Kingdom Authority | Part 2

of the earth?

Listen to Adrian Rogers. We are in a spiritual battle up against the organized, mobilized, and demonized powers of hell. We must understand what kingdom authority is in order to utilize it. Now, in part one of today's message, we learned that God made us to have dominion. But that kingdom authority was legally lost by Adam. Yet it was righteously regained.

Now, here's the first thing I want you to learn. That kingdom authority was gloriously given to Adam. Gloriously given or graciously given to Adam. God gave the first man dominion. But as we're going to see, he lost it. Look around today.

You don't see the sons of Adam ruling and reigning and having dominion over this earth as God gave spiritual dominion. Something has gone wrong. Now, here's the second thing I want you to understand. Not only was it graciously and gloriously given, but it was legally lost. Not just lost.

Legally lost. But Adam took that dominion that God had given to him, and Adam gave that dominion to Satan. Now, obviously, Satan deceived him.

Obviously, Satan, a con artist, deceived Adam. But nonetheless, Adam, faithless, unbelieving, disobedient Adam, yielded to Satan and became Satan's slave. Now, are yourselves servants or slaves to obey? His servant or his slave you are.

The King James gives its servant, but the Greek word is slave. Adam became, he yielded to Satan. He became a slave of Satan. His kingdom authority was gone. He lost his legal right to rule. Now, when Satan tempted Jesus, this is the key verse right now.

Don't miss it. When Satan tempted Jesus, he tempted Jesus to worship him, to worship Satan. But here's how he tempted Jesus. He showed him all of the kingdoms of this world, the glory, the power, the splendor of those kingdoms, and then this is what Satan had the audacity to say to the Son of God. For that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will give it. Jesus didn't contradict him.

Jesus did not remonstrate against what he had said. He said, Jesus, if you'll worship me, I will give you the power, the glory, the authority of this world because he said it has been delivered to me. It was delivered to him. God gave it to Adam. Adam delivered it to Satan and Satan said, I'll give it to you, Jesus, if you'll just worship me. It was graciously given.

It was legally lost. Satan says it has been given to me. And man now is spiritually dead and spiritually dethroned. Legally, he has lost the authority, the kingdom authority that was given to him. Therefore, continue to read in Ephesians chapter 2 now, verse 1. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Adam, who was given life, now is dead. And the sons of Adam are dead. Adam, who was given authority, is now dispossessed and dethroned. Notice, wherein in time past ye walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. What is that spirit that now works in the children of disobedience? That's the spirit of the devil. Now, the Bible calls him in 2 Corinthians 4, verse 4, the god of this world. Paul later on in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 12 says, for we're not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world.

There's a dark prince who rules in this world, who has authority in this world because Adam delivered it over to Satan. It was gloriously given. It was legally lost. Now we're going to tighten the focus a little bit.

We're going to understand why Jesus Christ came. It was legally lost. It must be righteously regained. Now, where was it given? It was given to a man. How was it lost? It was lost by a man. How must it be regained? It must be regained by a man.

By a man. God could destroy Satan as God. He's Jehovah God. He owes the devil nothing. Satan has absolutely no power over Almighty God in one word.

He could be completely destroyed, but God is going to be true to his own righteousness, his own holiness, his own justice, and by a man, he's going to destroy the power of Satan. Now, let me give you some verses that back this up. God's plan must center in a man. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 21 and 22. In death by man also came the resurrection of the dead, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Only two men really who've ever lived, Adam and Jesus. And either you're in Adam or you're in Christ. In Adam all die. If you are in Adam, what pertains to Adam pertains to Jesus.

What pertains to you? That's a sinful nature. Judgment, death, and hell in Adam all die. If you're in Christ, what pertains to Christ pertains to you, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection from the dead.

There had to be a man who would undo what the first man did. Put this verse down. Hebrews 2, verse 14. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, the children, he's talking about us, the children of God. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself, when it says he also himself, it's talking about Jesus, he also himself took part of the same. Of the same what? The same flesh and blood. That through death, he might destroy him that had the power, the authority of death, that is the devil.

Have you got that? You see, it was lost by man. He had to become flesh and blood. Adam's sin deserved judgment. The wages of sin is death. Jesus had to take flesh and blood, a body, so he could die. And by death, pay sin's penalty, be raised from the dead. And what Adam had legally lost, God will righteously regain by God. God becoming a man. Put this verse down. Galatians 4, verses 3 through 5. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage.

Okay? Before we're saved, we're in bondage. We are slaves of Satan. Even so, when we were children, we were in bondage under the elements of this world.

