The Authority of the Believer Over Demons

One of the most underused gifts in the Christian life is the authority every believer has in the Name of Jesus. We are not victims of the spiritual realm — Jesus gave us authority over it.

What scripture says

Behold, I have given you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.

— Luke 10:19

These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons.

— Mark 16:17

Three things authority is

• Given, not earned. The authority is yours because you belong to Christ. You do not have to feel worthy of it to use it.
• Tied to Jesus's Name. The authority is not yours independently — it is the authority of Jesus, exercised by you in His Name. Apart from Him you can do nothing (John 15:5).
• Exercised through submission. Authority works the way Jesus modeled — under the Father's authority, in dependence on the Holy Spirit, never in self-will.

How to use authority well

Use it specifically. Use it out loud. Use it under the Father, not in self-aggrandizement. Submit to God first, then resist the devil (James 4:7). Do not engage in dialogue with spirits — Jesus did not, and we should not. Command, do not converse.

Why so many believers never use it

Most Christians are taught to ask God to deal with the enemy. Fewer are taught that Jesus already delegated authority to them to do it in His Name. Both are in scripture, and both are appropriate — but the second one goes largely unused, usually because it feels presumptuous. It is not presumption to use what has been handed to you. The seventy-two came back astonished that the demons submitted (Luke 10:17); Jesus was not surprised at all.

Walking it out

Begin small. Use your authority over your own thought life (taking captive every thought per 2 Corinthians 10:5), your home (Joshua 24:15), your day. The more you use it well, the more familiar it becomes.