The Umbrella of Spiritual Authority:

Spiritual Authority:• Planted a church in NE. (8-250;

marriage) (250-700; thimble – 40%-10%; Holy Discontent) (called to renewal; Dream – Dec 2006; the price to be paid)

• Leadership journey (100’s of leadership books) (Leadership Summit – don’t have what it takes) (retreat – study Moses)

Spiritual Authority:• We all have a spiritual authority

umbrella. The umbrella is dynamic, it can expand or shrink.

• Spiritual authority is the ability to contend with heavenly realities through spiritual leadership, which affects the outcomes of the earthly realms & manifests the kingdom of God in our midst. (e.g., Moses – huge umbrella, battle with Joshua, Ex 17:8-16) (e.g., Jesus – Mark 4 – a storm, Mark 5 – demoniac, Mark 8 – harvest)

Spiritual Authority:• Spiritual authority – we bring our

spiritual ‘weight’ to bear on a confronting problem – in order to move that problem in God’s direction. We need spiritual authority to move people forward – with a vision. They follow us according to our authority. We need spiritual authority to cast out demons. To heal the sick. To set the captive free. To help ‘form Christ’ in people. To affect change from the heavenly realm to the earthly realm (to see the Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven) requires spiritual authority.

Spiritual Authority:• Two case studies in spiritual

leadership• Case study 1: Moses - A man with an

impossible assignment.• He was called to lead a group of

people out of a land where the people did not want them to leave, into a land where the people did not want them to come, with a group of people who did not want to take the trip!

Spiritual Authority:• How do you lead your way through

an impossible situation? How do you lead when your human capacity has come to it’s limits?

• Exodus 3:1-6 – A bush on fire, but not consumed (fire – have to feed it; self-sustaining fire)

Spiritual Authority:• Case study 2: The Apostles – An

impossible assignment. Twelve uneducated, unimpressive, un-influential men were to take the message of a living dead man to every people group on the planet.

• Acts 2:1-4. Tongues of fire. A fire that is self-sustaining, requiring no fuel.

Spiritual Authority:• At the start of both of the great

redemptive movements of God, in the OT & NT, God appears to His leaders as a self-existing fire. Why?

• KEY # 1: To lead a God-only possible mission, we need God. God trusts a leader with an assignment. All spiritual authority is delegated by God. And we need God to complete the assignment.

Spiritual Authority:• KEY # 1: To lead a God-only possible

event, we need God. God trusts a leader with an assignment. All spiritual authority is delegated by God. And we need God to complete the assignment.

• He is the only one who is self-existent, self-sustaining. We don’t need God AND… We need God alone. (all of us need something – air, food, sleep, etc.)

Spiritual Authority:• When God gives His people an

impossible assignment, he always gives them the same promise to go with the assignment: “I am with you.”

• Moses – Exodus 3:7-14 (v.12) (v.14). Moses pursues God’s presence (Ex 33)

• Apostles – Matthew 28:18-20 (v.20)• We need God. We need God’s

presence. If we have an impossible assignment, we need God to do what only God can do. (retreats; fasting; prayer watches)

Spiritual Authority:• KEY # 2: When God trusts a person

(with an impossible assignment), God tests the person. When God trusts us with his Spirit, with his authority, with his power, God tests us. (not temptation – James 1) (best teacher – Diffy Q) (Eph. 3:14-21 – thicken the walls of the soul) (Rom8; Ja1)

• Moses has all he needs. God is with him. – Exodus 5 – “Let my people go.” (same bricks, no straw; beatings; the people turn on Moses; Moses turns on God – Ex 5:22)

Spiritual Authority:• Moses fails his first leadership test,

but he hardly ever fails another. • Passing tests is critically important to

expanding your spiritual authority umbrella.

• In chapter 6, God speaks to Moses. He reaffirms His promise. “I have heard their cry. I will deliver them.” Moses receives this encouragement from God, and turns to inspire faith in the people. (#1 job)

Spiritual Authority:• “Moses spoke thus to the people of

Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.” (Exodus 6:9) Moses faces another leadership test. He is tempted to quit in the face of discouragement, but he doesn’t. Armed with the promise of God for deliverance, Moses presses on. He has nothing but the promise & presence of God, & that’s all He needs.

