Revelation 1:5-6 even from Jesus Christ the faithful Witness, the First-born from the dead and the Ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give to you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the authority of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you.
There is a sacred truth buried deep in Scripture that many believers never fully embrace: you have been given authority through the Messiah, not someday, but now. It is not reserved for the spiritually elite. It is not earned through effort. It is your inheritance as a child of God. And this authority was purchased at the Cross and activated the moment you were born again.
This divine authority is not about raw strength but about your position. Think of a traffic officer: he may not have the power to stop a car by himself, but he carries the authority of the government behind him. Likewise, as a believer, you stand not in your own power but under the royal authority of heaven—backed by the throne of the Almighty.
But there’s more: you are not only a believer—you are a king and a priest of the Most High (Revelation 1:6). That’s not poetic metaphor. That’s spiritual reality. You’ve been crowned with purpose and clothed with heavenly responsibility. A king rules with authority. A priest ministers with access. You carry both. When you recognize this identity, it changes how you walk, how you pray, how you confront darkness, and how you serve others. You begin to walk as you’re called to walk—royally, humbly, and powerfully.
Satan wants you to remain weak, defeated, and unaware of who you really are. He knows that a believer who understands their identity is dangerous to the kingdom of darkness. That’s why he works tirelessly to keep this truth hidden. Just as he blinds unbelievers to the gospel, he blinds believers to their kingdom identity—hoping they’ll never rise up and walk in the authority they’ve been given. But Scripture doesn’t stutter. Ephesians declares that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). That’s not a position of defeat, but a position of victory and divine authority. It’s a throne room seat, not a place of pity. And from that place, you are called to reign—not with pride, but in alignment with the heart and will of your King.
It’s important to understand that this authority is not the same as spiritual gifts or emotional highs. It doesn’t depend on how we feel, but on who we are. Authority is your legal right as a citizen of the kingdom and a member of the royal family. It is exercised by faith, empowered by the Spirit, and backed by His Word.
So rise up today—not timidly, but boldly. Speak the Word of God with the authority of one who’s been entrusted with the King’s seal. Resist the enemy, knowing heaven stands behind you. Intercede for others as one who wears both a crown and a priestly robe. You are more than forgiven—you are enthroned with Christ. And when you recognize that, you’ll begin to walk as you were always meant to walk—with royal confidence, priestly compassion, and unshakable authority.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The city of Laodicea was founded nearly three centuries before the birth of Christ. Built on a trade route, Laodicea was quite prosperous. The wealth of the city was legendary, as Jews who lived there sent 9 kilograms (20 lbs) of gold to the Temple in Jerusalem on a yearly basis according to historical records.
Laodicea was an idyllic city except for its lack of a water supply. It depended on water from an external source, the city of Hierapolis was located six miles to the north, the site of mineral hot springs which were used for medicinal purposes. These steaming hot waters were piped to Laodicea, arriving there… lukewarm, hence the metaphor in Yeshua’s warning to the Laodicean church.
Here in Israel we have an interesting geographical phenomenon – there are two landlocked seas. One is alive and one is dead. The sea full of life is the Kinneret, better known as the Sea of Galilee. The dead sea is…….you guessed it, the Dead Sea. Now the Kinneret is constantly emptying as it flows through the Jordan River valley…. into the Dead Sea. But the Dead Sea does not empty its water at all. Instead, the Dead Sea is continually shrinking, because the intense heat at this lowest place on Earth actually evaporates more water than is flowing in. Do you see a parable here?
One day a passerby saw a homeless man on the roadside. He stopped for a moment to hand him some loose change and casually said “God bless you, my friend”.
“I thank God,” said the homeless man, “I am never unhappy.”
The church at Laodicea received a stern warning in chapter 3 of John’s Revelation. We would do well to reflect on it.
The word “Laodicea” is a compound in the Greek; “Laos” which principally means “people”, and “dike”, defined as “principle or decision”. One rendering might read, “rule of the people”, or, in modern terms, “Democracy”. In the western world, we have an affection and even a deep commitment to Democracy. Yet this form of government, “rule of the people” is fatally flawed… because we are fatally flawed by our sin nature…
One of my passions is studying history, especially the American Civil War. Here is an amusing story about General Stonewall Jackson’s famous Valley Campaign. During the war, Jackson’s army found itself on one side of a river when it needed to be on the other.
Yeshua (Jesus) said He is the “bread of life”. It was His body that was broken on our behalf as the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins. Notice that He never once called us to be the “bread of life”! He is the ONLY “Bread of Life” – the true bread who came down from Heaven which anyone may eat and not die. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is His flesh, given for the life of the world.