Subject to Authority and Having Authority

So, let's remember the verse which is a theme for this conference. The Lord says, I sought for a man who will stand in the gap, and there is a big gap today, a gap between what God wants the church to be like and what it is right now. A gap between what God wants his people to be like and what they are.

And God wants many men, I believe he's calling all of us, to stand there and draw people higher. But we are not to draw people merely by preaching or by words, it's by our life. You remember when Jesus said to the disciples, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses.

Acts 1 and verse 8. You will receive power. This is a promise, my dear brothers, for every one of us. I was born again 67 years ago.

I'm 86 now. I was 19 years old when I got the assurance that Christ came into my heart. Before that, I had asked the Lord to come into my heart a hundred times.

I never knew whether he came. Till one day I read in John 6, 37, Him that cometh to me I'll never cast out. And that was like dropping an anchor.

I've never doubted my salvation from that day. Him that cometh to me, Jesus said, I will never cast out. Believe that if anybody has a doubt.

And share that verse, John 6, 37, with all the people in your churches who have doubt about their salvation, if they have come to Christ in sincerity. But the next thing I needed in life was power. I needed to be born again, then I needed to receive power.

And I began to seek God for that. And I came to this verse, Acts 1, 8. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And then you will be my witnesses.

Do you know the difference between bearing witness and being a witness? Bearing a witness is with my words. It's easy. Being a witness is with my life.

Where my life, the light of Christ in my life is the witness. And then it's like that, that we are to be witnesses from all over the world. And so, as I said earlier, we don't go out into the world because there is a need.

All who have gone on that basis end up frustrated. I'm not saying they don't accomplish anything. I lived 80 years in India.

And I've seen missionaries from every country who have come there. Many of them, I've mingled closely to them. I respect them for the sacrifice they made to come.

But I'm extremely disappointed with more than 90% of them. I'll tell you my testimony. I'm not here to judge them.

But the poor testimony they were to my fellow Indians in terms of reflecting Christ. They were like kings, not like servants. And that's why I read out to you that passage earlier of how Jesus was from birth to death.

He was always at the lowest place. And many of the missionaries, most of them I've seen in India have not come there. But there have been a few excellent examples.

But more than 90% of them are not there. And the same with all of us. If you want to be a witness, not just bear witness with our words, but be a witness.

The Lord says, follow me. Look at this example. That's why I go to the example of Jesus in the previous session.

All the way from birth till death. And how the Father in heaven planned his life. If you're serious, I believe God will help you.

And I hope all of you are serious this weekend to really experience a fresh touch from heaven. To know how God wants to fulfill his purpose through you. No matter how much your failure in the past has been.

So, Jesus is our example. He said, follow me. And this is the verse that has always helped me.

Follow me. And I'll tell you this, my brothers. The emphasis in the world, in preaching in the world, is believe in Jesus.

Believe in the Lord Jesus. Believe in the Lord Jesus. Evangelistic meanings.

I believe the need for is, when God says, I look for a man. I'm looking for a man who will say, not believe in Jesus, but follow me as I follow Christ. That's what Paul said.

Can all of you take that as a challenge? Follow me as I follow Christ. And if you want a verse for that, it's 1 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 1. Follow me as I follow Christ. Or, imitate my life as I am imitating Christ's life.

This is what Paul said. That has been a challenge for me in my own life. Follow me as I follow Christ.

Not just hear what I say. This is the big problem in Christendom today. So many wonderful things being preached, but very few people who can say, look at my life.

Come to my home and see how I live with my wife. See how I bring up my children. Come to the office I work in and see how upright I am.

I don't cheat. I don't tell lies. I submit to the authority above me, and I'm very kind to those who work under me.

Follow my example. Can all of you say that? Then you are a witness. Otherwise, you're only bearing witness.

Christ died for our sins. The world is full of people saying that. Now the Lord needs people in all of you who will go home and say, follow me as I follow Christ.

And it doesn't matter if you're not perfect. A child in the first grade can say to someone in the kindergarten, follow me. Can tell the one in the kindergarten, I can teach you something.

I'm only in the first grade, he says. But I can teach you something because you're in the kindergarten. There is always somebody who knows the Lord less than us.

Be an example to that person. Every one of you, there's someone in your locality who knows less about Jesus than you. Don't preach to him.

Be an example. And then he will long to hear what you have to say. And think of the things you heard already in the last session.

Make Jesus your example in everything. Lord, what does it mean to follow Jesus? He said, follow me as I follow Christ. Okay, Paul was following Christ.

And I'm going to follow him in the way he followed Christ. So when I think of following Christ, many people are trying to following him and raising the dead, and healing the sick, and laying hands on people and all this. Don't seek for those big things.

No. I've never raised the dead. I don't have any healing ministry.

I've tried to follow Jesus and told people, follow my example. So, as I say, let us start at the kindergarten. Humble yourself and say, Lord, I don't want to start in grade 5 or 6. I'm going to start in the kindergarten.

It's because many have not started in the kindergarten. They go to school and jump to grade 6 or grade 10. I believe many Christians are doing that.

You're not fit for grade 6 or grade 10. You haven't gone through kindergarten. I want to explain today to you what kindergarten is.

Following Jesus in the kindergarten. Before we go to the way he preached, or the way he did so many things after he was 30. I'm talking about his life before he was 30.

Shall we follow him there? We read the Gospels and many people read much about what Jesus did after he was 30. What did he do before he was 30? Let me show you. Luke chapter 2. This is the kindergarten where we must learn, all of us.

Luke's Gospel chapter 2. You know, he went to the temple along with Joseph and Mary. There he was lost in the sense that Joseph and Mary forgot about him. They came back and found him teaching the priests.

The priests who heard him, the teachers. It says in Luke chapter 2, they found him sitting in the temple. Not only listening to the teachers, Luke 2.46, but asking them questions.

Can you see a 12-year-old asking a 65-year-old bearded rabbi? Hey, what about this question? And the rabbi is puzzled. He doesn't know the answer. How in the world did Jesus become like that at the age of 12? And all who heard him, verse 47, were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

These 60, 70-year-old rabbis and priests were amazed that this 12-year-old knows so much. And let me tell you this. Don't say that he came from heaven with all that knowledge of the Bible in his head.

He did not have that. He came exactly like us. Otherwise he cannot say, follow me.

