A Daughter’s Authority

by Casper Martin

It was 2016, and I was terrified! Once again, I was asked to participate in a speaking engagement. This one was for a church conference in South Texas, and the subject I was asked to speak about was the authority we have as believers. At first, I willfully answered, “Yes, I’ll do it.” As the date drew closer, however, the more I regretted saying it. I remember being at work talking to a friend about how I didn’t want to speak at this conference. I remember not only feeling nervous to speak in front of a crowd but also feeling unqualified to speak on the subject of authority. I questioned how I could speak about something I felt like I didn’t have.

I was plotting my escape plan of how I was going to get out of it but somehow ended up on the road to South Texas that November. The interesting part was that even after searching the scriptures for what I could possibly say, the Lord would stop me and whisper, “I’ll give you the words.”

Have you ever been afraid to do something that the Lord asked of you and then given excuses on why you couldn’t do it?

These are the excuses I came up with:

1. “I feel unqualified.”

2. “I feel very uncomfortable.”

3. “Lord, You haven’t even given me a message, scripture, or plan on what to say.”

I came to realize that my thought processes didn’t intimidate Him at all. And you know, yours don’t either!

The moment finally came. I was pacing and praying before I went up to speak. It was at that moment that the Lord gave me a vision of the wise men bowing before a newborn baby named Jesus. They bowed before a baby who hadn’t done anything. He hadn’t worn a crown or even started talking. He lay in a manger. Yet here were grown men, considered wise, bowing to Him and worshiping Him. Why? Because He was the Son of God. His authority came not from what He did. His authority came simply from being God’s Son. 

“They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

Matthew 2:11 NLT

It’s the same with us. Our authority comes not from what we do in our own strength. Our authority exists because we are daughters of God. We are heirs. It is our God-given right to walk in this truth. As we mature, the responsibility to walk in our authority grows as well.

We have Jesus to look to as our example. As a Son, He grew in wisdom and stature and favor with the Lord. He was obedient in that He only did what He saw His Father do. He had authority to forgive sins, spoke as one who had authority, and ultimately was given all authority in heaven and on earth. (See Matthew 28:18.)

Our first revelation regarding authority is that we actually already have it! It’s part of what we possess, simply because we are His children. We have authority to overcome all the power of the enemy. This was my message that night, and the Lord gave me authority to speak it.

You, too, have been given authority, and it will enable you to walk in victory in this life. Grab hold of it with all your might, and enjoy abundant fruit as a result.

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Luke 10:19–20 NKJV