sure that this house is clean, you know? 163 00:17:35.620 --> 00:17:42.980 You don't, you don't have to squirt olive oil, Welch's grape juice, gasoline. 164 00:17:44.020 --> 00:17:50.660 You don't have to spray any of that stuff. You, you, you can just stand and with the precious 165 00:17:50.660 --> 00:17:59.220 authority that Jesus gave you that he bled for. Amen. Say this far devil and no further. Amen. 166 00:18:01.380 --> 00:18:05.860 And then wait, wait and get the confirmation of the Lord. You know, when we got our house in the 167 00:18:05.860 --> 00:18:10.660 Polkonos in 2020, I don't know if you remember the summer of 2020, crazy things were happening. 168 00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:16.740 And we got a house in the Polkonos and the Polkonos is a weird place. It's really been afflicted by 169 00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:23.300 what's that drug that's all? I'm sorry, I'm just drawing a blank. Not fentanyl, fentanyl too. 170 00:18:23.300 --> 00:18:27.300 But before that, the opiate crisis hit it and now it's a mixture. But what's that? 171 00:18:28.820 --> 00:18:35.540 Just, just oxycontin and any kind of opiate and then fentanyl came and its point is now it's 172 00:18:35.540 --> 00:18:41.460 the middle of COVID. We're out of the middle and nowhere. And every time I go to the gas station, 173 00:18:41.460 --> 00:18:44.900 I see that face that has three teeth in his head, you know, looking at me sideways and I'm going 174 00:18:44.900 --> 00:18:55.060 on, wonder how safe I am here. You remember this, right? I mean, I got guns, I got ARs coming out, 175 00:18:55.060 --> 00:19:01.540 I've got, if you actually saw my stash, you might wonder if you want to attend this church or not. 176 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:09.460 I mean, Rambo, are you kidding? I got like guns for my feet, hands. I felt like the Lord telling me 177 00:19:09.460 --> 00:19:15.940 to calm down just. So first week there, I'm walking around the perimeter. This is my, I'm a 178 00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:21.140 city boy. Now I got a house in the woods. And, and I'm, you know, COVID made you a little parent, 179 00:19:21.140 --> 00:19:26.180 I'm wondering what direction are they coming from. I can take them from the roof. I got a patio, 180 00:19:26.180 --> 00:19:33.300 I can take out, I got an 80 degree angle here. And I'm walking around my house and I'm taking 181 00:19:33.300 --> 00:19:39.860 an authority. I'm saying, Jesus name. This is a place of peace because I talk about the guns and 182 00:19:39.860 --> 00:19:43.540 I believe in a right to have guns, but any Christian that should be your last, you should not want 183 00:19:43.540 --> 00:19:51.380 to ever use a gun. And I took a, I said, no enemy will come even upon these grounds. In G, if 184 00:19:51.380 --> 00:19:56.500 you even have the thought, they'll turn back. And then this is what, this is the best. I heard in 185 00:19:56.500 --> 00:20:04.420 my spirit, no enemy, no one that intends you harm will ever even walk on the land. I said, yes, 186 00:20:04.420 --> 00:20:08.900 Lord. And that's it from that on. Never even had a second thought about it. Guns are still loaded, 187 00:20:08.900 --> 00:20:20.660 yes, but I don't think about it. Amen. Hallelujah. And I just want to say this with believers, 188 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:30.180 just do a little house cleaning at city light, a little bit. Always give more glory to God than the devil. 189 00:20:31.220 --> 00:20:36.660 And some, look, if the most interesting thing about you is some demonic attack you had three years 190 00:20:36.660 --> 00:20:43.460 ago, you need to have some more God encounters. Amen. The most interesting thing about you can't be, 191 00:20:44.100 --> 00:20:48.740 you know, the devil wouldn't let me sleep. I had demonic dreams, you know, I turned not my bathroom 192 00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:53.140 light so somebody in the mirror would it? However, the enemy was trying to flick you. Stop talking 193 00:20:53.140 --> 00:20:58.500 about it. That's the past. Amen. What are you going to write Psalms to the devil now and how he 194 00:20:58.500 --> 00:21:10.180 harassed you and how powerful he is? There is a devil and he's wicked and he wishes death on you, 195 00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:14.740 but we have authority over him. In fact, where we're going to go, I know I didn't start 196 00:21:14.740 --> 00:21:21.540 Ephesians, but let's go. One of the first verses I memorized, new believers are prone to this because 197 00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:27.780 they just left the kingdom of darkness yesterday, you know. So they still remember how oppressed 198 00:21:27.780 --> 00:21:33.620 they felt and they're still growing in their freedom in Christ. But you don't have to make it a 199 00:21:33.620 --> 00:21:41.380 year's long transition. Receive God's authority. He gave it to you. It's not dependent on your 200 00:21:41.380 --> 00:21:48.180 works. It's not dependent on how well you behave. Amen. He just marks you with it when he called 201 00:21:48.180 --> 00:21:57.460 you his own, his own child. And this belongs to every believer. Looked at 19 and then we'll jump 202 00:21:57.460 --> 00:22:00.900 right back to Ephesians. But I want you to, since I started talking about the devil and demons, 203 00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:10.260 behold, there's that word again. I give you the authority, delegated power to trample on 204 00:22:10.340 --> 00:22:18.740 serpents and scorpions and overall the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 205 00:22:19.940 --> 00:22:25.780 Memorize that verse. Get it in your spiritual bones. Do you know you come up to the ministry 206 00:22:25.780 --> 00:22:30.820 team? You come up to me for prayer. We're not asking God to set you free from oppression. 207 00:22:31.380 --> 00:22:38.580 We're doing it in Jesus name. Be free in Jesus name. I break the power of the devil over your life. 208 00:22:39.540 --> 00:22:45.860 Oh, in Jesus, the blood of Jesus on you. Hallelujah. Why? Because we have authority to trample 209 00:22:45.860 --> 00:22:52.820 on serpents and scorpions and overall all in the Greek means come on. All scholars you 210 00:22:53.940 --> 00:23:01.300 and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Hallelujah. When you're, when you see this, 211 00:23:02.260 --> 00:23:08.740 you can't unsee it. And then when you see other believers and I joked about judging and all that, 212 00:23:08.740 --> 00:23:14.340 of course, you take the humble road. But then you will see when people don't realize all they 213 00:23:14.340 --> 00:23:20.500 have in Christchurch, their 20 dollar bill is still folded in some purse somewhere in the basement. 214 00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:28.900 You can do the commanding. You have authority. Now let's go back to Ephesians. 215 00:23:29.860 --> 00:23:33.060 Chapter one, to talk about where this authority comes from. 216 00:23:35.060 --> 00:23:42.020 Why are we so lucky, huh? How did this happen? Ephesians 1 17 through 23. 217 00:23:43.540 --> 00:23:48.900 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom 218 00:23:50.020 --> 00:23:56.180 and revelation in the knowledge of Him. You will know who He is and who you are in Him. 219 00:23:56.180 --> 00:24:01.220 One of the foundations of authorities, your identity in Christ, you knowing who you are in Him. 220 00:24:02.020 --> 00:24:07.700 If you think you're a wretched old sinner in Him, then, well, you'll have the benefits of a 221 00:24:07.700 --> 00:24:12.500 wretched old sinner. If you believe you're born again, you creation in Christ that's in Him, 222 00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:18.260 then you'll have the benefits of a born again, you creation in Christ. The eyes of your understanding 223 00:24:18.260 --> 00:24:23.380 being enlightened, He's praying that they would see. He's praying for them to come out of the matrix 224 00:24:24.260 --> 00:24:28.740 to see what they've been given, that you may know what is the hope of His calling and what are 225 00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:35.940 the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the exceeding greatness of 226 00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:45.140 His power toward us? Say this, I have power. Jesus gave it to me. Yes. And it's according to 227 00:24:45.140 --> 00:24:51.380 the working, it's in proportion to the working of His mighty power, which He worked in Christ, 228 00:24:51.380 --> 00:24:56.020 which we're celebrating really every Sunday here, but especially next Sunday for Resurrection Sunday. 