Authority and Unbelief Part 2 — Phil Beach Jr.

Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Hallelujah. I know we all sense the Spirit very near. I want to take a few moments to get this Word out because as the Spirit works with the Word, it creates faith.

Faith That Revolutionizes Lives and Cities

This is what we're looking for, aren't we? Faith. We're looking for faith. Thank you, Timothy. The things that were shared today have put the enemy to flight. They've put the enemy to flight. If the things that were shared today would be caught by us through the Spirit of revelation that Jesus grants, they would literally revolutionize and change our life and affect the city that we're living in.

And as our faith grows, it would affect not only our city but many cities. What is it that overcomes the world? Even our faith. Beloved, what I'm going to share now will simply, as you will see, confirm all that has been uttered thus far through song and testimony and exhortation.

And so I am very, very confident that this Word is only going to bring together in a nutshell all that has been said and that it's going to create faith and it's going to stir our hearts and enable us to see the facts of what the Holy Spirit is wanting us to see in order that the powers of darkness that have already been conquered at Calvary will begin to recognize that we, by the confession of our own mouth, will put them to flight.

That is what God's intention is. He does not want us to perceive us battling against a foe that needs to be conquered because the foe has been conquered at Calvary. It is already a battle that's been won.

Satan Cast Out and Judgment Accomplished

Hallelujah to God. John 12, verse number 31. This is a continuation of last week's message, authority and unbelief. This is just a continuation. I strongly suggest you take notes, jot the Scriptures down, get the tape, get this Word in your heart and let the Holy Spirit give you revelation.

Point number one, we're going to take this through in a systematic way this morning, just as I feel the Holy Spirit brought it into my spirit. And you'll find it gloriously confirms the things that have been spoken.

Indeed, the Spirit is saying the same thing and He's saying it to many vessels. Now, I believe that as we listen to the Word and let it get into our heart, the reality of these things are in the process of being communicated and revealed to us.

And it's going to affect our lives in a most significant way. John chapter 12, verse number 31. Number one, Satan has already been cast out. He has already been conquered. Now, remember the exhortation this morning that we heard, in particular, what Suzanne shared.

Listen, the key to living the life that God wants us to live is believing what God has said. It is believing what God has said through a heart that is focused upon the author and finisher of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ.

John chapter 12, verse number 31. Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Jesus Christ, through the death, burial, and resurrection, cast Satan out.

Christ Above Every Principality and Power

He no longer has the legal grounds to be considered the God of this world as far as Jesus Christ is concerned. Christ is now King of kings and Lord of lords. Believest thou this? Number two, Jesus, by virtue of the victory at Calvary, is now above and over all principalities and powers that are named in heaven and earth and under the earth.

Ephesians chapter 1, beloved, beginning in verse number 15. Wherefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and the love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, make a mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. Now verse number 19 particularly speaks about the power that's working in the believer.

But we don't want to look at that now. We want to go to verse number 20 because this point has to do with Jesus is above and over all powers and authority. Verse number 20, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in heaven.

Far above all... Notice that word all implies inclusive. There's nothing outside of that all. We mustn't put anything outside of it either. All principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and have put all things under His feet.

Believest thou this? 1 Peter 3, verse number 31. This simply confirms our second point. 1 Peter 3, verse number 22. It's verse 22, I made an error. Verse 322, Who is gone into heaven, speaking of Jesus, and is on the right hand of God.

Listen, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him. Matthew 28, verse number 18. Very significant portion of Scripture. We've read it many times, but listen to the words of Jesus. Oh may God, as Alan said, may God cause the spirit of the truth that is impregnated in the world to become living in our hearts today.

We're not just... Listen, this is not a sermon this morning. This is not just a sermon about a good topic. This reflects the realities that are unchanging in the heavens. And as the church gets a hold of this, and the Holy Ghost makes it real, let me tell you, there's going to be a revolution that's going to occur in the name of Jesus Christ, and there's going to be a triumphant church that's going to arise in the power of Jesus Christ, and nothing by any means shall harm them.

