I Give You Authority

H. Kraft Charles

Description

"All will find here much reality, much wisdom, much encouragement, and much to praise God for."--J.I. PackerThis popular book from respected leader Charles H. Kraft shows believers how to exercise the authority they have from God through Jesus Christ. When Christians recognize and use the amazing gift of spiritual authority, they position themselves to provide protection and bring transformation, not only in their lives but in the lives of family members, friends, even coworkers. Now fully revised and updated.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian theology
• Pentecostalism
• Christianity

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 15 mars 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781441270214
• Langue: English

Extrait

© 1997, 2012 by Charles H. Kraft
Revised and updated edition
Published by Chosen Books
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.chosenbooks.com
Chosen Books is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means for example, electronic, photocopy, recording without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-1-4412-7021-4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Good News Translation Second Edition. Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations identified NEB are from The New English Bible . Copyright © 1961, 1970, 1989 by The Delegates of Oxford University Press and The Syndics of the Cambridge University Press. Reprinted by permission.
Scripture quotations identified NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations identified NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers used in this book are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not vouch for their content for the life of this book, nor do they imply an endorsement by Baker Publishing Group.
“ I Give you Authority is a remarkable book on a subject tackled in a scripturally trustworthy manner. We have been in healing prayer ministry for over forty years, and in reading this book, we were challenged to grow in acceptance of spiritual authority in our own lives.”
Francis and Judith MacNutt , Christian Healing Ministries
“Since it was first published in 1997, I Give You Authority has been the most thorough and comprehensive book on the authority of the believer. And now in revising and updating it, Chuck Kraft has made it even better! Read it and be equipped to take your authority in Christ.”
Stephen Seamands , professor of Christian doctrine, Asbury Theological Seminary
“In a world embarrased by the suggestion that Christians fully aware of the mission given them by God engage in spiritual warfare, Charles Kraft offers insights into the reasons why Christ gives His disciples authority over evil spirits, what he has learned about its exercise over a lifetime and how Christians are short-circuiting the Gospel when they do not attend to Satanic power in the world. His conclusions will be controversial, but there is no doubt that Professor Kraft shines light on issues that we ignore at our peril and leavens his words with the wisdom that comes only from experience and the illumination of the Spirit.”
William R. Burrows , research professor of missiology, Center for World Christianity
“It has been my experience that most Christians in the Western world live in either fear or ignorance about how to engage in spiritual warfare, and thereby give Satan an incalculable advantage over the people of God. In this book, Charles Kraft shares from his years of experience and his ministry with thousands of people as he demonstrates the incredible power and authority that has been given to all believers. This is a must-read for all believers.”
Doug Hayward, Ph.D. , professor of intercultural studies, Biola University
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Endorsements
Introduction
The Bible, Our Tether
The Authority of Scripture
Personal Experience
Bringing Tether and Experience Together
1. God’s Authority Challenged
Before Creation
Creation
Redemption
How Much Authority Does Satan Have Now?
Implications of Satanic Authority for Christians
Misunderstanding the Enemy’s Authority
Seeing through Spiritual Warfare Lenses
2. Jesus’ Credit Card
Jesus’ Authority under the Father
Knowing Who We Are
What If We Do Not Use the Credit Card?
3. Our Authority under Jesus
Authority Prayer
Exercising the Authority We Have Been Given
Authority to Bless and Curse
Authority to Bind and Loose
If Only We Realized the Power We Carry!
4. What Is This Authority?
Educating the Sons of Sceva
Defining Authority
What Our Authority Is Not
Accountability to God
5. Power Wrapped in Love
Other Ways to Exercise Authority
When and Where Are We to Exercise Authority?
