Authority of Believers

 In 1965, a powerful revival emerged in Timor, Indonesia.

Local evangelists went around preaching the gospel. Sick people were healed, dead bodies were raised to life.

Two missionaries were threatened by crocodiles. One of the Christians ordered the crocodiles to turn round and move away. The crocodiles obeyed simply because a believing Christian had exercised his authority in Christ.

In Romans, we see that all Christians, including women, are called to be adopted sons of God.
What does that mean?

In the Roman Empire, an adopted son had all the rights of a natural son. He was the heir of his adopting father. He was to inherit everything after the father's death and exercise the authority of the Lord of the family.

If we understand this correctly, women were also included. This was a radical concept at the time, because daughters never had the same rights as sons.

In Genesis, we read that God created the first human beings as man and woman, that both man and woman were created in God's image, that both man and woman were to rule over God's earthly creation.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Gen 1:27–28 NIV

From the very beginning, God created both man and woman with the mandate that they should rule and reign, but they were not to exercise this rule independently, but as God's children and partners, as God's representatives on earth, to implement God's authority.

We still see humans dominating nature today, but this dominion has become corrupt and ugly. We struggle to conquer and exploit the environment. Our planet is now being progressively ruined by pollution and climate change.

But it wasn't like this in the beginning. Adam and Eve lived fearlessly with lions and tigers.
But then people no longer trusted God. Sin has corrupted us.

In the Old Testament, we read how God never abandoned his original plan.

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. Is 11:6 NIV

This is how it was in the beginning, before the fall of man. Adam and Eve did not need a gun and a whip to control a tiger.

Because of Adam and Eve's sin, we humans lost our fellowship with God and also our authority to rule as God's representatives on earth.

But after the death and resurrection of Jesus, God gave back everything we had lost. All we have to do is repent and trust God.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Rom 5:1 NLT

Those who trust Jesus with their whole life are reconciled with God. Not only can we enjoy fellowship with our heavenly Father. We also have the privilege of adopted sons to reign with Jesus.

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Rom 5:17 NLT

Unfortunately, not all Christians have fully grasped this truth, but some have.