229 00:24:57.140 --> 00:25:01.780 When He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 230 00:25:02.420 --> 00:25:10.420 so where is Jesus right now? At the Father's right hand, right? In heavenly places. 231 00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:18.820 Okay, we just read it. Let's try it again. Where is Jesus right now? In heavenly places. 232 00:25:18.820 --> 00:25:21.940 At the Father's right hand, the place of authority, the right hand. 233 00:25:26.580 --> 00:25:32.500 And how far away is He from demons? By the way, the demonic realm, it's not in hell. Most of you know 234 00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:39.380 that. I didn't because I got my theology from cartoons before I got saved. And when Tom got hit 235 00:25:39.380 --> 00:25:44.500 by that piano, he went down into hell and then there was that that pitball dog was in hell 236 00:25:45.140 --> 00:25:48.980 and all the demons, but the demons aren't in hell yet. The devil isn't in hell. He's the prince of 237 00:25:48.980 --> 00:25:56.420 the power of the air. And the scripture says Jesus is elevated, not just above them, but far above 238 00:25:56.420 --> 00:26:02.500 them, far above all principality and power and might and dominion. He's listing demonic categories. 239 00:26:03.940 --> 00:26:09.620 And every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that, which is to come. 240 00:26:10.420 --> 00:26:19.860 And he's put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church. 241 00:26:19.860 --> 00:26:25.300 You can paraphrase that by saying he made Jesus, the Father made Jesus the head far above all the 242 00:26:25.300 --> 00:26:33.380 demonic activity for the church's sake, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. 243 00:26:34.020 --> 00:26:38.580 Now we're going to just make a right turn one chapter over to Ephesians chapter two verse one. 244 00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:44.980 So far, we've learned that Jesus is high and lifted up, far above all the demonic power, 245 00:26:45.860 --> 00:26:53.300 it's under his feet. This is a great Easter verse. And you, he made alive. Because you know, 246 00:26:53.300 --> 00:26:57.300 next Sunday we're not only celebrating Jesus' resurrection, we're celebrating mine in yours 247 00:26:57.300 --> 00:27:04.180 resurrection, because we were made alive in him. And you, he made alive who were dead in 248 00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:11.620 trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, the devil, 249 00:27:11.620 --> 00:27:18.500 according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 250 00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:24.500 among whom also we once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of 251 00:27:24.500 --> 00:27:30.180 the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 252 00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:38.580 But God who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 253 00:27:39.300 --> 00:27:46.500 even when we were dead in trespasses, he made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved. 254 00:27:47.940 --> 00:27:53.780 And this verse six, memorize it, this is the foundation for your authority. 255 00:27:54.500 --> 00:28:05.140 This is why you can lose things and bind things. This is why you can you not, you don't need your 256 00:28:05.140 --> 00:28:11.060 pastor. Happy always to pray with you always, but you don't need me to do this for you. 257 00:28:14.900 --> 00:28:21.220 He raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 258 00:28:21.220 --> 00:28:28.340 So chapter one, it shows Jesus after his resurrection is in the highest place at the father's right hand. 259 00:28:28.340 --> 00:28:33.140 Where are the devils? Well, way below him, because he's far above, doesn't just say above, far 260 00:28:33.140 --> 00:28:37.940 above all principality and power and might and dominion. And then in chapter two, it says, 261 00:28:37.940 --> 00:28:45.540 you are right there with him. You have been raised up together and made to sit together 262 00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:53.460 in heavenly places in Christ. So when you give a command here on earth, if it's based on the word 263 00:28:53.460 --> 00:29:02.180 of God, it's like Jesus himself giving the command. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I had a dream when I was 264 00:29:02.180 --> 00:29:07.620 first learning these things and I was running, I was running down the the stairwell of the old apartment 265 00:29:07.620 --> 00:29:13.780 where I was raised out in four stills. And there were like all these different staircases and I 266 00:29:13.780 --> 00:29:18.340 felt I didn't see, but I felt like there was a fire and I needed to get out. And I'm coming up to 267 00:29:18.340 --> 00:29:23.460 these different doors and yanking one, it won't open, running down to another one, yanking, you know, 268 00:29:24.020 --> 00:29:29.140 like using my foot, trying to nothing won't open. And then I just hear the Lord say, command. 269 00:29:30.100 --> 00:29:34.340 And now I'm running again, running real fast, so fast into the door like if something doesn't 270 00:29:34.340 --> 00:29:39.140 happen, I'm going to crash right into it. I go, in Jesus name, be open and the door swings open 271 00:29:39.140 --> 00:29:44.020 into another cord, another closed door. In Jesus name, be open. It swings open. Now I'm having fun. 272 00:29:44.020 --> 00:29:48.500 Now I got, now I'm running through this dream and I'm like, in Jesus name, before I could even say 273 00:29:48.500 --> 00:29:56.740 be open, double doors swing open. Hallelujah. With your life, God is holding you by the hand. He's 274 00:29:56.740 --> 00:30:01.940 taking you somewhere. I get there's some doors that are closed right now. You say I'm waiting for 275 00:30:01.940 --> 00:30:07.540 the Lord to open them. Great, but have you spoken to them to be open? In the name of Jesus, 276 00:30:08.260 --> 00:30:14.500 every closed door that should be open to me. I command opened in Jesus name. Hallelujah. 277 00:30:15.060 --> 00:30:21.940 When it comes to our church building, it doesn't exist yet. We're constantly looking for what's 278 00:30:21.940 --> 00:30:26.100 on the market. There's not even one that comes up where we're like, we want to believe for that. 279 00:30:27.140 --> 00:30:35.220 So what are we doing right now? We're using our authority and saying in Jesus name, church building 280 00:30:35.940 --> 00:30:39.860 arise. Now what does that mean? We're not expecting one to, you know, like I was Superman, 281 00:30:39.860 --> 00:30:43.940 started the fortress of solitude. He threw the crystal in and a building came up from the ground. 282 00:30:43.940 --> 00:30:48.660 That's not what we're doing. But right now that building could be locked up in some boarded 283 00:30:48.660 --> 00:30:55.860 directors meeting, some whole church or just imbureaucratic red tape. And when we speak that way, 284 00:30:55.860 --> 00:31:00.340 it could be a church that should have finished 20 years ago and they got three people meeting. 285 00:31:00.340 --> 00:31:04.660 And by the way, this happens all the time in New York City. You got a church that should have 286 00:31:04.660 --> 00:31:09.780 folded generations ago, but because churches don't pay land taxes and the buildings already paid 287 00:31:09.780 --> 00:31:13.540 off, you got churches with a thousand seats and you look inside and there's six people in there. 288 00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:22.260 So when we pray that way, the Lord will do some shaking and make a whole lot of shaking going on. 289 00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:27.380 And that's how the church building will arise so that we can believe for it. Amen. Right now we 290 00:31:27.380 --> 00:31:37.460 just need something on our radar. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Romans 517, worship team, you can come on up. 291 00:31:45.060 --> 00:31:46.180 Thank you, Jesus. 292 00:31:46.180 --> 00:31:59.380 A frequent thing that I hear about is people being tormented with night terrors, people being tormented 293 00:31:59.380 --> 00:32:05.700 in their sleep. And it really shows you what Satan is like. He's such a coward that he comes to you 294 00:32:05.700 --> 00:32:12.820 when you're at your weakest, when you're literally unconscious. And try to inject your mind and 295 00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:24.580 put thoughts and dreams. And I had that 30 years ago, but it stopped when I started taking authority 296 00:32:24.580 --> 00:32:35.380 every night. In the name of Jesus, the Word of God says, you give your beloved sweet sleep, sweet 297 00:32:35.380 --> 00:32:42.740 sleep. Devil, you can't touch me. I sleep under the blood of Jesus. You can't hear it. It's illegal 298 00:32:42.820 --> 00:32:45.540 for you too. Hallelujah. 