God’s Sovereignty and Our Authority, God's favor and Our persistence
By Carole McDonnell
 

Because I'm a writer, working alone at home on my novels, the television is usually blaring behind me throughout the day.  Sometimes I listen to Christian television, sometimes the day is spent listening to Creature Features, sometimes I fill my poor mind with one murder forensics show after another.

Aside from my total conviction that I really shouldn't be watching crime shows so much, I've picked up other convictions...usually from my favorite Christian preachers. And yet, even when listening to those I greatly respect and trust, I've had moments when a minister makes an assertion which causes me to raise my eyebrows, rush over to the television and ask, "Are you sure about that? I wonder if you're right on that particular point."

This happened recently when a minister whom I truly trust stated (and I'm paraphrasing), "God is sovereign, but that doesn't mean that we should sit around waiting for God to do everything for us. 'Sovereignty means Highest in Order, it doesn't mean the only one with authority." God has given us all the authority to heal the sick, and to raise the dead.  He has done all He's going to do when it comes to healing.  Instead of praying to God to heal you, exert your authority.  If you're wondering how to pray, pray in the spirit or ask God for wisdom, but remember God has given us dominion and it's up to us to speak to the mountain because God has already answered your prayer."

Well, I partly agreed with this, but even so I like to think I have a Daddy in the sky and the thought that I would only get out of some of my major trials by my own authority didn't sit well with me. I like rushing over to God begging him to help, even if I am supposed to be speaking the word and exercising authority. And yes, many people who believe this have sat around for years waiting for God to drop changes into their lives because they were grasshoppers in their own eyes, when they should've been commanding, exerting their authority, speaking the word, and reclaiming the Promised Land from giants.

All the same, I like asking God to change things and to bring me blessings. In addition, I have this argumentative side to my personality which dislikes generalities, specifically generalities which state what God will or will not do in any believer's life. I believe God's promise shows His will and that if there's a promise in the word about a particular situation, then we know God's will regarding that situation.

Before the preacher finished talking about the Believer's authority, he said offhand, "God isn't going to drop money down from the sky for you." Well, I told myself...everyone knows that. And yet, within the same week at church an old woman who had raised her children in poverty and whose children includes ministers, rose up to give a testimony of her life. And yes, one day when she had no food at all, she went outside and prayed and prayed and all around her in the middle of nowhere in the country, money fell from the sky. All arguments about God and Mammon and the gold and heaven's treasury aside, the recounting of this incident made me once again ponder the preacher's comment that there are some things God will not do because God is Sovereign. Please understand, I wasn't trying to find a way to get out of doing my part in fighting the great fight of faith, but I didn't like the idea of being so out on a limb in my life.

The Lord led me to several Scriptures that made me see that there is a balance for the Christian. We have authority, yes, and certain blessings may not manifest in our lives unless we exercise that authority against the Thief. But God's eyes are also on His people and He does, of His own volition, without anyone doing anything, without anyone praying anything, often grant us favors. In short, God's Sovereignty, Our Authority, God's Favor and our Persistence all have a place in the successful life of a Christian.

Consider Luke Chapter 7. God's Sovereignty unasked for graciousness and favor is shown in his raising of the widow's son. At the same time, the story of the Centurion's servant shows the power of persistence and authority. The Holy Spirit prompted Luke the beloved physician to put these stories beside each other in order to show these aspects of God's involvement with His people.

In the first case, the Centurion's beloved servant was dying. The Centurion works dramatically to get his prayer answered. He goes so far as to send three different groups to see Jesus to intercede for him: religious leaders who praised his worthiness, Servants, Friends who said he wasn't "worthy" at all. It was a flurry of activity and at last all the Centurion can say is to declare his faith in Jesus' authority.

The story of the widow of Nain, whose son had died is an instance of Jesus' total Sovereignty. The widow might have been hoping in her heart that her son "had not died" but she hadn't gone as far as Martha by hoping Jesus would bring her dead one back to life. We don't even know if she even knew about Jesus. Jesus simply happened upon the scene. No one asked him to heal the dead boy. It wasn't even expected for Him to do so.

As in the case of the man at the pool of Bethesda, a man whose healing theology was based solely on a strange natural phenomenon, Jesus came voluntarily and freely and unasked to the man and gave unasked for help. He went over to the bier and touched the boy's coffin and said to the woman, "Don't cry." Then he said to the dead boy, "Get up." And the boy did. He went to the man by the pool of Bethesda and asked, "Do you want to be healed?" So loving and eager to help is Jesus that he goes out of his way to bring the healing virtues of the kingdom to those who don't yet understand or have the keys to the kingdom.

Other incidents also show how God's authority and God given authority works. The Woman with the demon-possessed daughter knew general theology. Like Hagar, she understood, "You God See Me." She understood that all the world benefited from Israel's God. But that was all she knew. It's fairly certain, she didn't have the power of God's Holy Spirit or the God-given authority to heal the sick. She, therefore, couldn't have exercised any authority over the demon. So she came persisting – persisting– to Jesus.  And because of her faith – and His compassion– He healed her daughter.

The healing of the woman with the issue of blood is another instance where persistence paid off. But, like Peter's walking on the water, it was a case of persistence and faith being joined together. One can't really persist in a prayer unless one knows God's will. Because if you know God's promises –His Written Will– you will persist in spite of all the lies of the devil. The Father of the demon-possessed boy knew God's will and persisted even after Jesus' representatives failed to heal His son. Just as the man who thought God healed through the agency of the bubbling of the water had to turn his eyes to Jesus, so this man turned his eyes from Jesus' weak-faithed disciples to the One with all power to help. The man had faith to believe that Jesus could heal his son, but he also persisted past failure and scorn and held on to Jesus. Both he and the woman declared their faith: The woman heard that Jesus healed, continually repeated that she would be healed if she touched him, and crawled in pain on her hands and feet on the ground until she managed to touch the hem of his garment. This man said to Jesus, "I believe in you, but I also don't believe." Faith and Unbelief together can be conquered by Persistence.

Remember Peter walking on the water? He heard the word from Jesus, "Come!" The word was spoken with authority. If Jesus gives you an order, if the Lord sends a word into your heart, that living word has the power and authority within itself to help you perform what God has authorized you to do. So when Jesus said, "Come! Authority and miraculous spiritual power were given to Peter to enable him to walk to Jesus on the water. But then Peter doubted. He looked at the waves and the wind and because he doubted he began to sink. Here it would seem is a limit to human persistence, to humans using the authority given to Peter then and later given to them on Pentecost. Peter began to sink. But, praise God! Jesus is always there to help those who step out in faith. He had sent the word to Peter and Peter had persisted to the best of his human authority in following the word. But Peter was failing.

NEVERTHELESS, Jesus reached out His hand and saved him. Even though Peter doubted, even though Peter didn't finish the task entirely on his faith in Christ's authority. Peter could trust Christ's compassionate love. The Lord will not leave us to finish our task alone. He is not only the Author of the Authoritative Word, He is the Author and the Finisher of Our Faith, the Alpha and the Omega. He will not leave us to finish any work by ourselves.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your word. Teach us how the kingdom of God operates. Give us wisdom so we know how to pray. Teach us when to exercise our authority, and when to trust in your power. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Carole McDonnell's fiction, devotionals, poetry and essays have appeared in many publishing venues, in print and online. She is the author of The Easy Way to Write and Teach Bible Studies which can be downloaded at ebooks-and-authors.com She lives with her husband, their two sons, and their ferocious tabby Ralphina in upstate New York.  You may contact her about this article at writers@blessedlady.com.
 

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