Pastor Wayne Cordeiro
December 5, 2004 - W0449

In life, each and every person will be under some kind of authority. And yet authority can sometimes be misunderstood. There are times we find ourselves in disagreement with authorities, whether it be it a teacher, employer, or government official. Other times we see these leaders as less competent and deem them not good enough.

Those with authority bear great responsibilities. At the same time, there are some who have character deficiencies which hamper their leadership position. The good news, however is God is able to work through all of these. Thus, our responsibility is to learn what our role is, change if we need to, and respond correctly to those leaders.

In order to understand authority, we need to be aware that Satan has good reason to bring deception in the area of authority. Why? It’s because his spirit of rebellion was the cause for his down fall in the beginning. He opposed the authority of God. So he is here on the earth to deceive us with plausible arguments that oppose God’s wisdom. However, nothing can thwart God’s ultimate will.

How can we defend ourselves against the enemy’s plans? Well, leaves us with some principles exampled in Daniel’s life. Daniel served under four different kings and understood authority. And He had the ability to influence nations even more than the kings he served. In fact, God honored Daniel by writing a whole book in the Bible about him. And today, we can learn genuine principles with God inspiring ways and even how to appeal to those with authority!

First of all, it is important to understand the governing authorities. This includes any or every authority that God places over your life during any given season. The New Testament affirms this. “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and…will receive condemnation upon themselves.” (Rom. 13:1-2)

In other words, we will have all sorts of problems if we don’t understand authority and its definition because we’ll tend to resist it. Remember that every authority is given to us by God. And the will of God cannot be thwarted by bad authority. Daniel understood this and knew how to work with God’s desire. He teaches us the first principle is that…

1.     EVERYONE MUST BE UNDER AUTHORITY THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE.

We will never out grow the need for authority. We find this through all scriptures. “Submit to the elders in your life and everyone submit ye to one another and the fear of God. For God is opposed to the proud and gives grace to the humble.”(Pet.5:5)

Okay, some people might say they don’t want to walk in anyone’s shadow. But this is a myth and creates a bad attitude towards authority. The issue here will no longer be authority in itself, but one’s perspective or attitude towards it. Listen, when you think you’re under someone’s shadow you’re actually under someone’s shade.

Imagine being out in the dessert with parched lips, bleeding from being cracked and baked in the hot blistering sun. You then see a huge filtering tree. What do you do? You’ll go under the tree of course! Catch this….you will not be under the tree’s shadow, but under its shade. Aha! So instead of being under someone’s shadow, you’ll be under someone’s shade! From this shady place, comfort and healing can take place. You’ll then be refreshed and strengthened.

So who are these shades of authority? These are parents who have authority over their children. They may be teachers who have authority over students, or employers who also have authority over their employees. And as a citizen, government is the authority. So remember, everyone must be under a shade of some authority at any given time. Therefore, here are two points we need to understand, distinguish, and remember. The first authority we come under is a… 

·        CHAIN OF COMMAND.

This is a legal chain of responsibility. These are parents, employers, or government. However, at certain times, this chain of command may change. For instance, when a child becomes an adult and leaves home, he or she will no longer falls under the chain of command. But instead, would now fall under a...

·        CHAIN OF COUNSEL.

A chain of counsel may be pastors, counselors, mentors, advisors, or friends of a small group. Others would be a lawyer, government, and yes even parents are counsels for their adult children. It’s important to have a chain of counsel under spiritual mentoring or counseling. The Bible speaks of shepherd counseling – those which watch over your souls. “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” (Heb. 13:17)

These shepherds or spiritual counselors will give an account in your behalf, so submit to their authority. This chain of counsel needs to be understood because if an earthly authority is not understood, it would be impossible to understand divine authority.

Q1) Who is your chain of command or counsel?

It is the same with money. We need to steward our finances well or how will the Lord entrust us with true riches. The way earthly money is handled is a boot camp to whether or not we are able to handle spiritual riches. For God is a God of order and not of confusion. He brings order and authority and we need to steward what He gives us well.

Still it is sometimes difficult to deal with authorities that are not so good. It could be at work, school, and even at home. Nonetheless, remember that although we fall under difficult authorities…

2.     GOD IS ABLE TO WORK THROUGH AUTHORITY TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL.

Don’t ever think that God is not able. Jesus was an example of this. While being interrogated by Pontius Pilate, He was quiet. When Pontius Pilate told Jesus that he had the authority to kill or release him, Jesus replied, he had no authority over Him unless it was given to him by His Father who is in heaven. And in saying that, He submitted to a man and was willing to do whatever they asked even to the point of crucifixion. With confidence, Jesus knew the Father in heaven was able to work through any power. Jesus knew that His Father’s plan could not be thwarted. The outcome was redemption, healing, and wholeness was brought to the world. Jesus over came the enemy.

And Daniel shows how he understood this principle. He was gracious to a king that threw him into the lions den. After being thrown into the lions den, the next morning the king calls out to Daniel yet expecting him to be dead. And with graciousness, Daniel replies, “Then Daniel spoke to the king, ‘O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime.’” (Dan 6:21-22) It’s amazing how Daniel understood God’s will and respected those with bad authority.

Q2) Is there someone difficult to get along with who has authority over you? How is your attitude towards this person? What is the Lord saying to you about your own character towards this person? 

With Daniel’s life, God shows amazing feats which is available to us. There are two distinguishable things in acquiring a gracious spirit like Daniel. The first is to understand the position of authority God places in your life. And secondly, understanding the character deficiencies of the person you fall under.