Made of a woman. Made under the law to redeem them that were under the law. That is to redeem these slaves. To buy these slaves back. These who were in bondage, God sent forth his son made of a woman.

Now catch this very carefully. He had to be a man, but had he been a son of Adam, he would have had the sinful nature of Adam. A son of a slave is a slave and a slave can redeem no other slave.

Got it? But on the other hand, he had to be a man. It was lost by man, legally lost. It must be righteously regained. That, my friend, is the reason for the virgin birth. Hmm?

Listen. That's the reason for the virgin birth. That little baby in Mary's womb was a man, but he was not a son of Adam. He was the son of God.

He was not the son of a slave, but he was made of a woman. As much man as if he were not God at all, as much God as if he were not man at all. He was very God of very God and very man as very man, but he did not defeat Satan as a God. He defeated Satan as a perfect man.

He paid the debt on the cross. That through death, he might destroy him that had the power of death. That is the devil. Now, it would have been a farce and a hollow victory had God simply snatched the dominion from Satan and turned it back over to sinful men. God's plan is far richer, fuller, and greater than that. And so when Jesus Christ came to this earth, born of a virgin, totally, absolutely sinless, Satan knew that he had a problem on his hands. He knew that a new battle was beginning. He knew that this battle for dominion and authority was being waged. Satan remembered what he had done to the first Adam and how he had tempted and tricked and deceived Adam into sinning and how the dominion was given over to him.

And then he will deliver the whole thing back to me or I will retain what I already have. So I must get him to sin. That's what Luke 4 is all about.

Jesus, as he began his public ministry, he's baptized. The Holy Spirit, like a dove, descends upon him. And Luke chapter 4 says he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

For 40 days he's tempted there. Satan is trying to get the son of man the son of God to sin. But Jesus didn't have any itch the devil could scratch. He said, the son of man cometh, he finds nothing in me. Was Jesus tempted to show that he could sin? No, he was tempted to show that he could not sin. He was the holy, righteous son of God. And that's where that passage that I alluded to a while back from Luke 4 comes from, where he takes Jesus up to the exceeding high mountain, coming now with authority. And he showed him all of the glory, the power, the authority that is in the rulers of this world.

And he says to Jesus, you see all this? I'll give it to you. It's been delivered to me. And therefore it's mine to give to whomever I want to give it. And I'll give it to you if you'll just worship me. Can you imagine the audacity of Satan? Saying that to the son of God, pow down and worship me. Satan has always wanted to be worshipped, to be like the most high. Now what did Jesus do? Jesus defeated Satan, but how? He did not defeat Satan as God.

Though he was perfect God. He defeated Satan as a man should defeat Satan as a man. And Jesus in that wilderness temptation did not pull rank on me or on you. He used the two weapons that were available to Adam in the Garden of Eden and the two weapons that are available to us in this sanctuary today. The Spirit of God and the Word of God. The Bible says that God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power, went about doing good there in Luke chapter 4. He was led of the Spirit into the wilderness. The Holy Spirit of God was upon him. And then when Satan came to tempt him, Jesus unsheathed the Word of God and said, Satan, it is written, and ran him through with a sword.

Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve. And by the Holy Spirit and by the Word of God, and the Holy Scriptures, the two weapons, the Word of God and the Spirit of God, the same weapons that were available to Adam in the Garden because Adam had the Word of God, those same weapons where the first Adam fell in a garden, the second Adam won in the wilderness. Son of God.

Adam read path. Imagine Jesus saying something like this to Satan. Satan, I want you to know that as God, which I am, I could obliterate you. But I'm not going to obliterate you as God. I'm going to destroy you as man. As a man. I'm coming against you as a man.

A perfect man filled with the Spirit and armed with the Word. That's the way I'm going to win the battle. And that's the way he won the battle. The hounds of hell bait after Jesus trying to get him to sin. Satan's surely thinking that he would not go to the cross. Surely he would not pay the price that Adam's sin deserved. Surely he would not pay the ransom. Surely he would not redeem the fallen sons of men. Surely he would not suffer so.

Surely he would not become the object of the Father's wrath. But there in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Battle of the Ages is being waged and it hinges on one word. Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done. It was Satan who said to God, not thy will but mine be done. But the second Adam, Jesus said, not my will but thine be done. And as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death. That is the devil. And when Jesus went to that cross and suffered and bled and died, he said, it is finished.

Do you know what that means? You remember reading about the Dead Sea Scrolls? Over there in Israel down by the Dead Sea. I've seen those caves where those scrolls were found.

