Love and Spiritual Authority---Part 2

"AS WIDE AS OUR SPHERE OF LOVE, TO THAT EXTENT WE HAVE SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY"
True spiritual authority is born of LOVE.
If we have LOVE for our church and the congregation, then we have authority to build up that church and congregation. That same authority is not extended beyond the boundaries of our LOVE.
If we LOVE our city and our local government our authority touches the lives of those in that realm either through prayer or through outreach/ministry.
The testing ground of all spiritual things is LOVE, for LOVE alone purifies our motives and delivers us from the deceitfulness of self. Even authority in spiritual warfare must be rooted in LOVE. David gained the skills to slay Goliath, not on a battlefield, but by defending his father's sheep from predators. He LOVED those sheep so much he was willing to lay down his life for them. So also we grow in authority as we protect OUR Father's sheep, the flock He has given us to LOVE.
The more we LOVE, the more authority will be granted to us. If we love our community and are willing to lay down our lives in service, God will enlarge our hearts and grant us new authority in spiritual warfare. Satan knows the genuineness of our LOVE by the brightness of the glory that surrounds us.
"A man or woman without Christ-inspired LOVE will soon shrink back and fail in spiritual warfare."--1 Cor. 13:8
Only LOVE "never fails".
Certainly, when it comes to battling the enemy, there are many things the Holy Spirit has to say that we are not able to hear until our base of LOVE is expanded. Graciously, the Lord protects us from presumptuosly taking on the enemy and attacking the strongholds of hell and suffering loss. If we are truly anointed in God's LOVE, however, the price to see our culture saved is not too great, but, it will be a price that LOVE alone can pay.
I am excited to see where God will take us as He continues to unfold this plan of action to those willing to accept the mission--His mission--to LOVE our neighbors as ourselves, in fact, to be ready to lay down our lives as a sacrifice for those around us, and therefore gaining God-given authority to protect and build up His people. I think the thing that brings me the greatest possibility of shame would be to stand before my Heavenly Father and realize that I had missed opportunities to bring others to Christ because I was busy with...life...self.


"So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found no one."--Ezekiel 22:30

I'm here, Father, and I am ready and willing to do whatever you ask.
Speak to my heart and use me to bring others to you.
Establish your LOVE in my heart and may it overflow on to those around me for your glory and honor.
Amen.