I've always used the example of the angel coming with wings and teaching me how to swim. Flies across the swimming pool and says, follow me. And I say, hang on.

You want to teach me to swim? Get rid of your wings first. And let gravity pull you down. Then teach me to swim, dear angel.

Otherwise I can admire you. I can admire you. You can go up and down for miles and hours like that.

I will never be able to follow you. And I want to tell you, my dear brothers, that I believe most Christians are admiring Jesus. They don't believe they can follow him because they believe he was not like them.

I want to tell you the good news. He was like us. In every respect he was like us.

He was not born with the knowledge of the Bible crammed in his head. In his mind he had as much knowledge of the world and of the Bible as any baby born today. Zero.

Everything had to be acquired into his mind. He was the son of God. He was God Almighty.

But he came as a baby. Don't forget that. It says he emptied himself.

Philippians 2. He emptied himself. He had all that knowledge up there. But when he came as a baby he emptied himself.

Do you believe he emptied himself? Very important to believe that. I don't want to waste time going to all these verses. Look it up sometime.

Philippians 2. He emptied himself. He emptied himself of all the powers he had as God. And taught us how to live.

I've used the example of a billionaire. Say from the United States who goes to some poor slum in India. And wants to teach people there how to live within the limited income they earn.

And to keep their little hut in the slum clean. And he goes there with compassion for these poor people who are living dirty lives. And says I want to teach you how to keep your slum clean.

I'm going to do one thing. I've got a credit card. I'm a billionaire.

But I'll never use it. I'm going to work just like you. And earn a thousand rupees a month.

Which is ten dollars. Every month. And of course value is more in India.

But still it's very little. And I live in here. Make a little hut just like all of you.

Work. Earn thousand rupees. And live here.

Win that money. And show you how I can live clean. Okay now use that as an example of Christ.

Now if occasionally that billionaire cheated. And went to a bank and used his credit card and drew some money. Then he's deceiving people.

Do you think Jesus did that? He came with a credit card of heaven. But he said I will not use it. Was he God on earth? 100% God.

That's why when people worshipped him he accepted it. He wasn't like the angels who told John don't worship me. Jesus accepted worship.

Seven times in the gospels you read people worshipped him and he accepted it. He was almighty God on earth. But like that billionaire who did not use his credit card in order to teach poor people in the slum.

How to live within that limited income. Jesus came. Never used his heavenly credit card for anything.

He came like any other baby. And he had to learn like any other baby. He had to learn to walk.

He had to learn to read. He had to fill his mind with scripture if he wanted to know it. And remember there was no printed bible those days.

The only bible in Nazareth was in the synagogue in scrolls. And I can imagine. I'll tell you how I imagine.

I use my imagination when I read the bible. That's what meditate means. Meditate on scripture.

How did he know the bible at the age of 12 to confound these rabbis? Here's my understanding. From the age of five he'd go to the synagogue when he had done his duties at home for his mother. And go to the rabbi and said rabbi could you read something from the scripture for me.

And the rabbi was amazed that a five-year-old is coming to ask for scripture. He said sure. And he'd open something, some Old Testament book.

The only Old Testament was there, 39 books. And read something. And after 10, 15 verses Jesus would say stop.

Please read that once more. Thank you. Let me go home and meditate on that and I'll come back tomorrow.

You can't meditate on one chapter. It's 15 verses. And he goes home and memorizes that and remembers that and thinks about what that message means.

And thinks about it and comes back the next day. Rabbi thought he'd never see him again. He's come back the next day.

Okay rabbi go to the next verse. And he reads another 15 verses. And like that day after day after day after day as a little boy up to the age of 12.

Seven years every day going to the rabbi in his spare time. The rabbi was delighted that a young boy would come. No other boy from Nazareth ever came there.

And he accumulates and meditates, accumulates, meditates. By the time he was 12 years old he knew more than the rabbis. It was something that any of us can do.

Now when I understood that when I was 19 years old I was converted. And I was in the Navy. I was not married.

And being an officer I had a lot of conveniences. I had bearers who would work for me and help and everything. And I had a lot of spare time.

And I said Lord I'm going to spend my time studying the Bible in all my spare time. And in seven years I studied the Bible every day. I'd get up in the morning, kneel down 15 minutes in prayer on my knees.

And get up and sit at my table with a Bible and a notebook. Every day for seven years I got to know the scriptures. And that has been the foundation of my ministry, knowing the scriptures.

Anybody can do it. I was working in a secular job with demands in my profession. But I found spare time and I believe every one of you can do it.

If you discipline yourself to spare a little time. Even if you're married. If you want to talk to the Lord the best time is before your wife gets up.

When you're alone in your bed. Before you get out of bed. That's the best time.

I asked the Lord once, Lord you could go to the wilderness. But the town where I'm living there's no wilderness. The whole city is everywhere around me.

And the Lord said you can make your bed your wilderness when you wake up in the morning. First thing, before anyone in the house is awake. You're awake maybe at five o'clock in the morning.

Say Lord speak to me. And let me talk to you. Those are the best times of my life.

I want to encourage every one of you to begin. Whatever time you wake up whether it's five or six or whatever it is. Lord speak to me and help me to speak to you.

Let me have a little time of communication with you before I start the day. My life has been different. Just because of the one little thing.

And don't worry you won't suffer by losing a little bit of your sleep. You'll be blessed. That strength that God gives you more than replaces that little bit of sleep that you lose.

Take it seriously. That's how Jesus understood the scriptures. That's the first thing we learned.

Here's the kindergarten lesson. You got to know the Bible and you can learn it if you want the way Jesus did it. Forget about what he did after he was 30.

I'm talking about what he did when he was five and six. You thought there was nothing in the Bible. If you meditate you find it.

If you read it you don't find it. But if you meditate on every verse the Bible says blessed is the man who meditates on the law of the Lord. He will prosper in everything he does.

Psalm 1. I wanted to prosper in everything I do. And if the solution was to meditate on God's word and avoid the way of sinners I said Lord I'll do it. Okay.

Next thing I want to show you. Kindergarten lesson again. That means the life of Jesus when he was young.

And that is verse 51. Luke 2 51. When he came to Nazareth he continued in subjection to Joseph and Mary.

Just that much. And the result was. Verse 52.

