Spiritual Authority Fundamentals: Victory for Everyday Living

Spiritual authority fundamentals

Victory for Everyday Living

Ifeoma Okechukwu

Spiritual Authority Fundamentals

Trilogy Christian Publishers A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

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Copyright © 2021 by Ifeoma Okechukwu

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version. Cambridge Edition: 1769.

Scripture marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are from the New Living Translation Bible. Copyright© Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are from The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked PNT are from The New Testament in Modern English. J. B. Phillips translation, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1960. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (TPT) are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com.

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Manufactured in the United States of America

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN: 978-1-63769-450-3

E-ISBN: 978-1-63769-451-0

Preface

This is the first book of the For Believers Only series, which details the realities of the Christian faith. Spiritual Authority Fundamentals: Victory For Everyday Living addresses a specific spiritual reality for born-again Christians, to aid them in their search on how best to maintain the victory CHRIST won for them.

With the many lessons learned from my walk with GOD, I felt led to publish Spiritual Authority Fundamentals: Victory For Everyday Living first, not necessarily because it was the first to be completed, but because there seems to be a gap between what’s available under this topic and where many Christians are in their understanding of a believer’s spiritual realities; hence the urgency to complete and publish this book.

Many people address me as an evangelist because I have dedicated almost half of my born-again life to sharing the Gospel, mostly with unbelievers. However, I recall that many times within the last decade, I have found myself crying passionately for my fellow believers, who seem to have only a limited understanding of what Christianity is all about. Many believers only understand the final destination for salvation (eternity in Heaven); and few know and experience our spiritual reality that enhances our earthly transition to that final destination.

Therefore, Spiritual Authority Fundamentals exists to provide additional insight into the spiritual components of a born-again Christian and expound on why our GOD-given spiritual authority is critical in maintaining the victory JESUS paid such a huge price to give to us.

One distinct feature of my books, including this one, is my sense of the inadequacy of writing GOD’s names in the same letter case you’d typically expect. So, the names GOD, FATHER, JESUS CHRIST, HOLY SPIRIT, and HOLY GHOST are all capitalized. I hope that this rather unorthodox way of honoring GOD would not bother readers. In the same vein, satan has been given his place, with his name beginning with the lower case.

Most biblical references in this book are from the King James Version, but occasionally, I have used and referenced other translations.

If this book has helped you gain an increased understanding of the spiritual authority that you have, why it is necessary to have it, and how to exercise it, then recommend Spiritual Authority Fundamentals: Victory For Everyday Living to a brother or sister in CHRIST.

Seeking GOD, finding HIM, and discovering the ever-increasing love and magnanimity of GOD, leaves me in deeper awe of HIM. I hope you can say the same; if not now, then at a certain point in your journey with HIM.

Ifeoma Okechukwu, Ph. D.

Favoured Beulah International

Farmington Hills, Michigan

August 2020

Foreword

According to Proverbs 4:7 wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. (NKJV)

Everyone needs practical instruction, wisdom and understanding in how to apply biblical truths to see the results that Jesus promised to His disciples. Spiritual authority is one of those topics in the arena of grace and faith that manyseem to not understand or operate in. There is so much more in addition to just getting born again and hanging on until reaching heaven. We are called to live in victory, not defeat!

Every born again, Spirit filled believer has been equipped with power and authority but most haven’t gained the instruction or understanding of the practical application in overcoming and seeing victory over sickness, disease or demonic oppression.

This book is really a handbook of the practical principals based solidly on the Word of God in applying faith with grace and seeing supernatural results.

I have known Ifeoma as a dear sister for several years, She has attended our church and is one of our Grace Life Instructors who teaches classes regularly and serves as a prayer minister to those in need of a dose of the power of God to work in their lives.

Ifeoma also has her own missions ministry and she evangelizes and preaches by radio and in person to different audiences in Nigeria for several months during the year.

Her experience and biblical knowledge has been a tremendous blessing in setting people free from all kinds of sickness and disease in Nigeria and this House!

In her book, Ifeoma gets right down to business in the teaching and application with real life experiences and demonstrates the how to’s of wielding the Spiritual Authority given to each of us.

I heartily recommend this book and pray that as you read this, the impact in your mind and heart will inspire faith and confidence in the Word of God and who He is

in you as you take your Spiritual Authority over all the power of the enemy and see great victories from now on.

Mike Gonyer – Pastor, House On The Rock Church, Ypsilanti Michigan

Acknowledgments

I want to specially acknowledge the help of all the people involved in the success story of this book, specifically, the editors, reviewers, illustrators, and those who offered valuable encouragement during the review process. Their support has made this book a reality.

First, I would like to thank Carol Angel Sharp and Hope Adah, the first reviewers of the book, for their contributions at the beginning stages of the book. My sincere gratitude also goes to Meg Obiomah, the main editor, for her diligence, insightful suggestions and professionalism in the editing and the presentation of the chapters. I owe a great indebtedness to Dan Den Houter, a retired writer, who thoroughly combed through the first edition of the book. I’m grateful for his time and expertise, in giving valuable editing suggestions for the second edition of the book. I am very grateful to Dee Farrel Emrick and Haley Jula, a mother and daughter team, for their hard work in editing suggestions and designing the inside and the cover of the first edition of this book.

Second, I wish to acknowledge the valuable contributions of my Pastor, Mike Goyner, who also wrote the Foreword of this book.

