Apostle Allison Smith Conliff emphasizes the necessity of living a life of uncompromising holiness and spiritual vigilance. The Apostle urges believers to treat biblical scripture as the final authority, warning that deviating from its truth leads to spiritual stagnation or "getting stuck in the mud." Using the metaphor of a vehicle trapped in mire, the message highlights the importance of community prayer and mutual support in overcoming life's challenges. The message also addresses the reality of spiritual warfare, asserting that followers of Christ have been granted the divine authority to defeat demonic influence and resist sin. Summarily, the Apostle encourages the congregation to invest in their ministry and maintain their integrity, ensuring they do not return to past failures after receiving deliverance.

Key Points:

Spiritual authority is having God’s word and opinion as the final authority in one's life, regardless of personal opinions or the influence of others. This authority is described as "exousia," which is "power with authority" granted to believers through Jesus Christ. This power is a gift of enabling grace that allows believers to do what they previously could not do, specifically granting them dominion over all the powers of the enemy, including evil spirits, sin, and physical or spiritual "serpents and scorpions".

The role of this authority in overcoming challenges is multi-faceted:

• Direct Spiritual Warfare: Believers are expected to use their authority to cast out evil spirits and "tread upon" the influence of the enemy. The Apostle asserts that if a demon appears uninvited in a believer's home, they have the power to command it to leave immediately using the name of Jesus.
• The Power of the Tongue: Spiritual authority involves using the tongue to speak life into things God wants to birth and speak death to things Satan has initiated in one's life. This verbal authority acts as a shield and a tool for fulfilling one's divine purpose despite distractions.
• Overcoming Sin and Maintaining Holiness: Authority is used to resist sin and maintain a "clean hand and a pure heart". The Apostle emphasizes that those who are "born of God" have the power to overcome the world, and this victory is secured through faith. Maintaining this authority requires a surrendered life; if sin is allowed to take root, it weakens the believer's "former glory" and creates "loops" for Satan to enter through negative thoughts and whispers.
• Community and Intercessory Support: Overcoming significant challenges often requires the collective exercise of spiritual authority. Apostle Allison compares believers "stuck in some mess" to a vehicle stuck in deep mud; in such cases, "prayer warriors" are needed to "rock," "push," and "press" the individual out of their predicament through intercessory prayer.

• The Advantage of Grace: Unlike the Old Testament, where the Spirit might only rest upon someone temporarily, the Apostle notes that in the current dispensation of grace, the Holy Spirit indwells believers. This constant internal presence provides the direction and discernment necessary to navigate the "end times" and overcome daily obstacles.

While believers will face challenges, they must avoid "unnecessary challenges" by making choices aligned with God's word. When unavoidable trials arise, the role of spiritual authority is to keep Jesus at the center to ensure victory.

Rec. Date: 28th May, 2023