Ephesians 2:6 New King James Version (NKJV)
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
We are seated together with Christ in heavenly places; and this is a present-tense reality, not a promise. This scripture reveals the truth of our current situation. You might not feel like you’re seated in a place of authority, but you are. When you accept this truth, you will start to operate in it. This truth is revealing to us that we’ve got authority in Christ Jesus, and because we’ve got authority, we can flourish in every area of our lives.
Mark 16:15-18 New King James Version (NKJV)
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”.
We are authorized by Jesus to operate in supernatural power on earth. “In His Name” means that we’ve been given power of attorney (authority) to release His power. Jesus has given us authority to use His name and operate in His Name. This is what happened over in Acts when Peter and John went to the temple to pray and healed a lame man on the way (Acts 3). They even admitted that it wasn’t their power but the power of Jesus that was released by the use of His Name:
Acts 3:12,16 New King James Version (NKJV)
12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? …16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
There is much power in the Name of Jesus and we have been given the right and privilege to use His Name, as a power of attorney – to act on His behalf in the world, to bring glory to the Father.
John 15:16 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
We have been chosen by God to be fruitful and bring the Father glory. We are not powerful in and of ourselves but we have authority to operate in His power. We do not have the power to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers and or cast out demons but Jesus has delegated to us all authority to be able to operate in His power. We’re not trying to earn the right to operate in power because we’ve already got the right.
John 16:23-24 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
We’ve got power of attorney “in the name of Jesus” to ask and receive. This sets us up to flourish but it’s not like a magical phrase that you just throw out however you want; you have to know a few things with it. For example, if you’re under attack and you’re experiencing the enemy it’s inappropriate to say, “in the Name of Jesus, God please take the devil off my back.” There is no provision for that prayer to be answered because God has given you the authority to get the devil of your own back!
James 4:7 New King James Version (NKJV)
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
“Resisting the devil” means to actively fight against the devil. This verse is not saying “submit to God and ask God to deal with the devil for you.” It’s saying to submit to God and you resist the devil and he will flee from you. It’s up to you to resist the enemy. Whatever we do not resist, we’re submitting to. Sometimes attacks on our lives, things that are causing us not to flourish are the result of our lack of resisting an attack from the devil. When you arise in your God-given authority you will start to see the enemy flee. But you need to realise that you aren’t trying to get authority, you are discovering more of your authority in Christ and then learning to step out in it. The moment you receive Jesus is the moment you have access to this authority. You don’t earn it. You cannot deserve it. From the moment you’re a believer, from the moment you’re born again, you are justified and fully enabled to operate in this authority. You can use it right now.