Chapter 13: A New Teaching with Authority

Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to Jesus about her. And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them. (Mark 1:23-31, NASB)

On a certain Sabbath day, Jesus taught in a synagogue in Capernaum. A demon-possessed man cried out to Jesus, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are – the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24).

Jesus commanded the demon to be quiet and come out of the man. The demon caused the man to convulse and cried out before it left. When the people in the synagogue saw this, they were amazed and said, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him” (Mark 1:27).

A new teaching with authority! There is much knowledge, theories and methodologies in the world. However, they do not contain the authority that can offer salvation to mankind. People were amazed at Jesus’ teachings because there was authority in His words.

Unfortunately, Christians today lack much understanding of God’s word and His teaching. People listen to sermons and attend Bible studies, but they cannot properly receive the Lord’s power because of a lack of understanding of God’s word. If the words of the Lord and the wisdom revealed through the preachers were properly received, then Christians would possess tremendous power.

Noah started building the ark after he received the word of God. The ark took more than sixty years to build. Noah knew that on an appointed day, there would be a great judgment of God. He also trusted that the ark he constructed would provide a decisive advantage for him and his family. The Lord gave Noah inspiration and instructions about the ark. God gave specific dimensions of the ark and instructions about what materials to use. Noah faithfully continued to work on the ark. He never stopped building the ark for years until the day that God’s planned work was displayed. This is the attitude that the people listening to the word of God should possess.

People these days cannot even reach one-tenth of the faith displayed by Noah, who held onto God’s words for years. Too many people do not even treasure the word of God for six years, six months, let alone six hours. The word of God is living and active. It is not alive for just a period of time. The full effect of God’s word still manifests from one generation to the next, though one nation disappears and another rises.

Noah treated those decades like they were a few days. He kept moving according to God’s word to fulfill the work He instructed. He probably became a mockery during that time. People perhaps scorned him for building an ark on top of a mountain. However, Noah finished constructing the ark and entered it with his family and animals according to God’s instructions. When they entered and closed the door, the weather was not harsh enough for any rain. However, Noah and his family did not leave the ark but patiently waited. Noah was not disappointed in God’s words nor did he wonder if he was deceived. After the seventh day, raindrops started to fall. Eventually the water level rose up to the peak of the mountain. This was the moment when Noah’s efforts of many years finally bore fruits.

God did not leave Noah to be a laughing stock, who diligently served Him for decades according to His words. God did not let Noah to be treated like a fool by the people. Instead He proved just how wise Noah was. God verified the preciousness of Noah’s efforts and showed the rewards for obeying His words. God elevated Noah. God gave Noah his own life as a compensation for his faith in God. Through him, the whole family was saved. Noah’s entire family was able to receive life. Noah was not ashamed. The decades of patience had finally brought an end to his humiliation. This was definitely the result of the word of God.

Unfortunately, too many people are unable to sustain themselves by the word of God. Sometimes, even the church leaders regret the work that they are doing and let out frustrations. They blame the congregation because they do not follow their leadership, and get tempted to give up at times. However, Noah did not give up on the work commanded by God and remarkably continued in faith.

Joshua moved only after receiving the word of God. The weaponry of the people who followed Joshua’s leadership was insignificant. They did not have enough arrows to shoot. The army lacked sufficient training and consisted of young, untrained men who were drafted provisionally from each tribe. The possibility for a victory in battle was slim. Yet, the Israelites moved according to God’s commands regardless of the size of the enemy. They crossed the river and circled the city of Jericho when they were told to do so. They went around and around. They repeated it again the next day. And on the final day, they went around the city seven times. Suddenly, the city of Jericho became a flatland. This is God’s method.

What God wants is for His people to move according to His thoughts. God respects our personalities and desires to use them. However, man’s reason goes against the thoughts of God. Man’s emotions tend to always doubt the words of God. Man’s volition attempts to disrupt the plans of God. However, their result continues to incur further separation from God.

We must submit our will to God so that we can follow His leading. Submitting our knowledge, emotions, and will to God is the only way that will lead us to victory. Following God’s thoughts may seem foolish to others. Everyone around us may criticize our faith. Our zeal towards God may seem extreme to others. Our dedication and service might appear to be excessive. However, a day is coming when all these efforts will not be put to shame.

Joshua conquered the land of Canaan according to God’s instructions. Compared to the armies of Canaan, Israel’s army was very weak. Yet, the important thing was that the Israelites were moving and acting according to God’s words. Even a well-trained, well-equipped army fell apart before Joshua’s army that advanced according to God’s words. This is the battle of God. People who move according to God’s thoughts are always victorious.