He kept increasing in wisdom and physical stature and in favor with God and men. Okay. Verse 52.

I said Lord I want to keep increasing in wisdom. You can say that too. Lord I want to keep increasing in wisdom.

I want to increase in favor with you. Every day. How to do it? Be in subjection verse 51.

To any authority God has placed over you. In Jesus case it was Joseph and Mary. Not perfect authorities.

Do you think Joseph and Mary fought with each other? I'm not a Roman Catholic. It's not St. Joseph and St. Mary. They were ordinary human beings under the old covenant without the Holy Spirit.

They definitely argued and fought and Jesus saw that. And wonder of wonders he did not despise them. Do you have an authority over you? Who you despise because you see some weakness in that authority? You want a perfect authority? You will never get a perfect authority on this earth.

Because no one is perfect. The kindergarten lesson is submit to whatever authority God has placed over you. And for how long? Until the Lord determines that you are ready to go out as a witness for him.

From the age of 12. I believe even from the age of 5. To the age of 30. From the time he came to an age of understanding as a child.

To the age of 30. I think Joseph died perhaps when Jesus was around 18. After that it was only his mother.

Subject to authority. He went and was subject to them. And the result he kept on increasing in wisdom and in favor with God.

I said Lord I want to keep on increasing in wisdom and in favor with you. The Lord says be subject to authority. To any authority I place over you.

When you are young it is your parents. That is why I always teach in our church. Children obey your parents.

That it might go well with you. That you might live long on the earth. Do you know that verse? Ephesians.

This is kindergarten lesson in following Jesus. Ephesians 6. Children obey your parents. Verse 1. Honor your father and mother.

Which is the very first commandment. Among the 10 commandments. There was one commandment that had a promise.

Do you know that? The others were just commandments. Commandments. But one of those commandments had a promise attached to it.

Honor your father and mother. So that it may go well with you. Ephesians 6. That you may live long on the earth.

Live long means as long as God has planned for you. In Jesus case 33 and a half years. In some other cases maybe 100 years.

Length of time is not the point. The point is as long as God has planned for you. You will live that entire length of your God appointed life.

If you honor your father and mother. If you honor the authority God has placed over you. It's not only for children.

It's for all of us. That's the kindergarten lesson. Be subject to authority.

And that is the thing which is not found in the world. One of the marks of the world living in sin and rebellion against God is. They have no respect for authority.

Look at all that you read in the world about crime committed everywhere. No respect for authority. No respect for the police.

No respect for the laws the government makes. There's rebellion and strife. People going in protest against lawful authority.

They say how dare you make such a law in this country. When I'm here. The guy himself is disobeying the law.

And he's asking why somebody else is making a law. This is the situation not only in this country. In every country in the world it's like that.

Because that is man's nature to rebel against authority. And that is the reason why Christians have so little authority in their life. And I tell you this.

That's the reason why many Christians don't have authority over sin. And that's why so many are scared of the devil. They do not have the authority that the Lord wants them to have.

Jesus said all authority is given to me in heaven and earth. Therefore go. If you want the Lord to back you with that authority.

And I'm telling you from 60 years of full time Christian work. I've longed for the authority of Jesus Christ to back me. Nothing else.

I didn't want to be accepted because I went through a Bible school. When I left the Navy I decided I would never go to a Bible school. Even though many people said, Brother Zach, you go to a Bible school then people will accept your ministry.

You'll get a degree after your name. I said rubbish. I have no degree after my name.

And I don't want one. I don't want people to accept me because I've got Bachelor of Divinity or some rubbish like that. I want the authority of Jesus.

All authority is given to me. Jesus said therefore go. That's the first thing.

And then you know what happens after some years of ministry. It will give you some other doctorate. I got a letter once.

Some years ago from a university here in America. Saying dear Brother Poonen. We have read your books and heard of your ministry.

And we've been tremendously blessed by it. This is a recognized university here. We want to give you a doctorate.

Of divinity. An honorary doctorate of divinity. Which we will award you in this university.

I said thank you very much but I don't want it. I kept the letter to show people that I wasn't telling a lie. But I said I don't want it.

Thank you. I refused it. I never in my life want to be known as Dr. Zach Poonen.

A medical doctor okay. He's identifying who he is. But not doctor of theology.

What rubbish. Doctor of divinity. Jesus said don't be called Rabbi.

Don't be called Father. How many people obey that? Have you read that verse? Matthew 23. I'm teaching you the kindergarten lesson now.

Don't be like the Pharisees. Matthew 23 6. They love the place of honor. At banquets.

The chief seats in the synagogues. You like to have the chief seat in your church. Respectful greetings in the marketplace and being called Rabbi.

Today it's not Rabbi. Today it is doctor. I mean divine theology doctor.

Father. That's how the Roman Catholic priests are called. Reverend or pastor.

You know there's no such title as pastor in the New Testament. Pastor the word is shepherd. It's a gift.

Don't be called Rabbi or by any title. Don't be called father. Verse 9. How many priests are obeying that? Don't be called father.

Clear command of Jesus. Don't let anyone on earth call you father. And yet there are multitudes going around calling them father so and so.

Father so and so. Direct disobedience to the Lord. And where are the preachers who will tell them that? They're scared to tell them.

One is your father even heaven. Don't even be called a leader. Don't go around saying I'm an apostle.

Or I'm a prophet. There are people going around saying that here in the United States. The greatest among you.

Verse 11. Shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled.

And whoever humbles himself will be exalted. This is the reason. Because of outright disobedience to the clear command of Jesus.

That many Christian leaders don't have authority. They have an authority with a title in front of their name. But you listen to them preaching in the pulpit.

You see there's no authority there at all. They are boring. Political leaders are more interested.

Are more interesting to listen to than many preachers. That's the state of Christendom. Subjection to authority.

Let me turn you to Isaiah 14. To show you how sin originated in the universe. How sin originated in the universe.

There was an angel. Was the head of all the angels. We don't know his name.

He's called in verse 12. Isaiah 14.12. Star of the morning. How you have fallen from heaven.

Star of the morning. Is just a Hebrew word. And in Latin it's called Lucifer.

That's how the name Lucifer came associated with the devil. That's not his name. Nobody knows his name.

We know the name of the other archangel Michael. But this archangel we don't know his name. God has not revealed it.

