Authority Works Both Ways!

8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” Luke 7:8

Authority works both ways. Notice this man. He was coming to ask Jesus to do a miracle of healing in his household. Jesus was actually on His way to the man's house when the man sent servant's ahead to stop Him. He said, "Jesus You don't have to come to the house to do the miracle. Just speak the Word and the miracle will happen." (paraphrase mine)

Then the man spoke about authority. The first thing he said was, "I am under authority." That came first! Then he went on to speak of those under his own authority.

One of the most dangerous things that can happen is for a person to exercise authority over others without having submitted to the authorities in place in his life. I see leaders all the time that want authority over others and yet do not submit themselves to the authorities over their own lives. I've been around long enough to see a few of these types crash. It isn't pretty.