God never wants His thoughts to be mocked or ridiculed by man. God is He who sows, and He definitely reaps what He has sown. From any plan that God has initiated, He always obtains a successful result. Just as gleaners gather a harvest to stock in the storehouses, God definitely reaps the results of what He has planned.

The thoughts of man cannot comprehend tomorrow. People can live up to seventy or eighty years if they are healthy. So when one generation passes away, the next generation comes to take its place. The subsequent generations study and learn the history and different cultures of the past generations. However, God knows every detail of past histories from hundreds of years ago. We must move according to God’s words. This is the faith that Christ desires from us. Within our hearts, there is a path through which the word of God flows. Water always flows downward. Likewise, the word of God is fulfilled through those who humble themselves.

Jesus came into this world according to God’s word. It was prophesied that He would come to the land of Judea, and He certainly did. It was foretold that He would be born of a virgin and He was certainly born through a virgin named Mary. He moved from Bethlehem to Egypt, from Egypt to Nazareth, from Nazareth to Jerusalem, always according to God’s word.

For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. (John 12:49)

Then what is the result of obeying the Father in such a way?

And I know that His command is everlasting life. (John 12:50)

The result of obeying the word of God is receiving life. The Bible clearly shows what happens to us as the result of following God’s thoughts. God commanded the Israelites in Egypt to start moving. The Israelites had not surveyed the oncoming journey, but they still moved after hearing the word of God. But suddenly, the Red Sea blocked their path. Their procession came to a halt and everyone was being crammed at the seashore. When the Israelites were gathered together at the shore, the sea parted. The whole assembly went through the parted sea together. The Egyptian army charging and tossing dust in the air could not follow them anymore. The Israelites only saw bodies and chariot wheels floating in the sea. This is definitely the power of God’s word.

Being governed by God is our faith. It is about being governed by God’s thoughts, not ours. It is about being governed by God’s mind, not ours. Even being zealous must be with the zeal of the Lord not ours, just as Paul said, “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy” (2 Cor. 11:2).

We must allow God’s jealousy, God’s thoughts, God’s will, and God’s plan to govern us.

God told Abraham that he would have a son when he was near a hundred years old. Physically this was impossible, but Abraham accepted God’s will. Sarah initially laughed and said, “How can I bear a son since I am old?” but when God said, “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?” she accepted God’s plan. Abraham and Sarah received a son from God according to His promise. Abraham especially loved Isaac, whom he received at the age of one hundred. However, God commanded Abraham to offer his son as a sacrifice. Abraham did not hesitate to follow God’s thoughts. He went to the mountain designated by God with his son and laid his son bound on the altar to sacrifice him. He was about to stab his son’s heart when God called out to him, “Abraham, Abraham, do not lay your hands on the lad!”

Right before the tip of the knife was about to pierce Isaac’s heart, God commanded Abraham to stop. In the end, God told Abraham that his son would be the seed of the descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.

We see the works of God through the Bible. We see the amazing victories that God gave to the people who obeyed His commands. God’s plans can also be observed. The word of God and His thoughts are in the Bible. Many people are introduced in the Bible. Among them, some lived according to their own thoughts, and others were led by God’s thoughts.

The church is governed by the thoughts and will of Jesus Christ. That is why the Bible says that the church is the body of Jesus and He is the Head of the church. Jesus is the only one that can rule over the church. Ecclesiastical authorities cannot govern the church. Ecclesiastical authoritarianism is not the will of God. Only the Lord should be the authority in the church. The church must be completely governed by the thoughts of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s thoughts need to be the church’s thoughts and the Lord’s movements need to be the church’s movements.

Following the thoughts of God leads to life. On the other hand, following one’s own thoughts leads to corruption. What is the original sin? Some people say that it is the sin committed by Adam, while others say that it is a sin of rejecting the word of God. They are both correct. However, the original sin is fundamentally the sin of trying to live without God. What did the serpent say to Eve when it was seducing her? It said that she could live like God without His help. Eve’s sin came from the thought of living without God’s help. Unfortunately, there are many in the church who also want to live according to their own ways. They pray to God, but they try to live according to their own will. This is the original sin.

What is the result of the original sin? First, after eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve discovered that they were naked. What they realized the moment they rebelled to be independent from God is the plain truth that without God they were alone and could do nothing. Second, the pain of childbearing was multiplied. They had to bear the mental and physical responsibility of raising their own children to the end. Third, the man had to sweat in order to have food to eat; he had to toil and suffer. Fourth, man was subjected to the rule of the Devil, to suffer and be tormented continually. All these are the results of trying to live independently from God.