We need to respect the office of authority a person has whether or not they are good leaders. We can be confident that God is able to work through any authority to accomplish His will. So if you find yourself under a bad authority, learn to appeal to them as Daniel did. So here are five sub-points to learn and understand…

3.     WHEN APPEALING TO THOSE IN AUTHORITY:

We know that Daniel served four kings. The first was Cyrus the Persian, the second was Belshazzar, the third Nebuchadnezzar and the fourth was Darius. During the change over to serving Darius, Daniel wrote - “In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to being encouragement and a protection for him: Dan. 11:1

Daniel was known before these kings as a man who would bring encouragement and protection for those he served. Even when another king took over Babylon, they kept Daniel because they knew he would not cause mutiny, slander, demean, or deprecate. So choose to encourage and protect those who have authority over you. This brings us the first sub-point in appealing to those in authority.

             I.      ESTABLISH A HISTORY OF SUPPORT.

Every leader needs encouragement and someone to help them in order for them to do better. Pray and ask for wisdom for those in leadership positions even if they have character deficiencies. Pray that the Lord would give them insight to lead people well. Have a track record of being an encourager. If you support and encourage leaders, you’ll have an entree into their lives and your heart will be in alignment with God’s will.

Here’s a gem to acquire – learn to handle knowledge very carefully. It is very important to steward knowledge well. Sometimes we’ll have knowledge of someone in authority which may not be good. For example, you may know something about your parents or your boss. And just because you know a weak point, it doesn’t give you credence or certification to broadcast that information about them. Instead…

          II.      CHECK YOUR MOTIVES.

In this day and age, the internet which provides information and knowledge is our greatest commodity. Information such as such as making a bomb and pornography are on the internet. Yet this kind of information can be detrimental. So check your motives and watch your hearts. If not, we’ll be limited because we’re careless with such knowledge. Be very careful, because knowledge misused will set us back.

An example of this is the city of Babel, where the people were so brilliant. In spite of unfathomable knowledge, they went crazy with it. They misused knowledge and thought they were better than God. They tried to figure out creation and built a tower to heaven called the tower of Babel. God saw this and limited their knowledge in order to humble them and get them back to normal.

We too can become careless with much knowledge available to us. There are certain things which can be appropriately disclosed, and some things may not. So we need to check our hearts and motives and learn to steward knowledge well.

Q3) Do you have knowledge about a leader or distinguished person? What is the Lord saying to you about this? Do a heart check and see if there’s an underlying motive behind wanting to disclose such information.

Daniel had a lot of information being a top advisor of kings. And he could have used it against them, but choose not to. By doing so, he was one person that changed the nation for the better. And we too can follow in Daniel’s footsteps choosing to do what’s right. But what if you’re appealing to someone in authority and you think that something needs to change. What should you do?

       III.      WITH A RIGHT ATTITUDE, PRESENT A CREATIVE ALTERNATIVE.

What good is it if problems are the only things brought to an employer or leaders’ attention? However, if a creative alternative were offered to solve the problem you’ll be worth your weight in gold. You’ll be a problem solver instead of just being a bearer of bad news. Daniel was always there to persuade with a heart of wisdom. “The heart of the wise instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.” (Prov. 16:23)

When you’ve prayed for those in authority and appealed with creative alternatives, don’t expect situations to change quickly. For it is written, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (1 Pet. 3:9) In other words…

        IV.      GIVE GOD TIME TO CHANGE HEARTS.

God takes time in order to allow people to come to repentance or change their minds. Sometimes we may not know everything going on in that other person’s life. And just maybe, God has bigger issues to deal with than to quickly answer prayers. (See also Dan. 10:12-13)  So allow for God’s timing, for His timing is best. In the meantime…

           V.      BE FAITHFUL IN YOUR ROLE.

A good example of this is this past General election. The candidate you’ve voted for may or may not have won the election. But now that voting is done, we need to take a look at what our role is regardless of who won.  

Our role now is to support and pray for them. Sometimes we say that the leadership is bad. Listen, the country will not be messed up because of who’s leading, but by bad attitudes that divide our country and by foolishly misusing knowledge and being unwilling to submit to authority. This is what will be corrosive to our country. Remember, God can work through authority, so be faithful in your role.

God is more than able to take care of the Pontius Pilates in the world. What He’s looking for are more people like Daniel, who’ll change nations. “Peter…said to Jesus, ‘Lord, and what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!” ( Jn. 21:21-22)  So be faithful in your role as a child of God, a spouse, a parent, or an employee.

In conclusion, respect the chain of commands and counsels God placed over you. They are your shade of healing and refreshing. God is able to work through any authority to accomplish His will because nothing can thwart His plans. Choose to be an encourager for those in leadership positions. Check your motives. What will you do with information you know about someone? Will you use it against them or will you use it to take you to your knees and appeal to those in authority correctly? And when appeals need to be made before one in authority, do it with a right attitude presenting a creative alternative. Give God time to change hearts. And at the same time, be faithful in your role. Remember, the will of God will be fulfilled, not when we change leadership, but when we change hearts and become more like Daniel, and a whole lot more…like Jesus!

Q4) In what ways can you be an encourager and support to those in authority?

Q5) How will you be better person because of what you’ve learn today?

Thank you to volunteer writer, Doreen Rabaino for this week’s summary – undoubtedly a woman faithful in her role supporting and encouraging always. Good job!