There's no need to know. He is Satan. You only know him by that name.

What he is today. Not what he was in the past. How you have fallen.

You've been cut down. Why were you cut down? Because you would not be subject to the authority of God. You said I will ascend to heaven.

I'll raise my throne above the stars of God. I will ascend above the heights. Verse 14.

I will make myself like the most high. The first sin in the universe. You know what it was? Refusing to subject to authority.

Legitimate authority. He wouldn't even be subject to God Almighty. When Jesus came to undo the work of the devil.

He had to go against that. That's why he subjected himself. To imperfect authority.

For all those 30 years. That was his training. It's only after that that God.

Gave him the power of the Holy Spirit. And what was after Jesus. Was subject to the authority of.

Joseph for 18 years and for Mary for 30 years. At the end of it. What is the father's testimony about Jesus? This is my beloved sin.

In whom I am well pleased. I've seen how he lived. I saw how he did not.

Judge Joseph and Mary for fighting with each other. I saw how he did not. Criticize his mother for any fault he saw in her.

Or criticize his father for any fault he saw in him. Can you testify to that? I've never criticized any authority over me. I never criticized my mother or father.

I've never criticized my boss at work. I've never criticized my authority. Any authority over me.

Well no wonder you don't have authority. Jesus did not do that. He was subject to authority for 30 years.

And the father said. This is my beloved son. In whom I am well pleased.

And he poured out his spirit upon him. As soon as he came out of the waters of baptism. My dear brothers and sisters.

Dear brothers. This is what it means to follow Jesus. Let's take it seriously.

Not just sing I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow anywhere. Be subject to authority. And that's why Jesus had such authority.

And this is how Satan. He became. How did this archangel.

The highest of archangels become the devil. One reason. It was not lusting with the eyes or murder.

Only one thing. The first sin in the universe. He refused to be subject to authority.

And that's what we see in little children. Refusing to submit to. Parents.

Authority. That's why I say the first. Word that children must learn is the word no.

Even when they are one year old. I remember one child once in a home I saw. Going up.

Trying to climb a staircase which is one year old. And the father from the back said no. And the child understood that.

One year old it understood. The word no. Turned around and did not go.

Next day. I saw that child going again to that staircase. And looking back.

To see father was around. That day I understood. Children understand the word no.

Even at the age of one. Before any other word. The one lesson children.

The word children need to learn is. Understand is the word no. You can't do that.

How many parents are teaching their children that? And that is the one lesson that all of us need to know. To be subject to whatever authority God places over us. Every authority will be imperfect.

Jesus was perfect. And the two authorities over him were totally imperfect. And he submitted to them.

That's the test. To be subject to a perfect authority is easy. But to be subject to an imperfect authority.

Where do you find. The men. Who are willing to go through that education.

And when you subject to authority. Then you'll have authority. You know it's very interesting the way that.

New Testament is written. I'll show you some interesting things. I already showed you in Matthew chapter one.

How in a genealogy of made by Jews. Who never put women's names. Four names of women are there.

Outright sinners. Well-known sinners. Why because Jesus came.

I want to identify with sinners. He himself was not a sinner. But he identified with sinners so thoroughly.

Because he came to save them. He was not ashamed. To put right in the first page of.

His genealogy. These are some of my ancestors. This prostitute and that one.

Committed adultery with the father. And all that type of stuff. He was not ashamed.

Because his own life was pure. Matthew 121. The first promise in the New Testament.

He will save his people from their sins. That is the first promise in the New Testament. It is never found in the Old Testament.

Not he will forgive their sins. That's what most Christians know. You know the difference between saved from sin.

And being forgiven of your sin. Yes. There is a world of difference.

There is a lot of difference between forgiven of your anger. And you have been saved from your anger. If you keep getting angry you have not been saved.

You have been forgiven. Yes. You will probably be forgiven tomorrow.

And for the next 25 years. But you have not been saved from your anger. The first promise is not he will forgive their sins.

That is Old Testament. Psalm 103. Bless the Lord O my soul who forgives all your sins.

You don't have to come to the New Testament for that. When you come to the New Testament. The very first promise in the New Testament is.

He will save his people from their sins. So my question is. Has the first promise in the New Testament.

Been fulfilled in your life. Forget all the other promises. The first one.

When you read it. All of you have read Matthew chapter 1. I am sure. Did you see it? You won't see it unless you are serious.

You won't see it if you rush through scripture. You will see it if you meditate on it. What does it mean saved from? Delivered from.

Not saved from hell. That is what the gospel today being preached is. Being saved from hell.

The real gospel is to be saved from sin. I don't preach a gospel you can be saved from hell. I preach a gospel you can be saved from your sins.

Because that is the first promise in the New Testament. Okay. And many people don't preach it.

What is the second promise in the New Testament? Matthew 3.11. Jesus last part of verse 11. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit. Another big controversial doctrine.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Look at the amount of controversy there is on that doctrine. Among Pentecostals and non-Pentecostals.

And Charismatics and Anti-Charismatics. And the fake baptisms in the Holy Spirit. I have seen in my life more fake baptisms in the Holy Spirit than real ones.

More than 90% of the people who I have met who claim that. They claim to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. I know they are not.

Fake. Because they babble something and say I have spoken in tongues. Nonsense.

I remember when I was a young Christian. I used to go to the Brethren Assembly. That is the only church I knew.

I was brought up in an Orthodox church. Which is somewhat like the Roman Catholic. And then I was born again.

And the only church nearby was the Brethren Assembly. I didn't know anything about different assemblies or churches. And I went there.

And I was very happy for that. But they never talked about being filled with the Holy Spirit. And I read in the Bible about baptism in the Holy Spirit.

And I said what about they are not talking about it. And somebody told me you have got to go to the Pentecostals. The other ones who talk about it.

So I didn't know who Pentecostals were. I was 19 years old. Sorry at that time I was 21.

Just taken baptism. And so there was another person who had some relative in a Pentecostal church. He said Brother Zach I will take you there.

So I went there. And they took me to a pastor. He said what do you want? I want this baptism in the Holy Spirit.

I believe you people speak about that. He said yes. He said keep on saying hallelujah.

Keep on saying it repeatedly. Hallelujah, hallelujah. After some time your tongue will trip.

And you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. I said no thank you. I don't want this type of nonsense.

That is not what the apostles received on the day of Pentecost. They did not repeat some words and then babble something. A power came from heaven upon them which turned them around.

I said thank you very much. Goodbye. I never went to a Pentecostal church again.

I said I don't want this counterfeit. I want the real thing. I sought God on my own.

And Jesus baptized me in the Holy Spirit in my house. It turned my life around. More than 50 years ago.

And my life has never been the same after that. Experience the first two promises of the New Testament before anything else. He will save you from your sin.

He will baptize means immerse you in the Holy Spirit and fire. Holy Spirit and fire. There is a baptism in water.

And there is a baptism in fire. Baptism in water is easy. You got somebody to immerse you in.

Okay you are done. Baptism in fire that is what we need. Then you have spiritual authority.

Okay let me go back now to Genesis. When God made man and woman. He took a bone out of Adam's body and made a woman.

And brought the woman to Adam. And I believe he told her this is your head. You were taken out of him.

He is your head. He existed before you. I created and breathed into him.

Now you are to be subject to him. He is your head. What was the first lesson God taught Eve? Subjection to authority.

Same thing. That Jesus was taught. You see it all over.

If you read meditate in the Bible you see it. That woman had to be subject to authority. Okay.

And then the Lord said there is. I made a beautiful garden for you. You can have.

You know I don't know how many thousands of trees. Beautiful tasty fruit everything. You can have it all.

But one tree is forbidden. The tree of knowledge of good and evil. I don't know what.

How that was. It's just symbolism is. What it is symbolism is.

But you are not to eat of it. And. We read about as soon as.

He went into the garden. The serpent came. Now the question comes.

Why does God allow the devil to come? Why does God allow the devil to exist today? Why does God allow the devil to tempt you? Why does God allow the devil such freedom to do so much evil? All the wars and wickedness and evil. All the poor women who are molested and little children who are exploited. Evil evil.

Why does God allow it? I don't know the full answer. But I know one thing. God is almighty.

And one day when Christ comes back. I will say Lord. You did everything perfectly.

Even the existence of the devil allowing the devil to tempt man. One day I'll tell you this. Even if you don't believe it.

I believe with all my heart. That I will say the best thing God you did was to allow the devil. To have free course on the earth for so many years.

I can't explain it all today. But I will explain it that day to you. I know it clearly.

He allowed the devil to come into that perfect garden. Where there was no sin. God knew what would happen.

He allowed the devil to come. Because man had to be tested. Without being tested.

Man is worthless. What is the first thing you read about Jesus? In the Gospel of Matthew. After he was baptized in water.

Tested. The devil. 40 days.

Tempted by Satan. What do we read here? As soon as man is created. Tempted by Satan.

The Old Testament and New Testament. The same thing. It must be in God's perfect plan.

And that's why as soon as you are born again. What's the next thing you experience? Temptation. From Satan.

Maybe from other people. Satan comes through other people. But you are tempted.

That is God's plan. Adam and Eve fell. Matthew 4. Jesus did not fall.

Adam and Eve were in the prime of health. And they fell. Jesus was fasted for 40 days.

And week. And he did not fall. I want you to see something here.

Let me ask you a question. Most people get this wrong. I warn you.

What is the first sin. Committed by a human being. If you've heard me before you know the answer.

You say eating. From the forbidden tree. Wrong.

That was the third sin. Now I'll show you. Genesis chapter 3. The serpent came to the woman.

Why didn't he go to the man? Where was the man? It says here in verse 6. The last part. The last part of verse 6. Her husband was with her. He was standing just next to her.

They were together. Adam wasn't wandering over some other part of the garden. Their husband was with her.

Right there. And the serpent comes. That's the devil through the serpent.

And he sees Adam and Eve. And he says I think I'll tackle Eve. Yes.

He was the wisest of all created beings. And he knows whom to tackle. He knows the woman is the weaker vessel.

Even today. Says you shall not. Tells the woman.

As God said you shouldn't eat any. Tree from the garden. Gets her into a conversation.

This is how usually the devil leads people into sin. Get her into a discussion. Instead of as soon as the first time Satan comes.

Get behind me Satan. I'm not going to discuss anything with you. She continued the discussion.

Yeah we can eat everything except this tree. And the serpent says you will not die. Because God knows verse 5. That your eyes will be opening.

You'll be like God. Oh what a temptation. You will be like God.

If you eat this tree. You will have knowledge of good and evil. Is that what you need to be like God? Verse 5. And the woman saw it was good for food.

And it was delight to the eyes. And she ate. Okay.

What should she have done? As soon as the devil spoke to her in the first verse. She said hang on serpent. God's given me a head.

Standing next to me. He is my authority. Subjection to authority.

Remember that's our theme. Let me ask him. She did not subject herself to the authority.

God had given her. That is the first sin. That man committed.

Exactly the same as the archangel. Who we call Lucifer. What is the first sin in the universe? Not subject to authority.

What is the first sin human beings committed? Not subject to authority. Exactly the same. Okay.

What's the second sin? Second sin was committed by Adam. When he saw the devil talking to Eve. He should have told the serpent shut up.

And told the devil. Told Eve. Don't do that.

He did not exercise his authority as the head of the family. That was the second sin. Eve committed the first sin.

By not being subject to Adam. As an authority. And Adam committed the second sin.

By not exercising the authority. God had given him as the head. If you are the head of your child.

And your child is going to do something wrong. What are you supposed to do? Just watch your child do it? No. You exercise your authority as a father.

That's what Adam should have done. So that was the second sin. The first sin was Eve not subjecting to authority.

The second sin was Adam not exercising authority. You see how this thing of authority comes up all the time? Subjection to authority. Subjection to authority.

Whether it is the archangel whom you call Lucifer. Or whether it is Eve. She was always authority.

Subjection to authority. That's why Jesus demonstrated. For 30 years in his home.

How to overcome. The devil. Yeah this all may be new to you.

But this is the reason why many people don't have authority. Now I want to show you something else. You know that I believe the Bible.

God has ordained the New Testament to be written as it is. And that's why in the Gospel of Matthew. You see those four women.

Who were sinners right at the beginning. To show that Jesus came to save the worst of sinners. And how the first promise is about being saved from sin.

And the second promise is about being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Now I want to show you something else. You know.

As soon as Matthew's Gospel begins. You have the Sermon on the Mount. Showing us God's standard.

For Christians. The Sermon on the Mount. That's not usually preached.

What is preached mostly is accept Christ as your savior. And you'll go to heaven. But as Matthew's Gospel begins.

With Matthew 5, 6 and 7. Three chapters on the Sermon on the Mount. At the end of which he says. If you hear these words of mine and do it.

You'll build on the rock. If you hear these words and don't do it. You're building on sand.

Whatever denomination you may belong to. You may say I have accepted Christ. But if you don't obey these words.

Jesus said in Matthew 7 and verse. 26 and 27. You're building on sand and the house will fall.

What is the next thing we read after that? Matthew chapter 8. A leper being healed. Leprosy is a picture of sin. But listen to this.

Matthew 8 verse 5. Comes right at the beginning of the Gospels. The centurion. A centurion is a non-Christian.

Matthew 8 verse 5. A non. He's not a. He's an unconverted Roman. He's probably killed people as a soldier.

The centurion means a man who rules over a house. With a hundred soldiers. He came.

But he was a compassionate man. Because he had a servant at home. A servant is probably a Jewish servant.

Poor man. Lying paralyzed. And this centurion was a compassionate man.

Who cared for his Jewish servant. Most centurions would have said. Get out of here.

I can't look a bother about you. You're paralyzed. Go and go back to your home.

But he was concerned about his paralyzed servant. He was a Roman soldier. Being concerned about his paralyzed servant at home.

Amazing. And he says. Lord my servant is lying paralyzed at home.

Matthew 8 verse 6. Fearfully tormented. And Jesus said. I will come and heal him.

I don't know how many miles away his home was. Let's say 10 miles or 20 miles. I'll walk with you 20 miles.

That means I'll walk about 7 hours with you. And come and heal your servant. And look at his answer.

I'm not worthy. God loves humble people. I'm not worthy.

That you should come under my roof. Amazing. How many Christians would say that? Lord I'm not worthy that you should come to my home.

And then his faith. Lord stand here and speak the word. And I know my servant will be healed.

And here's the reason. Authority. Again we come to the same subject.

Right at the beginning of the gospel of Matthew. He speaks about being under authority. I am a man under authority.

With soldiers who obey me. Why do they obey me? Because I myself obey my general. My general tells me come here.

And I come. My general tells me go there. I go.

What is the result? I have authority. That when I tell my soldier go. He goes verse 9. When I tell him come.

He comes. Because I am under authority. I have authority.

Do you understand this principle? Right at the beginning of the first gospel. It's written there. For us to learn.

He has eyes to see. Let him see. He has ears to hear.

Let him hear. I am a man under authority. And that's why I have authority.

That's written at the beginning of the gospel of Matthew. To teach us a spiritual lesson. The reason why you don't have authority in your life.

Over the devil. Over sin in your life. And exercise authority to bring up your home in a proper way.

Over your wife and your children. Is because. Believe it or not.

You yourself are not under authority. You don't accept the authority of God over your life. And the devil I tell you.

He has infected people all over. With his spirit. Who rebel against authority.

You see that every day you see. In the newspapers or in the news items. Somebody rebelling against authority.

In every country. Rebelling against authority. March pass.

Thousand million dollar march. Million people march. To rebel against some rule.

The government has made. Why should we listen to this government saying. You can't do this.

You can't do that. We'll gather 1 million people to. March through the streets and rebel against it.

This is the world we live in. And I tell you in that million people. There'll be many so-called born-again Christians.

Foolish stupid people. Who don't understand. That authority is appointed by God.

And this is the reason why many Christians don't have authority. You have to be under authority first. You cannot go even to the first grade.

Before you pass the kindergarten. And the kindergarten we saw in Jesus case. Meditate on scripture.

Be familiar with it. And be under authority. Not for one or two days.

For 30 years. And then at the end of that. What a mighty anointing came upon Jesus.

You see now why so many. Christians don't have that authority. Don't have that anointing.

I've heard so many preachers. Preach. Boring.

Boring. Boring. Out of courtesy I don't walk out of that meeting.

But there's nothing you get out of it. There's nothing that changes one's life. There's nothing that challenges you.

And you know why? The man doesn't have any authority. God's not backing him up. And I'll tell you why.

I don't know anything about his private life. But I can give it in writing. That man is not under authority.

That's the reason he has no authority. Because it's a principle. The same sin.

That Adam and Eve committed in the Garden of Eden. Not being subject to authority. They did not subject to God's authority.

Which said don't eat of that tree. Eve did not subject to Adam's authority. When he was placed as head over her.

And Adam did not exercise his authority. As head over his wife. It's happening all over the world today.

All over the world. The sin of the Garden of Eden. Women don't subject to their husbands.

And husbands are not able to exercise authority over their wives. Because they themselves are not subject to authority under God. Let me show you 1 Corinthians 11.

You're probably seeing some new things in the Bible. It was in your Bible all along. But you never saw it.

Meditate brother. Meditate, meditate, meditate. Don't just read please.

From today onwards meditate. I'll tell you. I've sometimes meditated on 1 verse for a whole week.

That's how I get something out of it. When I was first converted. I read the whole Bible in about 8 months.

I needed to do that. After that I started reading the Bible slowly. And meditating, meditating, meditating, meditating.

And nowadays sometimes. I get stuck in a verse for days. Because I say Lord I want to get all.

Squeeze all the juice out of it. Everything in that verse. It's those who meditate.

Who get the blessing. Maybe I should show you that verse first. So that you never forget it.

Psalm 1. It's a tremendous promise. I'll show you the promise. And then I'll show you the condition.

Psalm 1 verse 3. The last part. Psalm 1 verse 3. Whatever he does. Anything that he does in his life.

He will prosper. You want that? Anything you do in your life. You will prosper.

Are you called to preach? You'll prosper in your ministry. Are you called to work in a job? You'll prosper in your job. Are you called to bring up your children? You'll prosper in doing that.

Whatever you do in your life. You will prosper. Amazing.

I said Lord what is the requirement? What is the condition for it? Don't listen to the advice of the wicked. Verse 1. Don't mingle around with godless people all the time. Don't scoff.

At people who are proclaiming God's standard. But delight in the law of the Lord. Verse 2. And meditate on it day and night.

