Week 6 | Spiritual Authority | Dan

SA – 12, 13, 14

God delegates authority to those who first submit to His authority and seek His will. Those in authority are mere representatives of God’s authority; They themselves do not have any authority. They’re not in a position of authority because they have special talents or novel ideas, but only through submission and knowing God’s will. Nee even goes so far as to say that those who have lots of ideas and opinions and confidence in their own abilities should be feared in the church. In order to be used by God, you have to be broken. You have to learn to deny yourself and speak carefully in godly fear. Even Jesus could do nothing except what he saw the Father doing, and this kind of collaboration can only be achieved when we have close fellowship with Him. We cannot tell others what we haven’t heard from God.

I like how Nee tells us not to defend ourselves against slanderers because that makes the slanderers our judges and places them above us. If we understand authority, we don’t need to defend or vindicate ourselves. I also love how meekness and tenderness continue to be emphasized as key requirements of receiving authority. I often doubt myself and get intimidated by those who are more aggressive and competent than I am, but according to Nee, God doesn’t delegate authority to arrogant, stiff-necked people. My value is not based on some standard, but only on the revelation that I receive from God through communion with Him. I need to stop trying to elevate myself because that is done by my own efforts, not by God’s authority.

It was touching to see they way Moses acted when people were rebelling against him. He fell on his face and prayed that God would have mercy on them. He exhorted them. He did not strike back or judge them because he knew his place. Again, the recurring theme here is that leaders are to be emptied of themselves and of their personal feelings/thoughts. Leaders also seek restoration and salvation even for all of God’s people, even those who rebel against them.