Under Whose Authority

Wednesday, December 17th, 2025

5 am

Good morning! Today I am in Mark 1:21-28. Here Jesus and His disciples are in Capernaum. While He is there, He teaches at the synagogue on the Sabbath. Luke 4:31-37 is parallel to this, and Luke tells us that the whole time Jesus is in Capernaum, He taught at the synagogue every Sabbath. All the men at the synagogue were amazed at His teachings for He taught with real authority. One day while He was teaching, a man possessed by a demon was there. He began shouting at Jesus asking Him why He had come there to interfere with them. Asking Him if He had come to destroy them for he knew that He was the Holy One of God. Jesus cut him off, telling him to be quiet, and come out of the man. When Jesus said that, the demon screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him. Luke tells us that the demon came out of the man without hurting him any further. All the people were amazed and wondered about the authority and power that Jesus possessed, for even evil spirits obeyed Him, and flee at His command. Then the news about Jesus spread throughout the region.

The enemy was in the place of worship, and it recognized Jesus. Evil spirits recognize Jesus. They recognize Jesus and what He came to earth for. We cannot believe that evil does not exist and that it cannot come into the church. We must recognize that it exist and who has the ultimate authority over it, Jesus does. We do not have to be afraid because when we believe in who Jesus says He is, and receive Him into our lives, we don't have to walk in fear for that authority lives within us. Jesus told His disciples that everything He did, they would also have the power to do (Matthew 10:8). That Word is for us today. Recognize that God is the Creator of all, and He who Created it all has the authority.

Whose authority is over you? We all have someone or something guiding our actions. We either are guided by God and His authority, or we are allowing the world to have more authority over us. We must recognize who we are giving the authority to. If it is the world, repent and ask God to help you turn from those evil ways, and guide you with His authority. He can cast out the evil in your life, and fill your life with His presence. But it is up to us to seek God. No one can do it for you.