“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” ( Luke 10:19)

The occupations we hold in life impact on us to behave in a certain way. Someone trained as an accountant would always be interested in how things add up with an eye on profit or surplus. Teachers enjoy sharing knowledge. For soldiers their way of training is to listen to orders and carry out instructions from above unquestioningly.

When one soldier heading a battalion happened to have a critical member of his squad fall sick, he also heard of Jesus. Without wasting he rushed to him, and typically addresed him as any trained soldier would. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” ( Mathew 8:6-8).

Now, Jesus was used to meeting all manner of people, but this one knocked him off. “When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith” ( vv 10). Looking at the centurion he said, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment” ( vv 13).

As Believers, Jesus has passed on this authority to us. The centurion had to run to him; we, who follow Christ, have been given the greatest authority on earth. It is the authority to overcome any powers of the enemy that dare upon us: financial stress, health challenges, relational nightmares, you name it! May we never hesitate to use that authority Jesus left in our hands!

Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as you have given us authority to trample the powers of darkness today I pray to use that authority to arrest and overcome any force that stands in my way against your kingdom, this I pray in Jesus’s name!