Love & Power

Welcome to Running with Horses, a podcast devoted to inspire you concerning a relationship with Almighty God that empowers you to accomplish things you never thought possible.

Shirley Weaver wants to take you there. And now, here's today's episode. Welcome to Episode 2 of our new weekly podcast, Running with Horses. On this podcast, we want to take a spiritual look at the culture and the world and offer a perspective concerning the believer's leadership role as a catalyst for biblical outcomes that impact our culture and the world.

With God's love and His power. It's great to have you back for today's podcast. My name is Shirley Weaver. So the name of our podcast, in case you weren't with us earlier, Running with Horses, comes from our new book by the same title. The book contains 365 daily writings.

That's one for every day of the year. And those writings exhort each of us to have not just confidence, but bold confidence in God. Bold confidence.

That's confidence that expects impossible outcomes, even supernatural interventions. So that when the pace speeds up in the area that you are called to, in the sphere of authority God has assigned you, you then are empowered to really do more than you ever thought or even believe possible. You can run ahead of what you thought possible. Our text is 1 Kings 18 and verse 46. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah and he ran ahead of the king's chariots.

So Elijah outran horses. My perspective is precisely that. The believer's leadership role is this kind of catalyst for biblical outcomes to impact the culture and world. And I want to make the case in our time together in these episodes that God's power anointings also apply to you and me. Literally the hand of the Lord is upon us. So what is God saying? Well, I believe He's saying that bold confidence in His power opens the way to make possible many things we previously thought were impossible. Matthew 19 26, all things are possible with God, with God. So three points here with God. That would be the presence of God, alignment with Him, and preparation for His plan. So all things are possible with God.

We need His presence. Moses said, if you do not go with us, we cannot go. If your presence does not go with your people, Israel, then we cannot journey.

We cannot go any further. And that, of course, leads us to realize how important alignment with Him. And we've said before, if you can be aligned with the Lord, that means that you can be not aligned with Him. We must be aligned with His plan. It must be our focus. His plan must be our focus. And there's a preparation taking place as we move through this season. Our generation is uniquely positioned, I believe, to anticipate and realize how close the return of the Lord actually is. So there's a future plan in keeping with His return, the hour in which we live, and the time and season that we find ourselves in. If there's no thought given to that, and if there's no realization of this positioning, then there's no preparation.

There's no anticipation. But we must be prepared in a conscious way. And yes, I would say even intellectually, we need to know specifics. We need to be aware of our culture and the world, what is taking place, and how God's power anointings on the life of the believer make a difference and are even positioned, called, appointed for this time. So, did you know that the love of God is the dominant, prominent theme in the four gospels, in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? It is God's love that is mentioned again and again, and we are pointed to His love, but in the same way, in the book of Acts, it is His power that is on display, that is the strong theme of the book.

And this power encounter with God, because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the presence of the Holy Spirit, not only in the earth, but in the life of the believer, brings a power demonstration. We need both for the culture and the world. We need both the love of God and the power of God. Now that's a very important point, very important.

We looked in terms of an overview in episode one at several things. We need right teaching. We need to realize what is and is not an authorized message. We need to expect observable authority in the life of the believer. We also need to see a disciplined lifestyle in the life of the believer.

And every person aligned with the Lord, believing Him, needs knowledge of the Bible, God's Word. And lastly, the ability, the desire, the reality of praying big prayers, that we are aware that God is big. He is very big. And His plan for humanity is so large, it's so big, it's so all-encompassing. We want our prayers to be consistent with the bigness of God. We pray big prayers. So again, in order to see this combination of God's love and His power on display, we must have right teaching.

The message must be authorized. There must be observable authority and a disciplined lifestyle in the life of the believer, a knowledge of God's Word, and the faith to pray big prayers. We say right teaching because we know that Jesus fed the multitude. And even though the disciples were not able to comprehend how to feed the multitude with just some bread and some fish, the Lord Jesus knew exactly how to do that.

Matthew 7, verses 28 and 29, and when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at His teaching. For He was teaching them as one who had authority and not as the scribes. He was teaching with authority, so the believer teaches with authority. We are like the Lord.

We have the mind of Christ. So when we teach, when we live our life, we are on display with the authority of God in our life, upon our life, and we utilize that authority in the ways that He directs us. So we must have right teaching along these lines about the authority that not only we carry but we are stewards of. We have a responsibility concerning the authority that God has given us. If we don't know this truth, we don't know about that authority, if we haven't been told we're born again but we don't have right teaching, then we don't know what to do. We don't know how to do.

