“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and in earth. Go therefore…” Matthew 28:18-19a
Jesus came to the earth in human form for one main purpose: to restore the position of mankind back to God through the removal of the penalty of sin. Jesus accomplished His mission by paying death’s ransom by becoming sin and dying on the cross. Once the debt had been paid, God was able to raise Jesus from the dead; and not only Christ, but God is also able to offer eternal life to all who call on His name, receive His forgiveness, and continually surrender to His lordship.
Colossians 2:14-15 tells us that when Jesus paid off our debt to death, He also defeated the ruler of sin and death, who is Satan, and the principalities under his charge. Jesus stripped Satan of his authority over sin and death, providing a way of escape for those who choose to change their allegiance to Christ. The way to reign over sin and its effects is through being repositioned in God through Christ, our Redeemer.
After Jesus accomplished His task of defeating sin and death, His next assignment was to commission His followers. As His representatives, we are to fulfill His mission to reconcile the world to God through delegated authority and display His glory with the endowment of the Holy Spirit.
We do not belong to ourselves; we were bought with a price. Each Christian is a representative of Jesus and a minister of His Gospel message. In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus authorized and charged His followers to use His name to perform signs and wonders. Throughout the New Testament we see miracles performed by ordinary men and women using the name of Jesus and anointed with extraordinary power. They weren’t performing their own works; they were doing the works of Jesus as His ambassadors. It is not only our right; it is our responsibility to live, breathe and act with the authority and the anointing of our Savior and King, Jesus Christ.
Application: If you don’t see yourself as being worthy of Christ’s authority or power, realize that all He requires is the surrender of your heart and the trust of His love. Remember that God delights in using the unworthy or the despised to display His splendor. Your qualifications for ministry come from Him.