Not read it day and night. That's impossible. Read it maybe for 5 minutes.

But meditate on it throughout the day. Some people they get a verse in the morning. They write it on a piece of paper and keep it with them throughout the day.

And pick it up now and then from their pocket. Just to meditate so they don't forget. Good habit.

But you don't have to do it. You keep it in your mind. You can meditate on it throughout the day.

Meditate on it day and night. Before you go to bed. When you wake up in the morning.

Did you get something from scripture? If you do it. Whatever he does will prosper. I have tried my best to do it.

Perfectly. But I want to tell you in my life. In the 67 years I have been a Christian.

I have spiritually prospered amazingly. And financially God has met all my needs. Without my ever asking anybody.

Without ever taking a salary. Prosper means what? Meeting all my needs. You don't have to be a billionaire to be a prosper.

Prosper means if all your needs are met. Like the birds in the air. All need is met.

That's how God does. Anyway. Let's turn now to 1 Corinthians 11.

Again. Authority. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 3. I want you to understand.

That Christ is the head of every man. Authority. Man is the head of a woman.

Authority. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 3. God is the head of Christ. When Jesus came to earth.

He subjected himself to the father. Very important. And in the same way.

A woman must be subject to the man. And the man must be subject to Christ. Many husbands want to assert their authority over the woman.

I ask them, listen. Are you already subject to the authority of Christ? First of all. Remember what the centurion said.

I am a man under authority. The general tells me come and I come. The general tells me to go and I go.

And the result is when I tell my soldier to come, he comes. When I tell him to go, he goes. Supposing this guy rebels against the authority of the general and says, who are you? Well, don't be surprised if the soldier turns around to the centurion and says, who are you? And if your wife turns around and says, who are you? You know why it is.

You're not subject to the authority of Christ yourself. You want somebody to be under your authority. But you yourself don't want to be under authority.

I want you to understand this. See what it says. The Holy Spirit says in verse three.

I want you to understand this clearly. That the woman must be subject to you as a husband. But you must be subject to Christ.

Did you get that part? Christ is the head of the authority over a man. And then the man has authority over his wife. Christ says, do you go? You go.

Christ says, do you come? You come. You tell your wife to go, she goes. You tell her to come, she comes.

That is the basis. And most husbands don't see that. They see the authority.

They want authority over people. They don't believe. They're under somebody's authority.

And the example is, of course, Jesus himself. God is the head of Christ. Jesus obeyed the Father completely in everything.

Now I want you to see something more. As a sign of this, let a woman cover her head when she prays. Or when she shares the word.

That is why in all of our CFC churches, we teach every woman who prays or shares something briefly, please cover your head and then pray. You come to the meeting, you're joining with others in prayer, come, veil your head. You know, I think in the United States, up to the Second World War, up to the 1940s, I think in every church, as far as I know, even Protestant churches, all of them, Baptist churches, women veil their head.

They have a cap or something in the churches. But something happened after the Second World War. I personally believe a multitude of demons were released onto the earth.

I personally believe that Hitler himself was possessed by the devil himself, not just a demon. I can't imagine someone hating the Jewish nation so much because Jesus came through the Jewish nation, hating them so much as to kill six million of them. It must be someone who had the devil himself inside him.

And all the hatred of that nation that continues even until today. There's something demonic about it. And after that, I believe, since the Second World War, a flood of demons have been released on the earth.

And one result is women stopped veiling their heads after that. If you don't believe that, go back in history and see how it was in the churches before the Second World War and after. And all the confusion and chaos, the multitudes of women preachers who have now taken authority.

It's all after the Second World War. And such a flood of it. And man has become timid.

A woman who does not cover her head is disobeying God's word. And it says here, 1 Corinthians 11 10. A woman must have this symbol of authority on her head because of the angels.

Is that in your Bible? Is that in the Bible of so many women who read it or they don't read it? A woman must have this symbol of authority on her head, which is veiling the head to show that she's under the man. Which is exactly what Eve did not do in the Garden of Eden. I'm not under this man.

I can talk to the devil myself. I can handle this problem myself. Eve says, why do I need to discuss it with this man standing next to me? I'm equal.

We are equal. Adam and I are equal. I can discuss it.

That's what led to sin. Not willing to subject to authority. The same thing you see that today.

There's a rebellion. It's a small thing veiling the head. But that is symbolic of a spirit of rebellion.

That's what it says here. If a woman does not want to have her head covered, she should shave her head. So meditate on that passage.

Why are there 16 verses written on it on this small subject? It's an unimportant subject. And it's led to such a lot of contention in Christendom. And my answer to all that contention is Paul's answer.

Verse 16. If anyone wants to be contentious, as far as we are concerned in our churches, we have no other practice. You can be contentious if you want.

I will not contend with you. Do as you like. You answer to God one day.

I'm just showing you how a small little thing, there's something much beyond, hidden beyond it. Submission to authority. This is such an important thing because I believe this is the reason why many Christians don't have authority in their life.

God wants us to have authority. Over Satan especially. Many of you have heard the gospel.

What is the gospel that is being preached today? Christ died for our sins. I believe that with all my heart. Rose up from the dead.

Our sins can be forgiven. How much is this also preached? That on the cross, something else happened. Hebrews 2. Verse 14.

Since children took flesh and blood, so that through his death on the cross, he made the devil powerless. I never heard that gospel preached as a young man. I went to so many churches as a young person.

Unconverted, young person. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. I went for years to the brethren assembly.

Never once in all my life there, did I hear anyone say, brother, it's not only your sins that were taken by Christ on the cross. Satan was defeated on that cross. You can have authority over Satan.

I never heard it once. Many of you have been to many churches. Tell me if you've heard it.

What is the gospel you've heard? One part of it. Christ died for your sins. What about Satan was defeated on the cross? The most important part.

The second most important part. Both are important. I'll tell you why.

Because the devil doesn't want you to have authority over him. Very simple. When a person is defeated, does he want to go around proclaim I was defeated? Even children, if they take part in a game, does the losing team get to say, hey listen, we were defeated.

It's always the winning team who says, we won. Or the person who came first in the race, I won. The person who came last in the race doesn't say I came last in the race.

The devil doesn't want people to know that he was defeated. And there are so many Christians who are cooperating with the devil in not proclaiming his defeat everywhere. I never knew it till I read the Bible.

