Peter and John were on their way to the temple for afternoon prayers when they passed a man who had been lame from birth, sitting at the gate called Beautiful, begging for money the way he did every single day. He asked them for silver or gold, the same request he’d probably made to hundreds of people before them. But Peter looked straight at him and said something that changed the direction of his entire life. Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. Peter took him by the hand, lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. He went walking, leaping, and praising God, right there at the temple gate, in front of everyone who had known him as the beggar for years.
That story, found in Acts chapter 3, is one of the clearest pictures we have in scripture of a believer simply operating in the authority that had already been given to him. Peter didn’t have money to offer, but he had something far more valuable, the authority of the name of Jesus, and he wasn’t afraid to use it.
A Gap in What We’re Being Taught
A lot of churches teach their members the word faithfully, how to live righteous and holy lives, how to walk in faith, how to prosper, how to grow spiritually. All of this matters, and it’s good teaching. But there’s one area I feel churches should spend a lot more time teaching on, and that’s the subject of our authority in Christ Jesus.
Before Jesus ascended, He made a statement that should shape how every believer sees themselves. He said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me, this is recorded in Matthew 28:18. Notice that Jesus first declared that all authority had been given to Him. He then immediately commissioned His disciples, go ye therefore, and teach all nations, and He promised to be with them always, even to the end of the world. That authority Jesus carried didn’t stay locked away in heaven, it was extended to the church, to us, to carry out His work here on earth.
Jesus also gave a specific promise about binding and loosing. In Matthew 16:19, He told Peter, I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. He repeated this same authority again in Matthew 18:18, this time speaking to His disciples collectively, verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. This is a real, spiritual authority given to the church, not just a poetic phrase, it means what we forbid according to God’s word carries weight in the spirit realm, and what we permit according to His word carries that same weight.
Jesus also spoke directly about the authority we have over circumstances that look immovable. In Matthew 17:20, He said, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. He repeated a similar promise in Mark 11:23. Most Christians read that verse and treat it as poetic exaggeration, but Jesus meant it literally. The mountain represents whatever obstacle looks too big to move in your life, and He’s telling us plainly that our faith, backed by the authority He’s given us, can command it to move.
Authority Over Sickness and the Enemy
Jesus didn’t stop at mountains and binding and loosing. In Mark 16:17 to 18, He said, these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. This is a direct commissioning of ordinary believers, not just apostles or specially anointed ministers, to cast out demons and heal the sick in Jesus name.
Luke 10:19 adds another layer to this authority. Jesus said, behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. This tells us our authority isn’t just about performing miracles, it’s also about protection and dominion over the works of the enemy in our own lives and in the lives of people around us.
Even Jesus’ own words in John 14:12 point to this same reality, verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father. Jesus expected that the authority He operated in during His earthly ministry would continue, and even expand, through those who believed in Him after He returned to the Father.
Why Most Christians Don’t Walk in This
Despite all these scriptures, most Christians don’t walk in this reality, mostly because most pastors don’t teach it consistently. When something isn’t taught clearly and repeatedly, believers simply don’t know it belongs to them, and what you don’t know you have access to, you’ll rarely attempt to use. This is an aspect I want to encourage every Christian to start practicing intentionally, rather than treating it as something reserved for a select few with a special calling.
A Few Things Worth Adding to This Conversation
I want to add a few points here that I think matter just as much as the ones already mentioned.
First, this authority is positional, not something you earn through feeling spiritually strong on a particular day. It was given to the church at large through what Christ accomplished, which means your authority in Christ doesn’t fluctuate based on your mood or your current spiritual performance, it’s rooted in your position in Him.
Second, this authority is exercised specifically in the name of Jesus, not in our own name or ability. Peter didn’t tell the lame man to rise by his own power, he was very clear, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. Authority without the name attached to it isn’t authority at all, it’s presumption.
Third, authority comes with responsibility. The same Jesus who gave us authority also expects us to walk in holiness and love, since authority used carelessly or for selfish gain isn’t the picture scripture paints of how believers are meant to operate. Peter’s authority flowed out of a life surrendered to Christ, not a life seeking personal attention or gain.
Fourth, this authority is meant to represent God’s kingdom here on earth, not simply to prove a point or draw attention to ourselves. Every time Peter and the early church exercised this authority, whether healing the sick or casting out demons, the result pointed people back to Jesus, not to the person doing the healing.
Start Practicing Today
You don’t need to wait for a special anointing service or a dramatic spiritual encounter before you start walking in this. Start today. Start practicing your authority in Christ Jesus in your everyday life. When sickness tries to attack your body or the body of someone around you, lay hands on them and pray in Jesus name, expecting recovery, the way Mark 16:18 promises. When you sense the enemy’s influence in a situation, whether it’s fear, oppression, or something more direct, address it in the name of Jesus rather than simply enduring it passively. When a mountain shows up in your life, a financial obstacle, a health diagnosis, a relationship that seems permanently broken, speak to it directly in faith, the way Jesus instructed in Matthew 17:20.
Conclusion
Peter didn’t have silver or gold to offer the lame man at the temple gate, but he had something far more valuable, the authority of the name of Jesus, and he used it without hesitation. That same authority hasn’t been withdrawn from the church, it’s simply been under taught and underused. Jesus said all authority has been given to Him, and He extended that authority to us, to bind and loose, to move mountains, to heal the sick, and to cast out demons. Don’t wait for a special title or a stage to start walking in what already belongs to you. Start practicing your authority in Christ Jesus today, and watch how much of what once felt impossible begins to move.
