Praying with Authority

When we confess Jesus is Lord, we embrace his authority over every aspect of our lives. Therefore, prayer plays a pivotal role in submitting to Christ's authority and taking responsibility for what he has authorized us to do. Prayer is not just about asking God for things; it's about exercising authority as Children of the most high God. Authoritative prayer is bold, offensive, and akin to spiritual warfare. This resource will explore the concept of praying with authority, drawing inspiration from the teachings of Jesus and providing practical steps to incorporate this powerful form of prayer into your life.

​

Jesus bestowed upon his disciples the full measure of his authority, commissioning and empowering them to make disciples who make disciples. This authority comes from the Spirit's empowerment. Just as parents bear a God-given responsibility to raise their children, disciples similarly hold a general authority to nurture and guide spiritual offspring. When a disciple is sent forth and equipped to impart obedience, they carry with them the authority of Jesus Himself. He has vested us with the power to fulfill His mission through His Word and the indwelling of His Spirit.

Submission to the mission of Jesus is paramount. Assuming a humble posture of submissive servants, we willingly yield to His command to go and make disciples. Go!  Any reluctance to personally commit to this mandate is, in essence, a rejection of His authority. Whether conscious or not, when we choose to disregard His call to obedience, it amounts to subtle rebellion. To genuinely partake in the disciple-making mission, we must allow Jesus to transform our hearts, for failing to do so only hinders the growth of discipleship and places us on the wrong side of the spiritual battle.

Praying with authority gives us confidence in the battle. I mean, who told you you could be here? Who are you to pray that God would heal, bless, and transform others? Are you allowed to talk about this stuff? Are you allowed to share your faith in your neighborhood or workplace? By the power of God's word, yes! We must pray to remain in submission to King Jesus, responsibly exercising our delegated authority to go make disciples, and train up others to do the same. You are authorized to share, bless, heal, forgive, and make disciples in Jesus' name.

​

Luke 10:16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Matthew 10:40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” ​

​

Understanding Authority in Prayer:
Jesus demonstrated the authority in prayer when he commissioned his disciples, saying, "All authority on heaven and Earth has been given to me; therefore, go and make disciples." As believers, we have authority, but it must be exercised in alignment with Jesus's name, glory, power, and authority. To pray "in Jesus' name" is to pray in alignment with his purposes and will. 

 

Dependency on Jesus's Strength:
When Jesus sent out his disciples, he emphasized their dependence on him, comparing them to lambs among wolves. This illustrates that prayer is our mightiest action, not our resources or strength. It's essential to rely on the Lord's strength in prayer. When Jesus sent disciples into mission and they obeyed, he gave them authority to cast out demons and heal others. Disciples continued to heal and cast out demons throughout the book of Acts. 

 

Grieving for the Unrepentant:
Authoritative prayer should be focused. Just as Jesus focused on specific individuals or Persons of Peace, we should concentrate our efforts on deepening relationships and ministering to those who are open to receiving the message of the Gospel. To not focus on a few would be to disobey Jesus's instruction of "shaking the dust off oru feet". Jesus's act of shaking the dust off the disciples' feet for those who rejected him was not a curse but a gesture of mourning. We should be quick to bless, serve, and slow to call to repentance. People may reject God's authority, and they may reject ours, but we should respond with compassion.

 

Praying with Responsibility:
If you're prayer walking in an area with few Christians, chances are there have already been generations of demonic spiritual activity  building a stronghold there. Do not take this lightly, or you could get beat up spiritually. Praying with authority comes with responsibility. You can't make God move, but you can prepare the ground for him to work. We should take authority over the land, seek God's instructions, remove evil, declare the Lord's truths, cleanse ourselves, and have a missional outcome in mind—making disciples.

​

Praying with authority is a powerful and transformative aspect of our spiritual journey. By aligning our prayers with the authority and teachings of Jesus, we can make a significant impact in our neighborhoods and in the lives of those we encounter. Remember, prayer is not the end goal; disciple making is. So, go forth with boldness, pray with authority, and watch as God's authority takes ground in your life and community.

​

"The Kingdom is built on repenting of our sin and rebellion against God and restoring our relationships with God and with our neighbor, resuming our role as regents acting under God, with authority to establish and advance God's reign on earth as it is in heaven... When the Kingdom is properly understood as acknowledging and obeying the authority of God, it is also revealed to be the center of the Great Commission" - Jerry Trousdale

 

"Because Jesus said he would give the keys to Peter - the rest of the apostles and every disciple from every generation - would have the authority to open the doors of the kingdom. This would be the role of the assembly of Christ followers: to speak and live out that Jesus is king, and in so doing, open the door for men and women of any age to be ruled by him as well... Kingdom movements focus on lifestyle, not theology. They point to the authority of scripture [and authentically obeying it] over the authority of the church." - David Bercot

 

"Perseverance builds character, character builds spiritual authority, spiritual authority builds influence, influence spreads renewal." - Mark Sayers