Episode Overview

Title: Our Authority in Christ, Part Two
Speaker: Pastor Nancy Dufresne
Podcast: Dufresne Ministries Podcast – Jesus the Healer Broadcast
Date: November 27, 2021

Theme:
Pastor Nancy Dufresne provides a detailed, scripture-based teaching about the spiritual authority granted to believers through their union with Christ. She emphasizes that understanding, believing in, and actively exercising this authority is essential for victorious Christian living, resisting the enemy, and allowing God's will to be done on earth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Understanding Our Position and Authority in Christ

• Scriptural Foundation:
  • Psalm 8:4-6 – God made man “a little lower than Elohim (God)” and crowned him with glory and honor, granting dominion over His works.
  • Ephesians – Believers are seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father, the seat of authority.
• Union with Christ:
  • “We are one with Christ. His authority is our authority. What belongs to Him belongs to us.” (02:53)
  • The believer’s spiritual inheritance in Christ includes authority, not just health and prosperity.
• Memorable Analogy:
  • Just as the body shares the rights of the head, the church shares in Christ’s authority.

2. The Application and Exercise of Authority

• Authority Requires Action:
  • Believers must demand their rights (not from God, but from the devil). Authority is not automatic—it must be exercised daily.
  • “Every day, exercise your dominion. Every day, exercise your authority.” (06:48)
• Lifestyle of Resisting:
  • The Christian life involves continuously resisting the devil, not resisting God or godly authority.
  • “Every day, the life of the believer is a daily life of resisting as well as rejoicing, as well as believing.” (08:06)
• How Authority is Exercised:
  • Words are the primary means (like a police officer using words before force).
  • Mark 11:23 – “Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be removed… he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
  • Speaking in faith is backed by God’s power; authority requires confidence in God’s backing.

3. Responsibility and the Need for Personal Revelation

• Individual Responsibility:
  • “No one can exercise authority in your life but you.” (13:15)
  • Attending church is important for learning but cannot replace personal exercise of authority.
• Hosea 4:6 – Knowledge is Essential:
  • “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (13:55)
  • Ignorance of spiritual authority leads to unnecessary defeat.

4. The Origin and Restoration of Authority

• Adam’s Loss, Christ’s Restoration:
  • Adam forfeited mankind’s authority to Satan through sin; Satan became the “god of this world.”
  • Christ came to restore both fellowship with God and dominion/authority to believers.
• Heaven’s Role and Human Cooperation:
  • Hebrews 4:16 – “Come boldly to the throne of grace.” We’re authorized to approach the throne.
  • “God allows what we allow.” (18:25)
  • Believers are agents for God’s will on earth, just as it’s done in heaven.

5. Binding and Loosing: The Mechanics of Authority

• Matthew 18:18 – Initiation on Earth:
  • “Whatsoever you shall bind on earth… shall be bound in heaven.”
  • Heaven responds to believer’s actions; believers must permit or forbid.
  • “Whatever you don't forbid, heaven's got nothing to back up.” (23:39)
  • Authority must align with the will and word of God—not for personal covetousness.
• Examples:
  • Releasing what is rightfully needed/assigned (e.g., Jesus sending disciples to loose the colt).

6. A Defeated Devil and Victorious Believers

• Mindset in Spiritual Warfare:
  • Approach every encounter with the devil knowing he’s utterly defeated by Christ.
  • Colossians 2:15 – Jesus “spoiled principalities and powers… triumphing over them.”
  • “We are not out defeating Satan again. He is already defeated. We are enforcing his defeat.” (26:27)
• Always Enforcing Victory:
  • Symptoms, lack, torment—address them by enforcing victory, not striving for it.

7. Reigning in Life Through Christ’s Accomplishment

• Romans 5:17 – Reigning, Not Struggling:
  • Those who receive grace and righteousness “shall reign in life by one, Christ Jesus.”
• Final Word Belongs to Believers:
  • “We determine the outcome by using our authority, by using our dominion.” (26:32)
  • “We are authorized to live as though we have no enemies... But we have to exercise our authority…”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Your head and your body make one unit... we are one with Christ.” (02:20, Nancy Dufresne)
• “Our authority will not automatically go into effect unless we demand our rights. We’re not demanding it of God, we’re demanding it of the devil.” (06:04, Nancy Dufresne)
• “Every day, the life of the believer is a daily life of resisting as well as rejoicing, as well as believing.” (08:05, Nancy Dufresne)
• “How does a police officer exercise his authority? He first uses words… He doesn’t just stand there silently… Even so, the way our authority is put into motion is through our words.” (09:23, Nancy Dufresne)
• “If you really believed fully as we ought to, that God’s power was backing us up, what more would we be doing for Him…?” (11:47, Nancy Dufresne)
• “No one can exercise authority in your life but you. Your pastor is not responsible to exercise his authority in place of you exercising your authority.” (13:15, Nancy Dufresne)
• “God allows what we allow. Why? Because God has handed us a shared authority.” (18:25, Nancy Dufresne)
• “If you don’t want something in your life, forbid it. If you want to permit something in your life, permit it. Loose it in your life.” (23:10, Nancy Dufresne)
• “Every encounter with the devil always needs to be with the consciousness that he has already been completely and utterly defeated and destroyed and that you have total authority over him as a defeated foe.” (25:45, Nancy Dufresne)
• “We are not out defeating Satan again. He is already defeated. We are enforcing his defeat and we are enforcing our victory—not that we won, but what Christ won for us and what Jesus accomplished on our behalf.” (26:27, Nancy Dufresne)
• “We are authorized to live as though we have no enemies. Why? Because Jesus made us master over Satan. But we have to exercise our authority and use that authority and live as masterfully as He’s made us to be.” (27:19, Nancy Dufresne)

Key Timestamps for Reference

• [00:08] – Introduction, series context: “Our Authority in Christ”
• [01:38] – Psalm 8:4-6, mankind’s original dominion and its meaning
• [03:17] – Shared inheritance and authority in Christ
• [06:48] – Exercising authority daily, resisting the devil
• [09:23] – The importance of speaking to exercise authority
• [11:47] – God’s power backing believer’s words
• [13:15] – Personal responsibility in exercising authority
• [13:55] – Dangers of ignorance: Hosea 4:6
• [15:08] – Adam’s transgression and authority lost/restored by Christ
• [18:25] – “God allows what we allow”—responsibility of believers
• [23:10] – Binding and loosing, scriptural mechanics
• [25:45] – The devil’s defeat, believers enforce victory
• [26:32] – Reigning in life, kingly authority
• [27:19] – Concluding truths: living masterfully in Christ’s authority

Summary Table: Core Takeaways

| Subject | Core Insight | |--------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Identity in Christ | Believers share Christ’s authority and must exercise it | | Exercise of Authority | Must be deliberate, daily, and primarily through faith-filled words | | Role of Knowledge | Ignorance leads to defeat; personal revelation is vital | | Responsibility | Authority is personal—no one else can exercise it for you | | Cooperation with Heaven | Heaven responds to what believers permit or forbid | | Mentality in Warfare | The enemy is already defeated; stand in Christ’s victory | | Results | Reign in life, determine outcome by using biblical authority |

In summary, Pastor Nancy Dufresne delivers a scripture-rich, faith-filled message reminding believers that exercising their God-given authority is not optional but essential. She calls on listeners to reject passive Christianity, continually resist enemy encroachment, and live victoriously—knowing their authority is real, God-backed, and more than sufficient for every circumstance.