We don't know how to move forward. So right teaching in every area is critical. This area of authority given by Almighty God to each believer is really my point today. I want to really develop this because you and I must factor in the believer's God-given authority in order to govern and rule the way that the Lord has positioned us to and the way we are called to. As I said, we are stewards of this authority to govern and to rule in our culture and our world representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ on mission with a plan to impact both the culture and the world with not only His love but with His power. So let's look at some of the things that we find in the Word concerning ruling authority. Luke 3 verse 1 speaks of the civil authorities that were in place, the emperor, the governor, and the ruler, and also the religious authorities, high priest.

Luke 3 verses 1 and 2 describe the culture and the world as it occurred at the time that the ministry of John the Baptist came forth and made his appearance onto the world scene as the one who would come ahead, go ahead of, and prepare the way for the coming of our Lord Jesus. Verse 1 describes the civil authorities. There was an emperor and a governor and a ruler.

Those are levels of authority, levels of ruling authority. There were also religious authorities. In this case, the high priest are mentioned and verse 2 says it this way, at this time, in other words, in this setting, a message from God came to John who was living in the wilderness. So John the Baptist was living in the wilderness. At this time, in this setting, there were civil authorities, there were religious authorities, and at this time, God gave a message to John who at the time was living in the wilderness. Basically, you might say he had distanced himself from any authority.

He was really living in a rural area. That's what we would call it today. But nonetheless, this is really important, there were civil authorities, there were religious authorities, there are always levels of authority in every setting. And then if you fast forward to another verse, Proverbs 21, 1, we see that the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord. Like the rivers of water, he turns it wherever he wishes. Like the rivers of water, the word rivers could also be, you could also say channels of water.

So as you see a body of water move through the terrain, that kind of channel, that kind of direction, the water is moving. And it says in Proverbs 21, 1, that in that same way, that the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord, and the Lord turns the heart of the king wherever he wishes. So this principle is in place in the Word of God and we know that God wants that role, he wants that preeminence, he wants that place, he wants to do that, he wants to govern through the heart of the king for the benefit of the people, those that are under the jurisdiction or the rule of the king.

And also Isaiah 9, verses 6 and 7, speaking of our Lord, everyone knows this passage for sure. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government, the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, and of the increase of his government, and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it, establish it with judgment and justice. So you see the pattern here, that the Lord was born into the earth with the government of Almighty God on his shoulder, the plan being that that government would increase. Not only the government, but peace built into that government. And it says here, in the final line of verse 7, to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice. These are the things we pray for, these are the things we want in every nation, right? So we see here this pattern from Luke 3 and Proverbs 21 and Isaiah 9, that there is a government in the earth and that God wants to be integrated with, vitally involved with that government to benefit and bless the people. With what? With peace, with justice, with righteous judgment.

How does that happen? Well we know that that happens through the agent of God's Holy Spirit. We know that his Word is alive in the earth, his Spirit is working, but my perspective that I want to just lay out the case here for you is that you and I are connected with all of that. That God is giving to us not only anointings, not only power anointings, but power anointings to rule and to govern.

And we do that with these big prayers and we do that by exercising authority with our words consistent with his words. So that, as was the case with John the Baptist, I mean that's a major ministry, right? This ministry of John the Baptist had to come forth during a time that there was a Roman, there was an oppressive government. The Roman government was oppressive where the emperor, the governor, and the ruler on every level had a say in what would happen to John the Baptist, what would happen with his ministry. That was the setting that he entered onto the scene and not only that, but there was a religious order at the time, as you know, that was not sympathetic to the Messiah, the Lord Jesus as Messiah coming into the earth.

There was a dysfunction there to say the least. So John came onto the scene and was faced with all of this government. But we know from Proverbs 21 all along God wanted to be a part of the heart of the emperor, the governor, and the ruler.

Be a part of the heart issue at the very seat of the reasoning of the high priest. And the pattern that we have and that you and I follow is Isaiah 9, that the government of the whole earth is on the shoulder of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the counselor, the mighty God. He is everlasting Father. He is Prince of Peace.

He is wonderful. And this government that is upon him is increasing and that he does that through us. So again, the case that we are making is that this authority is available to the church, to God's people, to the believer. And it's absolutely critical that we have right teaching and have even a revelation knowledge understanding of this authority, how God intends for us to implement his authority in the earth. Colossians 1 verse 16, I'm reading the New King James, says it this way, For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him.