Spiritual Authority:• Moses holds on to the promise of God,

and he doesn’t take offense. Over & over Moses is tested by the Pharaoh’s resistance, by the people’s responses, by leadership rebellions, but he holds steady

• The Apostles - (Acts 4 – Apostles are threatened & pray) (Acts 5 – they are persecuted & rejoice) (Monastery - I’m answering your prayer)

Spiritual Authority:• KEY # 1: To lead a God-only possible

mission, we need God. • KEY # 2: When God trusts a person,

God tests the person.• KEY # 3: To expand our spiritual

authority, we must learn submission. Testings & sufferings are critical to learning submission. (Heb 5:8, Jesus ‘learned obedience from what he suffered.’)

Spiritual Authority:• KEY # 3: To expand our spiritual

authority, we must learn submission. Testings & sufferings are critical to learning submission. (Heb 5:8, Jesus ‘learned obedience from what he suffered.’)

• Moses – (Exodus 3 – a reluctant leader submits to God’s assignment) (Numbers 12:1-9, see v3)

• Apostles – Mt 16:13-26

Spiritual Authority:• KEY # 3 – To expand our spiritual

authority we must learn submission• All spiritual authority is delegated.

(Mt 28:20 – all authority in heaven & on earth belongs to Jesus. He has it all. The only way we get any is if he delegates it to us). Therefore, we must submit. When we step outside of God’s umbrella of authority, we act on our own. (drink umbrella!)

Spiritual Authority:• KEY # 4 - We can act in authority only

to the degree we receive by faith the revelation of Jesus’ exaltation. The early church was devoted to four things (Acts 2:42) including the Apostle’s teaching. A study of all the Apostle’s teaching in Acts shows that they consistently taught three things about Jesus, and sometimes added a fourth. (Crucified, Resurrected, Exalted) (and sometimes they added – Poured out the Spirit)

Spiritual Authority:• Jesus is exalted over all things. He is

exalted over sin. So we can have forgiveness & freedom. He is exalted over Satan, so we can cast out demons, and break demonic strongholds. Jesus is exalted over sickness, so we can heal the sick. (e.g., believe Jesus is exalted over sickness at a 3, appropriate healing at a 3) (Acts 3) (e.g., abused child adopted invited to full family privilege)(e.g., Mt 10:1,7-8) (Luke 10:8 – expands to the 70)

Spiritual Authority:• KEY # 5 - We must expand our

spiritual umbrella of authority to meet the size of our problem. (e.g., 3’ problem can’t be solved with a 2’ umbrella) (Mt 17; Acts 9)

• Pursuing God’s presence & passing tests are critical to expanding our umbrella

Spiritual Authority:• KEY # 5 - We must expand our spiritual

umbrella of authority to meet the size of our problem. (e.g., 3’ problem can’t be solved with a 2’ umbrella) (Mt 17; Acts 9)

• Sometimes to expand, we have to expand by delegating authority. They operate under your spiritual authority, & use your umbrella – (e.g., Moses - 70 elders – Num 11:24-30; Joshua – Deut 34:9) Acts 6:6 - 7 deacons – (Stephen, Acts 6:8 & Philip, Acts 8:6-7) (combining umbrellas)

Spiritual Authority:• We must expand our spiritual

authority umbrella’s to fulfill our God-given destiny, and accomplish the impossible assignments God has for us. (right now, facing a ‘problem’ that is a “6”, you need a “6” umbrella to make it move – addiction, leadership problem, sickness, demons)

Spiritual Authority:• KEY # 1: To lead a God-only possible

mission, we need God. • KEY # 2: When God trusts a person,

God tests the person.• KEY # 3: To expand our spiritual

authority, we must learn submission. • KEY # 4: We can act in authority only

to the degree we receive by faith the revelation of Jesus’ exaltation

• KEY # 5: We must expand our spiritual umbrella to meet the size of our problem.

Response:

EXPERIENCE: