Scripture
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other “What is this? A new teaching- and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.”

Observation
Jesus and his disciples travel to Capernaum. On the Sabbath Jesus goes into the synagogue and teaches. People are amazed at his great authority.

A demonised man stands up in the synagogue and cries out to Jesus. Jesus orders the demon to be quiet and then to leave the man.

This amazes the people even more and they start to understand that there is something new.

Application
As christians we walk in the authority of Christ, As our relationship with Him grows we should also grow to be like Him.

This means that we should know what we believe and why and be able to articulate our faith- not as an abstract theory but as an intimate knowledge of the Father.

Secondly we have authority over evil spirits and other spiritual forces. That includes individual bondage and addiction as well as societal and cultural evils.

We need to remember, though, that our authority only comes out of our relationship with God.

Prayer
Take me deeper into you, Father. Let me experience the kind of experiential knowledge of you that flows out into my life and affects the people around me. Amen.