Who's in Charge?
Perhaps you've heard a customer ask store personnel, "Who's in charge?" They want to know who the boss is, who's in authority. Many people, including non-Christians, think that, here on the earth, God is in charge, that He's in authority, that He's in control. But is it true? Is God really in charge on the earth? Saying that God is in charge on the earth implies that everything that happens here is of God. That every test, trial, and temptation is somehow from an all-knowing loving God Who knows what's best for us. It implies that sickness, disease, wars, murder, tornadoes, floods, torture, rape, and human trafficking are somehow controlled by a supposedly loving God. Don't ever question God. Ours is not to reason why; ours is but to do and die.
The problem with believing that God is in charge is that it's not totally true. It's a half-truth, which is half truth and half lie, making it worse than a lie. Why? Because too many Christians have no concept of a devil being behind all the evil in the world today. Those who believe in the devil far too often feel helpless to do anything about the devil's evil.
One of the great truths of the New Testament, under which Christians are to live), is that we have authority-dominion-over the devil, and all of his cohorts. Jesus, Who possessed all authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18) gave it to His Church. Authority is delegated power. God's delegated power is our authority. Not apart from Him; together.
As Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), we now represent God in the earth to the devil, as well as sinners. We, not Jesus, now reign in this life, by the authority Jesus gave to us. The Church, not Jesus, is to command sickness, disease, and tornadoes to go, in the Name of Jesus (you don't stand a chance by yourself). To God be the glory, I've seen all three depart from me, as I operated in my God-given authority, here on the earth. I'm bragging on the Name of Jesus, on God's Word. I'm bragging on the authority given to me.
Because of Adam's sin, the devil is now the god of this world, but not yours or mine. Why? Because although we're in this world, we're not of it. We're born of God. Greater is He-the Spirit of God-Who is in us than he (the devil) who is in the world (I John 4:4).
Jesus was in control over sickness, disease, storms, and all the works of the enemy. Now, Jesus is in Heaven, at God's right hand. As authorized by Jesus we, the Church are to be in charge, we are to be in control. No, we can't make the devil go away-he has a legal right to be here until his time is up. But we have been given everything we need to get the same results against satan as Jesus did while He was on the earth (John 14:12).
It's up to us, the Church, to be in charge. The question is, are we? If not, why not? If yes, it's because we're learning who we, the Church, really are, then acting like it in the earth.
It's our choice. I said yes. I hope you'll join me.