Jesus and the apostles demonstrated how to exercise authority. Jesus didn’t ask Father God to make the storm stop. He told it to shut up! He didn’t ask Father God to raise Lazarus back to life. He told him to come out! Peter didn’t ask Father God or Jesus to “please heal” the crippled beggar. He told him to stand up and walk!
Jesus and the apostles spoke to the disease, the body, or the demon—they didn’t ask God to do it. They were already submitted to the Father’s will so they did what they had authority to do—cure it and cast it out! Jesus didn’t even ask God to multiply the loaves and fish. He just thanked God for them!
Jesus explicitly said:
“Heal the sick… cast out demons.” (Matthew 10:8)
Not:
“Ask the Father to do it for you.”
And:
“I give you authority…” (Luke 10:19)
Many people aren’t getting their prayers answered because they’re not praying with any understanding of God’s will, or their authority, and that keeps them out of faith. We shouldn’t be asking God to do what He’s told us to do under the authority of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit in us.
