Enforcing Jesus’s Victorious Authority
David W Palmer
(Mark 16:15, 19 NKJV) And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. …” {19} So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
Jesus is currently resurrected and sitting “down at the right hand of God.” This shows that his work in redeeming us, etc., is finished, but he still has a current ministry. After all, I do most of my work sitting down. I used to do farm work when I was growing up, and that was all done standing, running, walking, and bending. But now that I am in ministry, I do much of my work—writing, recording, administration, making phone calls, etc.—sitting. Jesus used to walk the roads of Judea and Galilee; but now, from his exalted position sitting at God’s right hand, Jesus is currently:
We will look at all of these in a future series, but for now, let’s focus on Jesus currently being head of the church:
(Ephesians 1:22 NKJV) And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.
In this passage, the Holy Spirit says that Jesus is head over all things—or all these things—to the church. In context, the “all things” refers to principalities and powers, etc.:
(Ephesians 1:19–23 APE) And what is the excellence of the greatness of his power in us, by those things which we believe, according to the action of the immensity of his power, {20} Which he performed in The Messiah and raised him from among the dead and set him at his right hand in Heaven, {21} Higher than all Principalities, Rulers, Powers, and Dominions, and higher than every name that is named, not only in this universe, but also in the one that is coming. {22} And he has put everything into subjection under his feet, and he has given him who is higher than all as The Head of the church, {23} Which is his body and the fullness of him who fills all in all.
This passage re-emphasises that our resurrected Lord has all authority in heaven and on earth. Here the Holy Spirit specifies his authority over principalities, rulers, powers, dominions, and every name—and that his God-given authority is eternal. He now exerts this authority through his church, his governing body. Through us, he rules the world; we can use his name—representing his power of attorney—to subdue spiritual enemies and any earthly power that tries to exert its authority over God’s rule.
For example, Jesus commanded us: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” If any other authority or power tries to prevent this, or to put earthly rules into place to stop us from obeying it, Jesus’s command is the higher authority. Even if they try to hinder us, we go over their head and do it in obedience to the higher power. If they try to force the issue, make it illegal, or bring it to a showdown, we appeal to the highest, most supreme court; we go to God in prayer with the help of our attorney—Jesus the living Word—for a ruling against them. When that ruling is given—the rhema word or living Word from God’s throne—their authority and rule must submit to it. The force of our faith in God’s living Word, mixed with the authority of Jesus’s name will be enforced by the work of the Holy Spirit and angels. This will literally force all rebellious spirits and rulers to their knees in submission to Jesus, or to be forced out of office:
(Philippians 2:10 NKJV) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven,
