Luke 10:19 - 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.
In two days, the Super Bowl will be played between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. The game will display the highest levels of athletic competition, expert coaching, and remarkable physical feats of speed, power, and precision. It should be nearly three hours of pure entertainment. And then there are those creative commercials. What will Doritos do this year?
The Super Bowl will give a great example of the contrast between authority and power in the context of a battle. The players will be some of the largest, strongest, and fiercest athletes in the world. But with all their power, they are not in authority. The referees will be the most unknown people on the field. The telecast will hardly introduce them and hope that they play no role in the contest. The referees will be in authority. No matter the significance of the player and his salary, the referees can end his day by expelling him from the game. Power is one’s ability, but authority is what you have the legal right to do.
Jesus taught his disciples that they were in a battle, a contest between good and evil. Satan has greater power than all of us. He does not have authority to use it against us. God has given us authority over his power. James taught: “resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). So, rest assured today that the enemy cannot hurt you. You have the conferred authority of Jesus over the power of the enemy because you are a child of God. Glory to God!