3.3.2 屬靈權柄 2
Shared by: Ming
In our last session, we explored the relationship between order and authority. We addressed key questions: What is the most important lesson to learn before receiving authority? What is spiritual authority? And what distinguishes power from authority? We established that God grants spiritual authority out of His love for us—it’s not something we earn through effort. He bestows it freely, yet He retains the right to withdraw it at His will. We also examined the source of Satan’s authority and its connection to order.
This season, perhaps because I’ve been teaching on spiritual authority, I’ve experienced significant growth in this area. The Holy Spirit has led me into numerous situations that have deepened my understanding. In the Old Testament, the word "authority" appears infrequently—fewer than fifteen times: three times in the Pentateuch, twice in Isaiah and Jeremiah, and sparingly elsewhere. By contrast, the New Testament mentions it far more often. In the four Gospels and Acts alone, it appears forty-six times, and in the epistles and Revelation, it exceeds twenty occurrences.
Corruption and the Loss of Authority
When people fall into corruption, they surrender their spiritual authority. For example, in a family marked by sexual immorality, sin creates an opening for the enemy. This breach can strip the family of the authority God originally granted, allowing the enemy to impose curses on them and their descendants.
In my years of ministry, serving individuals and teams, I’ve seen how corruption affects not just the individual or family but entire groups—especially in certain communities. I once served on a worship team where the Holy Spirit revealed sexual immorality among the members. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the team, so I sought God in prayer. Eventually, He permitted me to confront the worship team leader. To my astonishment, he confessed, “Everything you’ve discerned is true. We’ve known for some time that one member has a mistress and has been with her for years. I even know his wife.” Shocked, I asked, “Why didn’t you address it? How could you let this persist in the worship team?”
The leader explained they were short-staffed and couldn’t afford to lose this key member, despite knowing about his sin. Over time, the spirit of immorality took root and spread. Another team member soon fell into the same sin. Within a few years, the entire team was overshadowed by this dark influence, and eventually, even the leader succumbed to an affair. This illustrates how corruption in one life can lead to the surrender of authority, affecting everyone connected.