We are intended to walk in both power and authority!
In order to fulfill our individual destinies, we must operate in both authority AND power for HIS Name to be glorified. We must not allow ourselves to be slaves to sin!
Spiritual authority over the earth was taken by satan and he operated in that authority for 4,000 years until Jesus took it back.
Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 4:
1 Afterward, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to experience the ordeal of testing by the accuser.
2 And after fasting for forty days, Jesus was extremely hungry.
3 Then the tempter came to Him and said, “How can You possibly be the Son of God and go hungry? Just command these stones to be turned into loaves of bread.” 4 He answered, “The Scriptures say: Bread alone will not satisfy, but true life is found in every word that constantly goes forth from God’s mouth.”
5 Then the accuser transported Jesus to the Holy city of Jerusalem and perched Him at the highest point of the temple
6 and said to Him, “If you’re really God’s Son, jump, and the angels will catch You. For it is written in the Scriptures: He will command His angels to protect You and they will lift you up so that You won’t even bruise Your Foot on a rock.”
7 Once again Jesus said to him, “The Scriptures say: You must never put the Lord Your God to a test.”
8 And the third time the accuser lifted Jesus up onto a very high mountain range and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and all the splendor that goes with it.
9 “All of these kingdoms I will give to you,” the accuser said, “if only you will kneel down before me and worship me.”
10 But Jesus said, “Go away, satan! For the Scriptures say: Kneel before the Lord Your God and worship only Him.”
11 At once the accuser left Him, and angels suddenly gathered around Jesus to minister to His needs.
The Holy Spirit will allow you to experience testing as He did Jesus. How can you know your level of faith without it being tested?
The adversary had authority over the kingdoms of the earth else Jesus would have challenged his statement. Jesus knew the adversary’s time was short and would not be tempted to remove his authority before the appointed time.
Notice that the adversary did not mention “power”, only authority. Satan knows that authority trumps power. Every time he tempts you is to get authority from you.
Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 6:
16 Don’t you realize that grace frees you to choose your own master? But choose carefully, for you surrender yourself to become a servant—bound to the one you choose to obey. If you choose to love sin, it will become your master, and it will own you and reward you with death. But if you choose to Love and obey God, He will lead you into perfect righteousness.
17 And thanks be to God, for in the past you were servants of sin, but now your obedience is heart deep, and your life is being molded by Truth through the teaching you are devoted to.
18 And now you celebrate your freedom from your former master—sin. You’ve left its bondage, and now God’s perfect righteousness holds power over you as His Loving servants.
Whoever you obey, you become their slave! You are either a slave to sin or a slave to GOD. Every time you sin, it takes authority over you. You have given satan more authority in your life and removed GOD’S authority from your life.