Authority is in the Spirit
For a man to own his sin—not pass the blame on to others, and agree with God about his sin—is supernatural.
Where does true authority come from? Authority comes from the Holy Spirit, not the holy flesh. Authority increases in a believer's life as their faith in God increases. When believers become more desperate for God and His grace, the demonstration of God's Spirit becomes more manifest. Relying on God and not works produces a splendid display of God's power through the believer's life.
How does the Holy Spirit minister His authority through us by grace? First, the Holy Spirit must get us to abandon our flesh. A work of grace is the Holy Spirit coming into your life and “dis-gracing” your “self.” The highest holiness for the creature is to walk in self-renunciation and continual dependence upon the indwelling Holy Ghost.
Repentance and Grace
Nothing but a work of grace can take the man who once wanted to be like God to renounce himself as a complete “disgrace” and believe that only God is good, and God is great and greatly to be praised. The intent of Jesus on bearing our cross was that we would deny ourselves; that we would give up ourselves and stop striving in ourselves to be something.
Repentance is the miracle of grace. Nobody living under the law will be forgiven of their sins by repenting. Repentance is for grace. By the law, no man will be justified or forgiven. Because of the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed for our sins. “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11).
For a man to own his sin—not pass the blame on to others, and agree with God about his sin—is supernatural. This is a work of grace by which a believer can reign in this life. To get a man to agree with God about his wretched self is supernatural!
By Grace Through Faith
Read what you will - confess, repent, fight, discipline, strive, and be accountable to people, but you will only succeed if the Holy Spirit is the life, power, and sanctifier. You will never pray right, give right, forgive right, preach right, or overcome sin. Learn all the Bible you will, study and memorize, and you will not be free. Freedom comes by grace through faith (Galatians 5).
And only the free man can reign; all others are bound. Kingdom authority comes by grace through faith; where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty - freedom!
Lee Shipp is founding pastor of First New Testament Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has ministered for more than thirty years and is also president of A Call to the Heart.