Do you believe that? Nothing by any means. That word nothing means, and not even one thing. Hallelujah. Matthew 28, verse 18. Get a hold of this. And Jesus came and spoke unto them saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and earth.

Christ's Victory Over Satan's Power

Point number three. Do you believe that? Point number three. Christ conquered all of Satan's power at Calvary. Christ conquered all of Satan's power at Calvary. Hebrews 2. My God, don't you love the Word of God?

Don't you love to confess the truth? Do you know what our lives ought to be involved in as frequently as possible, as we speak with one another, and as we share our hearts with one another? We need to confess the truth of God's Word and stop confessing the lies.

As one song says that Christine has been singing something like, Doubt your doubts and believe God. Believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts. It's time to believe God's Word. It's time to speak God's Word.

It's time to pray God's Word. It's time to write God's Word. It's time to shout God's Word. Hebrews 2, verse 14. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same.

Listen, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death that is the devil, and deliver them. That word means deliver means to transfer from one state to another. To deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Do you believe that through the conquering power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that Jesus conquered and destroyed the power of the devil himself? Do you believe? This is what the Word of God says.

Colossians 2. Another testimony in the Word that signifies the fact that Christ conquered all of Satan's power. Verse 13, beginning in chapter 2 of Colossians. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us.

By the way, that blotting out of handwriting of ordinances that was against us refers to every possible accusation and argument that the devil could make in order to condemn us because of our sin. Jesus Christ died.

He took my sin. And the power for the devil to accuse me before God has been destroyed at Calvary. Do you believe this? Yes, it is true. In my flesh dwelleth no good thing. And yes, it is true. You must come to see that lest you begin to think that it is something in yourself that makes you holy.

But once you see that, and once you've been devastated by it, and once you have hit the dust and the ashes because you have seen that you stand guilty before a holy God, you can rise up and confess the Word and thank God.

If any man be in Christ, He is a new creation. The handwritten ordinances that were against me have been brought it out at Calvary. Don't ever forget the fact that in you dwells no good thing. But don't ever forget the fact that Christ in me is the hope of glory and my life is now Christ.

Not what I am when I follow my sinful desires. That is not who God perceives me to be anymore. I have been divorced from that man. And now, I am married and one with the Holy Son of God. And His righteousness is mine.

His holiness is mine. What about when I sin? Confess it. Thank God for the forgiveness. Ask Him to walk deep, deep sorrow in your heart. But go on with God. Go on with God. Hallelujah to God. The power of the devil has been destroyed.

Matthew 12. Matthew 12. Hallelujah to God. 28 and 29. This is something that Alan shared this morning. Matthew 12. 28 and 29. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Remember, we're looking at the point Christ conquered all Satan's power at Calvary. Here's how we know that. Verse 29, Or else, how shall one enter into the strong man's house and spoil his good, except he first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house?

Christ has conquered the strong man, Satan being himself the stronger one. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is stronger than the power of the enemy and has conquered it at Calvary? You see, you're not even called to conquer the power of the enemy in yourself.

Christ as the Life of the Church

You're called to, by faith, claim the conquering power that lives in you through Jesus Christ. And by that life, the enemy's power is vanquished. It is destroyed. Hallelujah to God. Point number four, Christ is now the true life of the church.

We are dead to sin. We are dead to the world. We are dead to the devil. And we are dead to the flesh. You must not read that and look at your experience. Because it is not based on your experience. It's based on the fact that in Jesus Christ, you have been transplanted out of the kingdom of darkness, and you live in the heavens with Jesus Christ now.

Listen to this. Christians, Christ now is the true life of the church. And we are dead to sin. Colossians 3. Beginning in verse 1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Listen, our life. Read that again to yourself. When Christ, our life. Everyone together.

When Christ, our life. When Christ, our life. Do you believe that Christ is your life? Do you believe that He delivered you from the tyranny of sin that lies in your flesh, and now in your spirit, essentially, you are one with the Son of the living God?

