Exercise Your Spiritual Position of Authority - Part 1

4-6-25

Exercise Your Spiritual Position of Authority - Part 1

By Pastor Gary Wayne

We are eternal spiritual beings having a temporary physical experience.
We tend to mostly see here and now, giving a small consideration to the future.
As parents who have influence over you children, remember you are set in position by God to set your kids up to not only experience God here and now, but to live in eternity with Him.
If I am casual about my relationship with God, my kids will follow my example.
If I place more importance on the physical existence than my spiritual life, they will follow.

Text: Exodus 20:5-6, Nehemiah 4:14

About a month ago, I listened to a devotional about David and Solomon.
In 1Chron. 28-29 David was handing the baton to Solomon. These chapters tell how David had wanted to build God a temple, so David drew up plans and started stashing money. Then in these chapters, David tells Solomon his dream and prays over Solomon. 1Chr.29:19 "And give my son Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which I have made provision."

So when God asked Solomon in a dream what he wanted, Solomon knows to ask for wisdom I think in part because of David’s prayer. (1Ki 3 & 2 Chron. 1)
Recently my takeaway is, even though David is old, and Solomon is an adult, David’s words / prayer over Solomon had a HUGE effect.
I believe in part it’s because even though Solomon was probably not living under his dad’s roof, David still had spiritual authority to pray God’s blessing over him.

I believe regardless the age of you kids, you have spiritual authority to pray God’s blessing over them.

You were hand-picked by God to have your children under your care.
Do we think that this is just a coincidence? or God orchestrated?
Not only were you picked by God for that position, but He gave you certain authority for you to exercise with you family.

As a parent, we can know the strengths and weaknesses of our kids.
As such we pray over them for those weaknesses to be turned into strengths.
“God strengthen my child to be able to handle their gifting better.”
We take the authority God gives and speak God's intention/ plans for our children – for our family – for my home.

God is a strategic being - you were not an afterthought - kids are God's strategic plan to bring His presence. Every person born on earth was strategically planned by God for a purpose.
“Fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

We are shaped by our family history.
Without understanding this, when we have a family, we react to them – especially under stress – very much the same way the family I grew up in responded.
I tend to treat my wife much like how my dad treated my mom. Etc.

That’s great if I have a healthy family atmosphere. But what about …..?

I think there are two basic approaches we tend to take.
1. Fake it until you make it – if you love each other, it will work itself out.
2. Regularly work on yourself, and your relationships.

Now let me visit about some VERY uncomfortable Biblical truths.
We are not only shaped by our parents, but by our grandparents, our great grandparents, etc.

The moment I become a Christian, God forgives me for my sin and gives me grace to live a life I don’t deserve.

But Scripture tells us what I experienced in my past has a HUGE impact on who I am today and how I tend to react to life in general.
Unfortunately, many people are crippled by their past without knowing how much it impacts their present.
I believe when I don’t understand how my family’s history shapes and damages my present, I can be stuck in un-healthy patterns that will be handed on to my kids.
I can’t bury and ignore my family’s history.

Scripture also teaches that the consequences of spiritual actions and decisions taken in one generation affect those who follow.
Ex 20:5-6
The phrase “visiting the iniquity” would be better translated, “tends to be repeated.”

Take a look back into your family history and see if there are re-occurring patterns of wrong behavior that seem to be handed down through your family.
Then ask the Holy Spirit to help you as you repent for your family. (Neh.1:6-7)
Then set up boundaries and accountabilities for yourself in your life.
Ask a spiritual leader to join with you in prayer over this.

If you see those same patterns in your kids: maybe visit with them about it,
or pray over your family.
Using your spiritual position to cancel the enemy’s agenda and assignments over your family.
Exercise your spiritual position of God given authority to declare His blessings.