Given By God

"All authority is ultimately God's to give or nullify."

AUTHORITY IS NOT self-appointed. God called David to be king over all his brothers and appointed his younger son, Solomon, as his successor. The kingdom split after Solomon’s death, into Israel and Judah, with only a few kings of either kingdom having any heart for the God of David. Most did not, but worshiped idols. Solomon prophesied the split of the kingdom and its reunion in the story of the two women and the dead and living babies. The Messiah would not come into a divided kingdom full of ungodly rulers but would be King of Israel in its entirety.

Moses was appointed by God to deliver Israel from Egypt. God’s authority backed him up when he faced Pharaoh. He spoke to God face-to-face, we are told, receiving the Ten Commandments written by the finger of God. His hasty actions in a fit of anger caused him to remain outside the Promised Land, but God chose his successor, Joshua the son of Nun, giving him the authority of Moses upon the prophet’s death. The people were to honor Joshua as they’d honored Moses.

Spiritual authority is not physically elected. A man can be physically appointed but not spiritually ordained. This is not to say God encourages lawbreaking. We are to honor Caesar with what is Caesar’s, and we are told to pray for those in authority, those holding office, regardless of whether they put themselves there or not. But spiritual authority can only be given by God. A pastor is called to his pastorate by God, an apostle is appointed to be sent by God, a prophet is called to be a prophet by God and cannot choose the office for himself.

Knowing who is physically appointed and who is spiritually ordained, given authority by God, is a matter of following the Spirit. They are spiritually discerned. We must know the Spirit’s will and follow His voice and not strictly form conclusions in our mind. A vote can be legal or illegally obtained. The man or woman voted for can be outside of the will of God but legally appointed. They could be legally appointed but not spiritually ordained. They can be qualified, with the proper education and backing, but not be the will of God for that office.

King Saul is an example. He was spiritually chosen by God, although God did not want Israel to have a king. But his authority was removed from him when he sinned and it was given to David, the shepherd. David would be many, many years obtaining the office, however. Saul continued as the legal king, an office that David honored, although spiritually, Saul was no longer ordained. Saul’s madness was only appeased by the anointing upon David. Here is spiritual irony.

Four times, Moses was told to encourage Joshua. Joshua had a heart for God. He followed Moses, part of the way up the mountain when Moses ascended. He stayed behind, basking in the presence of God in the tabernacle. He believed firmly that the people of Israel could drive the inhabitants of Canaan out, under God’s power. But Moses had big shoes, and Israel was a massive people. His courage came because he meditated on the Law, day and night.

“But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.” (Deuteronomy 1:38)

A godly leader seeks God’s wisdom first and foremost and leads with an attitude of humility. Humility is not weakness but submission to God, who is always the greater authority. Jesus explained this to His disciples, saying that leadership is a position of service to those being led. It is not a position of arrogance, although some pride of service, pride in what is being led, be it a country or a company, is necessary to being called to that leadership. No man should lead any group of people and hate his job, his nation, or his employees.

If you hate America, then don’t choose leadership here. If you hate the Christian church, then don’t go for ordination in it. Only God ordains men and women into either authority anyway. That is the point. And encouragement is the second thing of importance. We must honor those placed over us through the proper attitude of obedience and through consistent prayer. The apostle Paul honored Rome, although he did not necessarily agree with those leading her. Jesus told Peter to pay the temple tax for them, although He said they did not owe it.

The younger generation will only honor those who they see as honorable. Unless one generation sets an example for the next, there will be none to follow them. We are not meant to continually recarve our own pathway, but I should walk on the ceiling of those who went before me, and those who follow me, walk on the ceiling I have built. That ceiling must be God’s plan for me. I must do the work I am called to do under the authority He gives me, and I must honor those who walk in authority over me, be it political leadership, church leadership, or generational. There are those I honor for living longer than I have, for doing what I have not had to do.

All authority is ultimately God’s to give or nullify. Pharaoh was the leader of Egypt, but he died in the Red Sea. Moses was the leader of Israel, but he did not enter the Promised Land. Joshua did, and the Israelites conquered Canaan from east to west and north to south. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and held no physical office in Rome or Israel, but now, He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Men do not all acknowledge Him, but there will come a day when all will see His face. He could have called for legions of angels to rescue Him from death on the cross, but He chose instead to submit to His Father’s authority, and as a result, He now lives, the Victor over death, and as a result, we can be saved.

“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:41-42)

"And now he is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming! And he alone is the leader and source of everything needed in the church. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christ and has given him the highest rank above all others." (Ephesians 1:21-22 TPT)

Voting is our privilege in this nation. But I assure you we have a King, whose spiritual authority reigns over any man or woman elected to office. And prophets ordained by God have spoken out about God’s will for us. We must do what we are given to do as citizens of the United States and also what God has asked of us as children of God. We must love one another, regardless of skin color or culture, and continue in prayer without fear of man’s results. Because even if the man in office is not the one God has called, He knows our tomorrow and has it well in His hand.

“Then the sign announcing the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn over him. And they will see the Son of Man appearing in the clouds of heaven, revealed with mighty power, great splendor, and glory. And he will send his messengers with the loud blast of the trumpet, and with a great voice they will gather his beloved chosen ones by the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other!” (Matthew 24:30-31 TPT)

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7)

“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;” (2 Timothy 1:6-8)

Image by 12019 from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com