Underline through, underline for. It's all created through him. It's created for him. Everything, every level, any throne, dominion, principality or power. I mean, think of this in John the Baptist's day. There were Roman authorities. They were principalities and powers ruling. But we read in Colossians 1 that every created thing began with God and all his creation originally was designed for good. Now that some of God's original design is corrupted is explained basically as a matter of right government or the absence of it. And it's a matter of authority. All of mankind, all created things exist under authority of some kind.

And that authority over them determines the government that will be over them, either good or evil, good or bad. But God qualified his people to participate in his government for the good of all mankind and all of creation. So he gives us an inheritance among those who choose light over darkness. That's verse 12 in Colossians chapter 1. So we have an inheritance among those who choose light over darkness. And he has delivered us from the governmental authority of darkness and has conveyed us into the government an authority of light. That is the kingdom of the Son of his love. Verse 13.

So it's already set in order. It's already in motion that every created thing was created by God and it was created for him, through him, for him. And that every person participating in his kingdom of light is an agent of light and the government of that light.

You might say the extension of that light. So the transformation of the whole world really depends on governmental authority. That's, we just said, a release of either good or evil. The release of light produces light and good. The release of darkness produces darkness and evil. So there has to be an element here, an agent of God's authority to expand and to demonstrate the authority of light and life that dispels the darkness. I believe, this is my perspective, again laying out the case here, that this transformation really is already underway. Agents of God's authority, his government, his power and his kingdom have their orders.

Now the agents of evil have their orders. But the contest is obvious and it's on display even now. And those who know God are positioned to control the conclusion of the matter.

Now it may not look that way now, but we are positioned. If we know God, if we know the presence of God, if we are aligned with him and we understand where we are in the outworking of his future plan, then we hold the conclusion of the matter. You know, God's name, one of God's name is Elohim. It means creator.

Think of that. He is creator constantly, newly creating. He is Elohim, the creator and original designer. He is the architect of everything.

He is architect of it all. He governs with light, quote, as it was in the beginning. And the authority and government of his light swallows up darkness always. I mean, think of Psalm 2.

I love the Psalm. Why do the nations rage? And the people plot a vain thing. The kings, again, that's a ruler term, the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, we will break them. We will cast them out of their influence in our life. But verse four, he who sits in the heavens laughs. It's such a prospect.

It's such a idea. The Lord holds them in derision, verse four says, then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure. Verse six, yet I have set my king, my king, the Lord says, Almighty God has set his king. And he, verse seven, declares the decree.

And he says this. Here's the decree. Almighty God says to his king that he has set in place, that is his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, this. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession.

Now, that's some powerful terminology there. You ask of me and I'll give you nations and the ends of the earth. And then verse 10 follows. Now, therefore, be wise, O kings, other kings, other rulers, be instructed, you judges of the earth, serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.

In other words, make the transition now. Choose to allow the government of Almighty God to come into your sphere of authority, you judges of the earth, you kings. Be instructed this way. Serve the Lord with fear, rejoice with trembling. And then he goes on to say, put your trust in him. This is the plan.

This is the plan. And it's the heart of Almighty God for every king, every emperor, every ruler, every governor to receive both the love of God and the power of God to bless humanity. To deliver them from the oppression of darkness and out of every threat of harm. This is the government that God has called us to and that we have a role. I would say each believer has anointings to govern and to rule both as a king and as a priest. So you have a kingly anointing, which is horizontal. It governs in an earthly way.

You have a priestly anointing that is vertical between the earth and the throne of God. These two intersect in the life and in the heart of the believer who knows that they have this authority. If they don't know they have it, any believer that does not is unaware they possess this authority.

It is as if they didn't have the authority, which is why I'm making the case. We want to pray bold prayers. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done right here on earth, just like it is in heaven. For thine is the kingdom, the glory and the power forever throughout eternity. Amen. So I hope that we are laying this down like a premise at a time.

That it's easy to follow. That's my goal. And I invite you to join me next time where we're going to pick up right here and carry on to develop the idea of your authority to rule and to govern as a representative of the Lord in the earth. See you next time. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to help support this podcast, please share it with others. Post about it on social media or leave a rating and review. Don't forget to check out the show notes or visit acleartrumpet.org where you can subscribe to Shirley's email list. Download the ministry app and purchase your very own copy of Shirley's 365 day devotional, Running with Horses. Thanks again and we'll see you next time.