Spiritual Authority and Human Authority
The Paradox of Submission
The Ten Commandments of Spiritual Authority
6. Using Our Authority Responsibly
The Irresponsibility of Not Using Our Authority
Misuse of Authority
What Jesus’ Disciples Failed to Learn
Jesus Does Not Like It When We Wake Him
7. More on Using Authority
The Apostle Paul on Authority
The Place of Experimentation
More Prerequisites to Authority
The Responsible Thing to Do
8. Rules for Authority in the Spirit Realm
“You Do Not Have the Authority”
The Spirit World and the Human World
The Importance of Obedience
An Angelic Authority Structure
9. Authority Relationships
A Certain Degree of Autonomy and Authority
Spirit World–Human World Interaction
Authority through Cultural Forms
Authority over Places and Organizations
Authority to Counteract Authority
Learning the Rules
10. Authority in Our Personal Lives
Knowing Our Authority
Filling Jesus’ Shoes
Relationship of Gifting to Authority
What Authority Comes with Our Status?
11. Past, Present and Future
Claiming Authority over the Past
Claiming Authority in the Present
The Nature of Personal Attack
What to Do When Attacked
Suggestions for Engagement
12. Authority in Families
Family Devotions
The Husband/Father: Spiritual Gatekeeper
Authority of the Wife/Mother
Learning from Rules Concerning Vows
Horizontal and Vertical Authority
Authority of Parents
13. More on Family
Dealing with Adoption
Authority of Children
Authority to Bless Unborn Children
Authority over Our Homes
Delegating Authority
Single-Parent Families
Relinquishing Authority
Using Authority Wisely
14. Authority in Ministering to Others
Discovering Her Authority
Authority to Invite the Holy Spirit
Authority to Bless
Authority to Break Bondages
15. Authority to Heal
Authority for Physical Healing
Authority for Deep-Level Healing
Authority for Deliverance
Authority to Forgive
Authority to Raise from the Dead
Authority over Higher-Level Spirits
16. Authority in Churches
How Did Jesus Get outside His Church?
The Pastor As Spiritual Gatekeeper
The Issue of Control
Personnel
The Sacraments in Spiritual Warfare
Functions of a Church’s Authority
17. Commitment
The Pastor’s Commitment to the Church
Responsibility of the Church
Authority over the History
Authority over the Property
Being Alert
18. Our Authority Is Great
He Never Got Frantic
We Are at War
Normal Christianity
Allegiance/Relationship, Truth/Knowledge and Spiritual Power
We Must Continue to Experiment
Putting These Ideas into Practice
Do We Know the Enemy’s Schemes?
Bibliography
Subject Index
Scripture Index
About the Author
Other Books by Charles H. Kraft
Back Cover
Introduction
W alking in authority as Jesus did is crucial for every believer. The nature of Christians’ authority is a central teaching in the New Testament; it was important to Jesus, and it is an important issue for all Christians to this day.
Indeed, it was the authority that Jesus displayed that bothered His enemies, for they kept asking, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you such right?” (Matthew 21:23). The people were fascinated with Jesus’ authority to cast out demons. At the very beginning of His ministry, those watching Him deal with a demon remarked in amazement, “What is this? Is it some kind of new teaching? This man has authority to give orders to the evil spirits, and they obey him!” (Mark 1:27).
J esus acted as if He owned the place! He did not teach as the Pharisees taught, who tied their authority to famous teachers of years gone by with unrelenting fidelity. He spoke and acted like a person on a mission, coming to earth with the authority of God the Father. He was a Man both with authority and under the authority of the Father.
T hen, of course, Jesus passed on this authority to His disciples to the ragtag bunch of disrespected Galileans whom He had called and commissioned, saying, “As the Father sent me, so I send you” thus giving them the authority to heal, cast out demons, even raise the dead (John 20:21) so that they could carry on Kingdom ministry after Jesus had gone.
The authority given us by our Master is what we are dealing with in this book. But before we tackle the substance of our authority in Christ, we must come to terms with two foundational issues: Scripture and experience.
The Bible, Our Tether
When I served as a missionary in Nigeria, I often saw horses and goats with one end of a rope tied around one back leg and the other end to a post driven into the ground. If the horse or goat moved as far as possible from the post and tried to walk, it would create a circle. Within that circle the horse or goat lived and grazed, but because the animal was tethered by the rope fixed to the post, it could not stray outside the circ