A little shepherd boy threw a stone into a cave to try to fetch out a goat. And he heard a clink and went into that cave and found these jars. And in these jars were all kinds of documents, the Dead Sea Scrolls. But they also found some bills in there, some legal bills. And across those legal bills were written the same word that Jesus said from the cross, paid in full, finished.

That's exactly what it means, paid in full. Finished. You see, the price has been paid and the redemption has been done. And Jesus, the second man, came to undo what Adam the first man did. It was graciously given. It was legally lost.

It was righteously regained. That's the reason that God became a man. That's the reason for the incarnation. That's the reason that deity walked in sandals' shoes on the dusty shores of Galilee. That's what it's all about. And now, our risen, ascended Lord has ascended the high hills of glory.

Where is he now? Well, here's what Paul is saying, I want you to understand. Look in verse 19. We're still in Ephesians 1. But He is now Jesus Christ when He raised him, Jesus, from the dead and set him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality.

Remember, we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities. But He is now Jesus far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church. Remember, we are now in the Remember Adam was to have all things under his feet? Remember Psalm 8, verse 6? Now all things are under the feet of the second Adam, and he is the head over all things to the church.

Now look at that very carefully. Friend, don't think of the church as an organization with Jesus as the president. The church is an organism with Jesus as the head. You see the difference?

You see the difference? Listen, we are in Christ and He is in us. Over the church which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all, the authority therefore that belongs to Him belongs to us. Look if you will in chapter 2, verse 6, and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. There is Jesus at the right hand of the majesty on high. All things are beneath His feet.

Where are you? You say, well, I'm sitting right here physically. But notice what it says here about you in verse 22, and He hath put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church. Look in chapter 2, verse 5, and even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ. That is, we were raised who He died with Jesus.

We were raised with Christ. By grace are you saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. I want to ask you a question. Are you sitting in heavenly places? The answer is yes. Yes!

Yes! Physically we're here, but in Christ we have been raised. When He died, we died. His death had our name on it. When He was raised from the grave, we were raised from the grave. When He ascended, we ascended. When He's seated at the right hand of God, so are we in Christ. Friend the devil hopes you don't understand this. That's the reason Paul said, I am praying that your eyes will be open, that you will be enlightened, that you will understand this. That's my prayer. That you'll understand Him, the exceeding greatness of His power. Don't you think it's time that the people of God began to understand and to exercise kingdom authority?

What a powerful conclusion to this convicting message from Adrian Rogers today. Maybe as you've listened, there's something that has surfaced in your life. You have a prayer request that you'd like to share with us. At Love Worth Finding, it's one of our great honors to come alongside you and pray with you and for you. So go to our website homepage at lwf.org slash radio, and then scroll down to find our prayer wall. You'll find the option to either submit a prayer request or pray for others. This is one of our favorite ways to keep the ministry and the community praying continually for one another's needs.

Let us hear from you today again at lwf.org slash radio, and scroll down to our prayer wall. Now, if you'd like to order a copy of today's message, call 1-877-LOVEGOD. You can request the title Kingdom Authority when you call. This message is also part of the insightful series, The Incredible Power of Kingdom Authority. If you'd like the complete collection, all nine powerful messages, call 1-877-LOVEGOD, or you can order online at lwf.org slash radio. Or you can write us at Love Worth Finding, Box 38600, Memphis, Tennessee 38183. If you are struggling to claim your Kingdom Authority, remember this, the same weapons that belonged to Adam in the Garden of Eden were the weapons that Jesus Christ used in the wilderness.

Spend some time in scripture today, saturating your life in the word and the spirit of God that you may understand your Kingdom Authority. And join us next time for more timeless truth from Adrienne Rogers, right here on Love Worth Finding. Well a listener in Canada reached out not long ago with a brief testimony.

Let me share it now. She writes, I listen to your radio program daily on my way to work. What a blessing it is to hear God's word before I start my day. I've been encouraged and challenged through this ministry.

Thank you. Well, at Love Worth Finding, we love hearing how these messages have inspired you in your walk with Christ. And as a way to say thank you for your gift right now, we want to send you the book, The Incredible Power of Kingdom Authority, featuring messages and insights from Adrienne Rogers. This book will help you understand the principles and power of Kingdom Authority. Request it when you call with a gift at 1-877-LOVEGOD. Again ask for a copy of The Incredible Power of Kingdom Authority when you give at 1-877-568-3463. And again, thank you for your generous support of Love Worth Finding.