Do you believe that what He is in His righteousness, He has imparted to you? Do you believe it? It's true. If you try and figure out a reason why He would do this, you're going to miss it. You know why?

For God so loved the world. He loves you. Oh, I don't know if I can believe that. Then pray, Lord, I believe, but help thou mine unbelief. Do something, but just believe. Jesus said, don't be afraid. Only believe.

I'm getting ahead of myself now. This is good news, isn't it? I'm telling you, this is good news. This is good news. This is good news. You know, if you ever watch the stock market live on TV, at 4 o 'clock, if the stocks went up, you got a whole bunch of men standing behind a platform, smiling, and they have a gavel, and they start banging it indicating the stock market's closed, and everybody starts clapping.

And they start clapping. And they start clapping. There's 10, 15 of them. But if the stock market has a bad day, and it falls, there's one man that stands up, and he just goes like this. And he turns around and disappears in a door.

So they perceive good news to be the rise in stocks, and bad news to be the fall in stocks. But I say to you, the good news is Christ is our life. Jesus is risen from the dead. We are in Him, and He is in us.

Hallelujah to God! That's good news. Do you believe? Or are you still watching the stock market? I won't go there. Alright. Alright. Hallelujah! My God! Matthew 16. Oh, I better settle down. Thank You, Lord.

Thank You for the strength that comes by the indwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ that quickens the mortal body. Matthew 16. Beginning in verse 23,. But He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan.

Thou art an offense to Me. For thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Then Jesus said unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.

This also was mentioned this morning by our brother. For whosoever will lose his life for My sake, shall find it. For what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his soul? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Jesus said, let him deny himself if he follows Me. Why does Jesus say you must deny yourself? Why does Jesus say that if you seek to save your life, you'll lose it? It's not because of legalism. It's not because Jesus wants us to practice asceticism.

If we could see the truth that Christ is our life, then we would willingly deny ourself because that self that Jesus is talking about is the body of sin which we have put off in Christ. We're to deny the body of sin.

We're to deny everything about ourself that has to do with the body of sin, that has to do with the corrupt desires of the flesh, and we're simply to disown it. We're to say, no! I'm no longer that person.

I am now in Christ. It's easy to deny yourself when you realize that that's not really what you are anymore. Hallelujah! But your life is now Christ. It's not a matter of fighting. It's a matter of yielding and by faith, believing, and by being filled with the Spirit of God.

It's easy to deny yourself when you are so preoccupied with Jesus, your new life. Oh, it's hard if you don't see Jesus. Then it turns into a religion of self-denial. It turns into a religion of works.

It turns into a religion of I'm making it to God by denying myself. I'm gaining points by denying myself. I'm getting more holy by denying myself. Hogwash! You're not getting more holy by denying yourself.

My God, I feel it. By the Spirit of legalism. By the Spirit of self-righteousness. You don't deny yourself in order to get closer to God. You deny yourself in agreement with the fact that your life is Christ's life.

Oh Lord, help us to see these things. I've got to move on, because I want to get this whole outline out. I want to get it out in the air. On paper. On the tape. I want the Word of God and the Holy Ghost to change us.

Romans 5. 17 -614. We're not going to read the whole thing. Romans 5. 17 -614. That is referring to the great, glorious exchange that we have experienced through the gift of Jesus Christ. And by that gift of Jesus Christ, we have been delivered from sin.

Why? Because He is righteous and we are now in Him. You see, I am free from sin not because sin does not dwell in my flesh, but I am free from sin by virtue of my association now, no longer with the flesh, but with the sinless One.

Hallelujah! I am free from sin because He that abideth in Him sinneth not. It doesn't say, He that abideth in Him has no sin. Be careful. It doesn't say that. But it says if you abide in Him, you will not engage in sin.

Why? Because He is without sin and as I live a life of dependence upon Him through the infilling of the Holy Ghost and walk by the power of His Spirit in His ways, then I am not engaging in the sinful life of self, but I am expressing the life of His beauty.