Most of all, I want to acknowledge my husband, Jude Okechukwu, for his moral support and assistance in helping me choose the cover of the book, and my sons Michael and Chukwudi Okechukwu for proof-reading some aspect of the book, and my daughter, Favor Okechukwu, for her technical assistance in the graphics in the book.Spiritual Authority Fundamentals: Victory for Everyday Living could not have been a success without the help of everyone mentioned here.

INTRODUCTION

The subject of Spiritual Authority is a vast, all-encompassing area. Indeed, in all of Christian doctrine, the whole discourse of our spiritual authority in CHRIST cannot be easily exhausted in one book. This concept is so important that every Christian should understand and exercise it. Many Christians usually understand the term, Spiritual Authority, to mean casting out of devils; while in actual fact, it includes authority over all devils, as well as enforcing obedience to the word of GOD on circumstances, situations and all other activities of demonic spirits which are subject to the believer.

It is my earnest desire, in this book, to delve into these areas, working on their inter-relationships, and show how every Christian should live in this reality. These same spiritual principles that affect our personal lives, when scaled up, would also affect an entire church and even whole nations.

JESUS CHRIST gave HIS disciples, the first people who believed in HIM, authority to preach the gospel, to heal sicknesses and diseases, and to cast out devils (Matthew 10:1, 8; Luke 9:1). Furthermore, other Bible passages show that the authority and power to heal the sick and cast out devils automatically follows anyone who believes in JESUS CHRIST (Mark 16:15-18, Ephesians 1:19).

Although some believers argue that this authority and power are not for us today, those who believe otherwise continue to manifest healing and power over satan in their lives, ministries, and in the lives of others, including notable ministers like Curry Blake, Andrew Wommack, Kenneth Copeland, David Hogan, Bishop Keith A. Butler, and among the deceased: Kenneth Hagin, A.A. Allen, Reinhard Bonnke, Smith Wigglesworth and John G. Lake, just to mention a few. The gifts of GOD are without repentance (Romans 11:29), but whether or not a believer manifests them depends on his level of faith (Matthew 8:13; 9:29-30; 15:8). Because of the gift of freewill, no one manifests any work of righteousness they do not believe (Mark 9:23; Luke 1:45; John 11:40). If you believe, you too will manifest the authority and power of GOD.

Matthew 8:13 (KJV)

"And Jesus said unto the centurion, ‘Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee.’ And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour" (emphasis is mine).

Some claim that the instructions of Mark 16:17-18 were not included in the oldest manuscripts, but CHRIST gave similar instructions to the disciples. Many of those Christians pray The Lord’s Prayer that JESUS taught the disciples, because they believe that it applies to all believers, but then they give excuses about HIS instructions concerning healings and casting out devils. Because of the GOD-given free will of man, no one can experience anything beyond what they believe, and therefore, all who do not believe the authority and power given to believers will not experience them.

Mark 16:17-18 (KJV)

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Emphasis mine).

The acts of picking up venomous serpents and drinking deadly things are physical and metaphorical, but the authority given to believers in this passage is spiritual. Also, speaking in new tongues (that are not learned, and mostly not understood by human beings, including the speaker), casting out devils, safety from picking up serpents and drinking of deadly things, and healing the sick by the laying of hands, are all supernatural phenomena. The power of GOD is guaranteed in this passage for the safety of the believer.

Carnal believers, (meaning believers who operate mostly from the humanistic perspective) cannot experience the victorious life promised in this passage, over their circumstances, situations, and the devil’s activities against them. However, if you accept these truths today and believe that JESUS is speaking to you in this passage, then you too will do greater works (John 14:12) than JESUS did during HIS earthly ministry, because JESUS CHRIST (is still) the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The authority and power described in these passages of the Bible are given to all believers, including you. It is not just for the pastors and other ministers of GOD; they are for you as well. The truth is that the ministers are given to the church to enable all the Janes and John Does of the church to exhibit the power and glory of GOD, by being always ready to exercise their authority to do HIS work (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT)

11 "Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ."

Authority is delegated power to act on behalf of another. Therefore, the authority that Christians utilize to enforce obedience through the word of GOD on their circumstances, situations, and demonic spirits (like foul spirits and spirits of infirmity) is CHRIST’s. Any attempt to exercise the authority and power otherwise, will fail! Because of the sacrificial work of JESUS, we as Christians, have the power of attorney to act on HIS behalf (John 14:12-14)! Praise the LORD!

Although this book is not focused on the casting out of devils or exorcism, that is prevalent in many churches and deliverance ministries, it still presents a limited highlight about overcoming demonic activities. Deliverance from demonic operations are not supposed to be the focus of any ministry, neither should any ministry focus exclusively on speaking in tongues or healing the sick, picking up serpents, drinking of deadly things, etc., thus elevating them above the preaching the gospel. These signs and wonders follow the preaching of the gospel, not the other way round.

These fundamental principles are laid out in ten chapters that constitute a solid foundation for the believer’s authority and highlight the superiority of the power of living in the spirit (in accordance with the Spirit and the Word of GOD) rather than in the flesh (in accordance with natural, human desires).

Chapter one

Understanding

spiritual authority

If you are a new believer, recently born into the Kingdom of GOD (according to Romans 10:9) you need to understand the rights, privileges and opportunities that are available to you, as well as the associated responsibilities, which would enable you to operate more effectively in your new abode.

Spiritual authority is the second most essential privilege or right that you receive from GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST, with the first as your new birth. Knowledge of this helps you access and function in all the other blessings and gifts of GOD in CHRIST.