299 00:32:51.060 --> 00:32:58.020 For if by one man's offense, death rained through the one, much more those who receive abundance of 300 00:32:58.020 --> 00:33:03.940 grace and of the gift of righteousness, any people here receive God's grace. Amen. The gift of 301 00:33:03.940 --> 00:33:11.060 righteousness, shout, that's me. Oh, the gift of righteousness purchased with the blood of Jesus. 302 00:33:13.220 --> 00:33:18.900 You get grace and you get righteousness. And the Bible says, you will reign in life through the 303 00:33:18.900 --> 00:33:27.940 one Jesus Christ. You are royalty. You are terrain. When are you supposed to reign in heaven? No. 304 00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:35.780 He'll do all the raining there. But it says rain in life, rain in life. When I was a Christian, 305 00:33:35.780 --> 00:33:45.220 when I was a Christian, getting my butt kicked, I knew something was wrong. And thank God I had 306 00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:50.500 other more mature Christians I can peek into their lives and go, wow, they seem way freer, way 307 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:56.340 more at peace. And I'm encountering the devil just as much as God. What's going on here? I'm always 308 00:33:56.340 --> 00:34:00.580 feeling oppressed. You know, there was a saying, I squash that quick around city light because 309 00:34:00.580 --> 00:34:07.940 what happens is people go online and get their brains messed up with weird podcasts and go down 310 00:34:07.940 --> 00:34:13.140 weird rabbit holes. And then there was a group in their own midst. Every other sentence was, 311 00:34:13.140 --> 00:34:17.700 oh, I feel the resistance. Pray for me. There's great resistance. I want to do something this Friday, 312 00:34:17.700 --> 00:34:21.540 but you know, the devil's resisting me. Well, if you keep talking about it, that's all you're going 313 00:34:21.540 --> 00:34:27.860 to get. It's a trap. You know, there actually is an evil spirit called wrong focus. 314 00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:35.060 It is a demon called wrong focus. It gets you to focus on the demonic. 315 00:34:36.660 --> 00:34:45.620 And what you focus on is what you realize more in your life. Hey, man. So I think a lot of 316 00:34:45.620 --> 00:34:51.700 Christians, they came out of the new age or something, but then they start to blur Christianity 317 00:34:51.860 --> 00:34:57.780 with like this old Nintendo game with a constantly pure, pure spiritual warfare. Stop focusing on 318 00:34:57.780 --> 00:35:03.700 the devil. Focus on Jesus. Declare your victory and then stand firm in your authority and victory. 319 00:35:03.700 --> 00:35:09.380 Amen. Well, what if a text still come? The worst thing you can do to your enemy, the most offensive 320 00:35:09.380 --> 00:35:17.380 thing is to ignore them. Ignore it and keep doing what you're doing. Amen. Hallelujah. 321 00:35:18.340 --> 00:35:27.460 Rage out this rain in life. I'm terrain. Lift your hands up. Say in Jesus name, 322 00:35:27.460 --> 00:35:38.180 you've given me authority. I have delegated power. So I decree over my life. I am blessed. 323 00:35:39.140 --> 00:35:48.820 My sins are forgiven. I have intimacy with God. You make me the prosper. I walk in the love 324 00:35:48.820 --> 00:35:56.580 of Christ. Good things happen to me all the time. I'm a magnet for the blessings of God. 325 00:35:56.580 --> 00:36:09.060 Doors open. New opportunities arise. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. 326 00:36:26.580 --> 00:36:32.500 Online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been 327 00:36:32.500 --> 00:36:38.660 encouraged today. That you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by 328 00:36:38.660 --> 00:36:44.340 grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church podcast wherever 329 00:36:44.340 --> 00:36:50.500 you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.