My God! That's what Romans 5 and 6 talks about. Alright, point number five. Now this is when we're getting to very important issues. Only have another ten minutes or so. Five or ten minutes. Listen carefully, please.

Authority Over the Power of Satan

Number five. It is essential for us to understand point number five. As we live on the basis of Christ as our life and disown the body of sin, we are anointed by His power and given authority over all the power of Satan.

I'm going to say that again. I'm going to say it again. Because this is not information that you can assess just mentally and get it. This is information that must be prayed about, must be prayed upon until by revelation you say, I see!

I see! Again, as we live on the basis of Christ as our life, and disown the body of sin, we are anointed by His power and given authority over all the power of the devil. Luke 9 Jesus demonstrates the fact that it was His intention to secure in Himself the victory over all the power of the devil and then to delegate that authority to believers.

Because of the believers' association with Him. Not because inherently believers have any goodness or because inherently we have power. Everything that we are and everything that God has given us and all the power that we have against the devil is in direct relation to the fact that we are related to God now in Christ.

And that's what distinguishes Christianity from all the Eastern religions that seek to find power and holiness and oneness of God in themselves. Jesus is not in their equation. Therefore, it must be rejected by the Christian.

Christ alone is the One that connects us to God and makes us the benefactor of the inheritance. Christ alone. Luke 9. Notice the words of Jesus. And He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases.

Jesus Christ possessed it and He gave it to His disciples. Then, in Luke 10, we find that He is expanding now. He's expanding this jurisdiction of authority from the twelve. Now He gives it to who? Luke 10.

And after these things, the Lord appointed seventy also. Notice what it says in v. 9. And He commanded them to heal the sick that are therein and say unto them, the kingdom of God is nigh unto you. So Jesus passed this on to the twelve.

Then, on to the seventy. Notice in v. 17 of Luke 10. And the seventy returned again with joy saying, Jesus, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through Thy name. And He said to them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt you. Believest thou this? Paul said to the believers in Rome, be encouraged, because soon, God shall crush Satan under Christ's feet.

No, it doesn't say that. He said He'll crush Satan under your feet. Under your feet. How is it that God's going to crush him under my feet? When you understand who you are and stop seeing yourself the way the world sees you, you're no longer just an individual doing your own thing.

You have become a living member of the body of Christ, and Christ dwells in you. And you now, along with the corporate body of Christ, are God's representative to bring down to earth all the power and all the glory that resides in the head.

Do you believe that? Paul said, I beseech you, as though Christ did beseech you by us. Be ye reconciled to God. Paul spoke so in union with the head that when he spoke, it was as if Christ was speaking.

That's what God is after in the church. That God wants the church and the individual members to come into such unitive relationship with the head insomuch that the very words we speak are His words that are living inside of our heart.

And it's on the basis of that that His authority will be manifested in the true church. Ephesians 1 .19. Remember we skipped that verse? Now it's time to go back to it. Because this verse doesn't refer to the power of Jesus Christ.

But it does. But not directly. Ephesians 1 .19. Paul was praying, and this is what he prayed, that you would know, verse 19, what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us. Toward us. That is, moving and working and operating on our behalf.

This has to do with you. Of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ. So you see, the source of the believer's authority and power is directly linked to the believer's union with the All-Powerful One.

I don't muster up power. It is mine in Christ. I don't try and conjure up power like magicians and sorcerers. They call upon the powers of earth. They call upon the powers of heavens. They call upon inherent powers within themselves.

And by that, they cast spells. But I'm telling you, that whole realm of witchcraft is under the foot of Jesus Christ. And in Christ, it's under our feet. It is not that kind of power, but it is the power, hallelujah, that resides in the glorious person of the Son of God.

It is the power of Christ now working in us and for us and through us. Why? Not only to enable us to live a life blameless before Him, but in order to enable us to go forth in the name of Jesus, like Jesus and the apostles did, and declare war on the kingdom of this world.

To set the captives free. Do you believe that you are called to be more than just a person that struggles for 40 years and then gives up the ghost and goes home to glory? Do you believe that you're called to be significant in this world by being lost in Jesus?