Why didn't all these preachers tell me, the people who said to study the Bible so much. Why didn't they tell me that not only was my sins taken on the cross, Satan was defeated on the cross. I wish I had known it long before I actually knew it.

But once I knew it, it changed my life. When I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, that's when I began to understand it clearly. And I'll tell you, since that day, you know in India we come across many demon-possessed people because they worship idols and all that.

They go to the temple and demons possess them and they tie bands around them with the devil, with the priest tell them to put. And so when you, you dare not go into the villages to preach the gospel if you don't know how to cast out demons. Because some people, they don't need counseling, they need deliverance.

And, I'll tell you my testimony. Numerous demons I've had to cast out, individually. I've not come across till today, this is my honest testimony, a single demon in any person that did not leave with one sentence, get out in the name of Jesus.

Every single time I've said that, the demon has left. The demons have spoken to me directly and I told them to get out in Jesus name. Authority, that's what you need brothers.

It's not for some special person like me, I'm not special. I'm a sinner saved by grace just like you. Why don't you have that authority? Why are so many believers scared of the devil? Because they haven't understood authority.

Be under the authority of Christ and you will have authority over Satan. I remember once, my wife and I were sitting talking to a lady who was brought into our house by someone who wanted counseling for salvation. So, always when I ask people to accept Christ, after I have accepted Christ, I tell them, not only say my sins are forgiven, speak to the devil who ruled you till today and say, you were defeated Satan on the cross.

There's a second thing you have to confess. My sins are forgiven, Satan was defeated. So I told this lady, okay now you accept Christ into your heart, now tell Satan, you were defeated on the cross.

And she turned around to me and said, I was not defeated on the cross. Wow. That was a demon himself inside that woman.

I never thought I was a demon there. He looks such an innocent woman. So when the devil speaks to me, I speak to him.

So I told the demon inside that woman, you're a liar Satan, get out of her right now in Jesus name. Left. I said now sister, tell the devil you were defeated on the cross and she said it.

Immediately, one second later, not even one second, you were defeated on the cross, she was delivered. I remember another instance where some people who don't believe in casting out demons, some believers who don't know casting out demons had a sister in their church who somehow got demon possessed living next door to some temple and eating some food from there or something like that. So they called me and said, and when I went there, I found a whole lot of other preachers yelling and screaming and I said, I wonder who's got the demon here.

I said ask these people to leave, all these yelling, Jesus never yelled and screamed when he cast out demons. Please ask them to leave. So he asked them all to leave and when I was with that brother, I told his sister sitting there, I said ask Jesus to come into your heart and she turns around and tells me, tell her, ask me to ask Jesus.

A demon. I said you demon, get out of her right now in Jesus name. Next second I told her, sister ask Jesus to come to her, she asked Jesus to come to her.

This is real. Right here in this town, a few years ago, before this church started I was in another conference preaching here in this town of Loveland and the people who organized the meeting at the end of the meeting that some lady they were counseling and they couldn't deal with her and so they asked me to speak to her and when I went and spoke to her and said ask Jesus to come to her, she said I cannot say the name Jesus. You didn't even use, I can't say that name, I cannot say that name.

Demon, she was dressed in a horrible way as a young lady. I said you demon, get out of her in Jesus name. I said now sister say it.

She said it. And again I said now say thank you Lord Jesus. I can't say it.

And the Lord told me that's just habit. She can't say it. Say thank you Jesus.

She said it. She was free. Completely delivered.

My dear brothers, I want you to know this. The good news is not only that your sins were taken on the cross, Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, Satan has absolutely zero power over your family. Don't give him any power over your life or your family or your children or anything in your home.

Exercise your rightful authority provided you are under a man under authority. Submit to the authority of God and Christ in your life and you will come to a level of the Christian life that you're not even experienced so far. And I'll tell you this.

What is the sin of the demon? Why did he not subject to authority? Because of pride. Pride was the first sin in the universe that led to a lack of submission to authority. Now you can hear this message and go away and try to cast out demons and be proud of it and the devil's got you.

He's got you. That's all he wants. He wants you to be proud of that you can exercise authority.

You can be proud of that too and he's got you completely. If you're subject to the authority of Christ, you will not be boasting about your authority over Satan. You will exercise it in humility without any fear of the devil but in humility subject to Christ.

I'll tell you, if you can cast out a demon and you're proud of it, you're no longer under what the devil wants. There are numerous people I know who cast out demons and are in hell today because they became proud. God resists the proud and he gives grace to the humble.

So it's a very subtle thing. The devil, if he can't catch you in one way, he'll catch you in another. Recognize that he was defeated on the cross.

The solution is don't try to major on casting out demons. Forget that. If God hasn't called you to that ministry, don't even attempt it.

Your calling is humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. I'll give you that last verse in closing. 1 Peter and chapter 5. 1 Peter 5. The last part of verse 5. God is opposed to the proud.

That's why he was opposed to Lucifer but he gives grace to the humble. That's why Jesus received grace and overcame. These are two people mentioned here.

The proud, the devil and the humble Jesus. God is opposed to the proud but he gives grace to the humble and we can follow either the devil or Jesus. And if you are proud, he will oppose you.

God himself will oppose you. Therefore, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you at the appropriate time. He wants to exalt you over sin in your life first of all.

He wants to exalt you over pride that you will never be proud about anything in your whole life. Humility. Pursue after humility.

Let's pray. There's a lot you heard today. Ask God to remind you at the appropriate time or whatever you heard and I beg you don't seek honor.

Don't ever seek honor. Saying okay, I'm going to cast out demons now. What for? Because you love that person who is demon possessed? Because you want to fight the devil or because you want some honor yourself? Be careful.

This is very subtle. It's very dangerous to get into the ministry without first of all following Jesus in humility. Extremely dangerous.

What is the main thing you heard today? I hope it is following Jesus' humility and not casting out demons. If casting out demons is what gripped your mind at the end of this message, you got it all wrong. That's not what I said first of all.

Jesus is subject to authority. Humble yourself. That's the message of today.

Not cast out demons. Heavenly Father, help us to be alert to the schemes of the devil and protect everyone here Lord. Help us to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

How you submitted yourself to authority all your life. Help us to walk that way so that we can be the type of man you want to be in your church in these days. We ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.