Greetings;
Authority is very real and it is what gives us the ability to rule today. Ruling is not about control. Power alone can manifest control, but only authority produces life. True authority brings life to others. Each of us has a measure of authority and authority is a continual growing reality in our lives. Who we are today determines the measure of life we give to the world today and it will also affect our ability to give life to the world tomorrow. As authority grows in our lives we are able to give more life to the world tomorrow. It is connected to who we are and who we are enables us to carry the responsibility of authority for the sake of others. The most valuable measure of authority in our lives is the authority we walk in each and every day. Who we are called to be tomorrow is not more valuable than who we are today, it is just a greater measure of life given to us for the sake of the world.
Who we are called to be tomorrow is not yet a measure of life in our lives. We cannot give life where we have not received life to give.
Tomorrow’s authority is not today’s authority. It is merely a calling upon our lives. If we grasp to function in tomorrow’s authority today it will produce death and dysfunction in our lives and in the lives of others. When Samuel anointed David to be the king that anointing was not the right for David to be immediately installed as the king of Israel. David was destined to be a king, but when Samuel anointed him his authority was still to keep a few sheep. He grew in his authority. His authority to keep the sheep anointed him to kill the lion and the bear while protecting the sheep. His authority to deliver a few cheeses to his brothers in the front line of battle brought him to the place of increased authority in his journey to become the king. His inquiry for permission from King Saul to battle Goliath authorized him to kill the giant. His authority to kill the giant Goliath gave him an invitation to serve in the courts of King Saul. His authority to serve Saul empowered him to manifest his authority of worship and bring peace to Saul’s demonic harassments. His authority to hide from Saul’s anger empowered him to walk in honor to the king. His honor to the king took him on the journey of becoming the inheritor of Israel. He grew in his authority, as he was faithful in each step of his destiny. It was a process filled with faithfulness in his daily appointments with the increasing draw of tomorrow’s calling.
You may have a calling, but you must first receive an appointment. Appointment only comes after training, faithfulness, and timing. The sound of God for that appointment must come into your character. A gift is a gift and a calling is a calling, but without proper ‘timing’ they are worthless. Abraham was called to be the father of Isaac, but when he tried to produce the seed of promise as Abram, the result was the birth of Ishmael. Ishmael’s are a result of acting on tomorrow’s authority today. When we act on tomorrow’s authority today we end up with a testimony of the flesh. Abram was destined to be the father of many nations, but the meaning of his name was only the “father of a nation”. His name had to be changed to Abraham, the “father of many nations”, before he could produce the seed of promise. The change of his name involved the process of destiny. Abram had the destiny to father Isaac, but he had to become an Abraham before he could father the promise. Ishmael was not the son of Abraham; he was the son of Abram (One Nation).
Ishmael’s are nothing more than works of the flesh. All authority is found in the Spirit and is not founded upon the flesh. It is God who makes us who we are in the path of destiny. The basis of authority and the basis of dominion is who we are, not who we are called to be.
A caterpillar is destined to become a butterfly, but it has to go through the process of metamorphosis to become what it is called to be. While it is at its beginning it has the authority to live in the testimony of an egg. While it is a caterpillar it has the authority of a caterpillar. The pupa reveals the testimony of a pupa and only when the process of metamorphosis is complete it reveals the testimony of a butterfly. It is only then that the creature exhibits the authority of a butterfly. Each season of the creature’s life has a glory of its own and an authority of its own. It is the same in the journey of our lives. There is a process in coming to the authority of tomorrow and in that process the greatest authority is that of each day in the process. There are no shortcuts to destiny.
The journey of our destinies begins with calling, progresses to appointment, and is proven with anointing. Calling precedes appointment and an anointing of life comes on the appointments of God. There is a measure of anointing that confirms our calling, but it is not meant to be the anointing of our appointment until the day of our appointment comes to today. Not one step of the process is better than another and no step of the process makes us more valuable. Our value is that of being children of God while our authority has to do with the measure of life we have for others today. We must be faithful to live in the fullest of each measure of our journey. As leaders in the body of Christ we must model and mentor this process.
Becoming a father includes learning the boundaries of authority. When someone crosses the boundaries they must have a supernatural intervention of God to bring about redemption and a testimony of true authority. There is always destruction and death outside the boundaries of authority.
If you work for a car wash company, but you are destined to be the president of the company you must embrace the process of promotion that takes you to the day. You will have to prove to be responsible in every position given you in the company. There will be a process of learning, training, and growing in your ability to handle the responsibilities of being the president of the company. There is a price to pay for authority. There is a process to coming to the authority of each and every day.
Tomorrow’s authority is not more valuable than that of today. It is just a greater measure or a further measure of who you are called to be. If we are faithful in the authority given to us for each and every day we will bring life to the world.
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
