One day recently I was sitting in my car while parked. It was a large parking lot early in the morning so there were not many cars around and I could see a large portion of the lot without many obstructions. Suddenly I heard voices and when I turned to see who it was, I saw a man walking with his wife. I knew they were from a different culture by the way they were dressed, especially the wife. I could also tell by the way the woman was careful to walk about ten steps behind her husband. As I watched them the woman stayed about the same distance behind him wherever he went. I realized that in their culture the husband wields strict authority over the wife and she is bound to coming under and respecting his authority. In fact, I understand that in their culture many men can be quite harsh enforcing their authority over their wives.
As I watched this couple, I was reminded of the Centurion’s servant being healed as told in Luke 7:1-10 and Matthew 8:5-13. Although the Centurion was a man of great authority, he also realized that Jesus was a man holding ultimate authority over even life and death. He humbled himself under this authority, not even considering himself worthy to have Jesus enter his house. This man understood the power of words given by one who has authority. He believed the words that Jesus spoke had command over the unseen world as well as the physical world. This man understood that Jesus could heal from a distance just by speaking, and that neither he nor anyone else had this authority except Jesus. Not only did this man understand these things, he acted on them by demonstrating his faith in Jesus. He placed himself under the authority of the very words of Jesus.
We as Christian men in today’s power-hungry world must recognize and act upon the authority of Christ’s words as given in scripture. We must also recognize, as the centurion did, the power it carries and humble ourselves under it. Absolutely no other words spoken by any other person that has ever lived carry the authority and power that the word of God carries. Like this man we are not worthy to have Jesus come personally into our homes, but by faith His words still carry the authority and power over sickness and disease, over the wind and the waves, and yes, even life itself. We must believe and act under His authority!
In this way our authority, whether over just our own life or family will bring healing and life to others. Isn’t that what Jesus came to do? He can do it through you, if you act in faith under the authority of Jesus, trusting in His words. Jesus was amazed at the faith of this man, who was not even a Jew, and had very limited knowledge of God’s word. As a man with limited knowledge, I also want to live a life of faith that amazes Jesus. Don’t you? Someone who has mediocre faith, living primarily under the authority of the world, will never amaze Jesus. May the Lord bless us as men (and, of course women) to truly understand authority; first, to understand Christ’s, then how to act as men and women with limited authority under His ultimate authority, AMEN!
Jim Quayle
Director for Evangelism and Men’s Ministries
The Prayer Council USA