Do you believe that God wants you to go to the store and perceive that somebody's hurting and have the boldness and faith to say, I know Jesus can heal you. Well, that's not for me, brother Phil. Why?

Why? I'll tell you, because you don't believe it. You don't believe. That's for brother Phil, right?

Not for me. Why? Hallelujah. That's point number five.

The Great Commission and Authority in Christ

Lord have mercy. Now listen to this, Mark 16. 14 -20. Mark 16. Beginning in verse 15. And He said to them, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Now listen, do you understand that these words are part of the Great Commission?

Okay? Now Jesus is speaking all of these things, verses 15 -18, in light of what He said in Matthew 18. All power is given unto Me in heaven and earth. You see, that statement's not recorded in Mark 14.

And so we would look at this and we might think, oh boy, look at this, I can do this and I can do that. You can do nothing except you abide in Him. You have to connect this with Matthew 18. Jesus said, all power is given unto Me in heaven and earth.

Go ye therefore, and in Matthew it says, and make disciples. But here, you can just connect this to that, because He said this too. So let's just together, before we read verse number 15, let's just quote Matthew 18.

All power is given unto Me in heaven and earth. Therefore, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Our authority to preach and to see results is the fact that Jesus is the victor.

Now go to verse 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe. Why? Because all power is given unto Me, says Jesus, in heaven and earth.

So everything hangs upon the glorious fact that Jesus Christ is the conquering One. Oh my God. Point six. Now the church. Listen carefully. That means you, if you're a believer. This is when the devil gets angry.

This is when the enemy, this is when the truth that is deeply guarded, becomes cloudy to our minds, because this is the part that will constitute the enemy's defeat when we see it. Though he's been defeated, yet he continues to work havoc because we don't see this.

Bringing God's Will from Heaven to Earth

Listen. Now the church is to bring God's will in heaven to earth. Matthew 6, verse 10. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. One way to bring God's will that is in heaven to earth is to pray, as Jesus said, that we might know the will of God in heaven.

And then once we know the will of God in heaven, we believe God to perform it on earth. If you become persuaded that it is God's will to save an individual, then you believe God, you pray, you believe, you believe, you keep praying until you know that that person has come to know Jesus.

You see, we're not living in the defense anymore. We're living on the offense. We've got a secret information. We know what God wants through Jesus, and now when we look on earth and it doesn't seem like it's what God wants, but we know it's what God wants, then we believe and we call on the authority of the Son of God to perform it.

Praying to know God's will, that's the first point. Number two, by retaking what belongs to God. Colossians 1. Colossians 1. Watch this. Verse 16, For by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, principalities, powers.

All things were created by Him and for Him. The second way that the church is to bring God's will that is in heaven to earth is by reclaiming what belongs to God. God says all things that are in this world, whether they be thrones, dominions or powers, were created by God and for God.

I'm about to make a bold statement, and I'm asking you to believe God and to search the Scriptures, but I believe that it is not God's will for any town or any city to be characterized by the devil or characterized by evil, because it is God's will that the church that is triumphant in Christ Jesus would so be in union with Christ, so as to arise in the Spirit and set the pace.

I don't believe that it's God's will for the church to lay over and play dead. I believe it's God's will for the church, even if it means martyrdom, even if it means being persecuted, it's God's will for a city to be set on a hill, not to be hit under a bushel.

Everywhere the early church went, some other time we're going to go through it, the powers of hell were shaken. I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to stop, because we won't be able to finish this, and I want to do justice to it, and it's already quarter of.

So I just want to encourage you to continue to be before the Lord. Get these things in your heart, meditate upon them, speak about them, and watch and see what God will do in your life and in our life as a body, as these things become living and true in our lives, and we know that we know that we know that God has given to us.

Hallelujah to God. Please, I want to ask that you would assist Norman and Michael in getting these things up so that we can be out by 1 o 'clock. Listen, there is a Times Square church...