A few years ago, I was visiting a church in Australia and this is the word that God gave me. Afterward, I learned most of the members of the congregation found it extremely offensive. They believed I was their pastor’s spokesperson to put them into subjection to him. They concluded that by commending the centurion who recognized he was a man under authority, I was serving their pastor.
Because now, he could readily become a man in authority over them. However, none of that is true because the bible speaks to each of us as believers. When you read a passage, do not think of your pastor or your member or your neighbor or spouse. In the Bible, God is speaking directly to you as a person, regardless of the position the church accords you.
So, here we see this man, a high military officer, expressing his confidence in the power of words. Please note that this centurion did not know, like you and I know, that in the beginning was the word. The New Testament was not yet written so He could not have read that the word was with God and was God. He lived at a time when Jesus had not yet said that the words that He speaks are life. 
Despite all that, this centurion knew the power of his own words enough to appreciate the power in Jesus’ word. He was a man, not in authority like most of us, but under authority. You may know the story.
Don’t Be Like Naaman
The centurion’s servant was sick at home and he came to Jesus for the man’s healing. Jesus offered to go home with him but this man refused. Note that he refused, which had always put my faith to shame. That is because I would do anything to have Jesus visit my home. And why did he refuse? Because this unbeliever knew the power in God’s word better than most believers. As a man under authority, he knew the power of his own words.
Most of us would urge Jesus to please come, even if He did not offer. We want to see and feel and touch what Jesus would do in healing the sick man. In that sense, we are no different from or better than Naaman, another senior military commander. He wanted Elisha to surely come out to Him, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God. He needed Elisha to strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
And when Elisha simply sent the word of God to him to bathe in the river, Naaman was very angry. But Elisha did that because he was a man under authority to God. Does Naaman not sound like you and me? When we are in trouble, we want a man of God to touch and jump and sweat before we believe. We find it hard simply to believe the word of God. And that is because we refuse to put ourselves under authority to Jesus. Consequently, we fail to understand the power in his word.
The Sons Of Sceva Were Not Under Authority
Paul and Jesus were under authority to God and could therefore command demons. However, when the seven sons of Sceva tried to do the same, the demons thoroughly trounced them. That is because they were not under authority to God. I wonder, how many of us are like the sons of Sceva? Don’t forget, Sceva was a high priest, active in religion, like most of us. And yet, because we refuse to be under authority to God, demons walk all over us.
Today, we can determine to stop all that nonsense and start commanding demons. They will obey us but only if we are under authority to God. Enough of being in authority.
Maranatha!
