Authority

From the heart of Nicki Hausman- Prayer Team Member/Transformed Women's Leadership Team

Soldiers have authority. They are in command wherever they are stationed. In the Roman Empire, Centurions would rule over a group of one hundred soldiers. So a Centurion was charged with keeping his troops and community that he governed in order.

Most Romans worshipped multiple gods mush like their Greek counterparts. However, the officer in Luke 7 had fallen in love with Jehovah. He sent word with his Jewish leaders requesting Jesus to come and heal his beloved slave. What a paradox in all of this! This officer loved a Jewish God and even built a synagogue for Him, that the officer was not good enough to go into to worship. Then, he loves a slave that serves him so much that he begs for Jesus to come heal him.

What love and adoration compelled this Roman officer.

Luke 7:6-10 (NLT), "6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed."

One of the most poignant points of this story is that Jesus so quickly responded to earnest love and faith. He wasn’t cajoled into helping the officer or his slave- even though they were not Jewish. They did not seem chosen. Yet, Jesus responded to the lover and person of faith. So it is with us.

Jesus has all authority to move the kingdom of heaven to earth.

We need to meditate on the truth that faith moves the Lord to answer our prayers.

Then, we need to ask and believe.