People who try to live on their own without God will have to face God’s wrath. The idea of living without God is that of the enemy which God hates the most. Our faith is about trying to live by the grace of God. He wants us to live with His provisions and help. However, people blame God and harbor complaints against His work in their hearts. What they want is to reject anything that is from God. But they do not blatantly reject Him because they are afraid of Him. Instead, they harbor a rebellious heart or a grudge against God. This is what we call iniquity.

It is very foolish for a person to identify what he considers to be discrepancies in God’s work. A man’s lifespan is about seventy or eighty years at the most. A mere man with such short life experiences presenting different opinions about the eternal plans of God is very foolish. How can man identify any discrepancies within God’s plan, or even fathom His eternal plans? If people understood the complete plan of God from beginning to end, then no one would ever oppose God’s plans. We should never make hasty conclusions about God’s work.

When people heard that a virgin would give birth to a son, they tried to interpret it symbolically. They tried to solve the mystery of the meaning of the word virgin. However, Jesus obliterated the countless ideas and reasons of man by being born through a virgin. People could not even fathom the idea of a child being born through a virgin, so they tried to explain the meaning of the word virgin with different theories. However, God did not want His word to be analyzed by people. While the people were being preoccupied and saying, “What does this word virgin exactly mean?” the Lord was born through a virgin. People cannot understand God and His plans because they have already disregarded His thoughts, and their knowledge has already abandoned His. God always revealed Himself and His works to those who possessed a pure faith like a child.

At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.” (Matt. 11:25-26)

The knowledge of man continuously tries to analyze the word of God. Some people claim that God’s character is God Himself. However, the Bible clearly tells us that the One who created heaven and earth is God. How could the Creator of heaven and earth be judged by creation? God is beyond man’s analysis. Some people said to me, “Pastor, you dissect the word of God so well.” I do not dissect the word nor do I wish to do so. If a car is disassembled, then what happens? If the wheels, the handle, and the seats were detached, then would they be usable? People cannot understand the works of God because they keep trying to dissect the word of God.

The Bible is made up of sixty-six books. Each book illuminates Jesus Christ from different angles. Genesis introduces Jesus Christ as the one who would come as the Seed of the Woman. Exodus presents Jesus Christ as the one who would come as the Passover Lamb. Leviticus portrays Jesus Christ as the peace offering who is to come. Numbers speaks of Jesus Christ as the solid foundation. How would anyone understand about Jesus Christ if they disassemble the whole Bible? There would be a much clearer understanding of the picture of God’s will if all the different, illuminated angles were assembled together.

The Bible cannot be comprehended by man’s thoughts.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (John 14:26)

Only by the Holy Spirit can we understand the thoughts, the plans and the knowledge of God. It is not through a linguistic analysis or any other various studies, but only through the Holy Spirit that anyone can know God. Only through the Holy Spirit can we meet God. So in order to know God’s thoughts, we do not need to utilize different methods. John 15:26 says that the Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus and verse twenty-seven says that people who have received the Holy Spirit will be witnesses. John 8:18 says that Jesus testifies about Himself and the Father testifies about Jesus. Also, it says in John 5:39 that the Scriptures testify about Jesus. Thus, we can understand God only through the Holy Spirit.

If our endeavors to know, learn, and receive God are accomplished through God Himself, then we will definitely not make any mistakes. God reveals Himself through His Word. That Word is called logos. No one can know God through any other means but His Word. Just as we see the sun through its own light, only through God can we know God.

Because people try to understand God’s work from a humanistic point of view, the works of the Holy Spirit seem mysterious to them. However, from God’s point of view, the works of the Holy Spirit are very normal. Since man cannot raise the dead, they are amazed even when one person comes back to life. But for God, a person or two coming back to life is nothing remarkable. One day, the people who had lived on the earth will acquire new bodies and ascend into Heaven. Then, the unimaginable and immeasurable will happen on earth.

So it is very foolish for people to judge the works of God according to their views. Man is so weak that he cannot even clearly see what is before him. He cannot even count the number of hair on his eyebrows right above his eyes. We must surrender our endeavors to see God with our own eyes and see Him through His ways. Jesus Christ is God who appeared to us. Therefore, we can only see God through Jesus, know God’s thoughts through Jesus, and perceive God’s wisdom through Jesus.

When Jesus began His ministry after being filled with the Holy Spirit, the demons first recognized Him before anyone else.

“Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24)

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! (James 2:19)

Even demons recognize Jesus and tremble. These days, some believers are more ignorant than demons. We must know Jesus in order to know God. Jesus is the mirror, the proper lens, the image, the knowledge, and the wisdom to see and know God. People zealously served God for thousands of years in the past, but they rebelled against Him because they did not know Jesus. We must be able to receive God’s sound, wisdom, and faith through Jesus.

A new teaching with authority! This is totally different from any theories or wisdom that has ever existed in the world. Many books exist in the world, but no one has heard of the dead being raised through them. None has heard about the demons being subdued in those books. No one has heard about the forgiveness of sins from those books. Worldly books do not possess any power to save people from death. There is no power in those books to give life or to save from sins. They cannot help anyone to become children of God. Many proverbs and wisdom exist in the world. However, they cannot make anyone become God’s children. They might teach you how to live your life successfully in this world, but not how to live beyond this world.

As saints, we live by the word and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. This is a Christian. Christians do not live by the proverbs of the world. Christians live only by the words of the Holy Spirit. They live by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. How does the pastor bless the congregation at the end of worship? He does not say, “Go and read the newspaper every day.” He says, “May the grace of Jesus, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!” Christians are inspired only by the word of God. Christians are fully immersed in the grace of Jesus. Christians have been completely transformed by God’s love.

We Christians believe in God. Then why do Christians reject what God provides? We possess the word of God. Even the demons fear those words. Though demons have ruled man and tormented him, they become powerless in the presence of Jesus and flee because their identities are completely exposed. Why do people abandon the word of God when it gives so much freedom? Why abandon this wisdom and knowledge?

Why were people so amazed at Christ’s teachings? They witnessed the demons being exposed and coming out of the people with all the sicknesses and pain at His commands. Because of His words, the blind, the lame and the deaf started to see, walk and hear. By His word, crooked legs were straightened and weak backs were strengthened to be upright.

Christ Himself is the new teaching with authority! It has never existed before in this world. It is the new knowledge, method, way and procedure. It is not a philosophy but the truth! It is the principle of Heaven. It is the way of Heaven. Only through Jesus can we discover new things, and only through Him are we born again. Some people strive to observe the Law in order to be born again, but the Law cannot give new life to anyone.

The Pharisees made great efforts to obey the Law down to the letter. They even forbade people from using a cane on the Sabbath because they thought making a hole in the ground with a cane would be committing a sin of plowing. They struggled to keep the Law, but the Law could not make them born again. The Law could not renew them.

On the other hand, what happened to the criminal that was crucified with Jesus? This person who committed a lifetime of crimes said that he wanted to go to Heaven when he died. How can anyone be so conscienceless and contradictory? However the Lord said to the criminal, “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Watching this spectacle, the world would probably burst out into laughter. On one side, the criminal mocked Him and said, “If You are indeed the Christ, save Yourself and us,” whereas the other criminal said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus said “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise” while He Himself was being crucified. To the world, this was a contradictory spectacle and the people standing near the cross would have been completely lost for words. However, this is the power of God.

The Bible clearly shows that we can be born again only through Jesus Christ. Only in Jesus Christ can we become a new creation. With what can man wash away his sin? Sin is not something that you can wash away with soap or detergent. Even if you scrub until your skin peels off, starve for several days to cleanse your insides, clean out your intestines, go into seclusion and do penance, or cry all night, your sins would still remain. It is only in Jesus Christ that we can become a new creation.

People continuously try to solve their problems apart from Jesus. When there are no problems, they exclaim, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” and pray so well. But when problems arise, they cannot even come out to church. They are busy trying to solve the problems on their own. However while trying to stop their company from going bankrupt, many end up bankrupting their own lives.

Only in Jesus can we find the solution to all of our problems. Jesus Christ is the answer in our lives. The Lord told us to pray in His name. Why did He tell us to pray in His name? The name Jesus itself is the answer. Thus to pray in Jesus’ name means to pray with the answer already given.

Jesus is the new knowledge that had never been taught in this world before. He is the new wisdom and the new power that had never before existed in this world. If we obey the words of Jesus, if we are determined to live by Him and breathe with Him, then the demons would not be able to rule over us anymore. The demons desire that we live without Jesus and be in despair from spending much time without Him, only to let out hopeless sighs. The Devil tempts the believers to a different Jesus so that they forsake the One they have. However, as long as we live by Jesus, we can continuously experience a victorious life.

What does it mean to live by Jesus? The disciples once came to Jesus and asked, “Why could we not drive it (demon) out?” Jesus told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (Mark 9:29).

There are so many conflicts in our lives. So many problems await us. Impossible circumstances are always before us. Jesus gave us the answer to these situations when He said, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14).

First, people who live by Jesus always pray in His name. They conquer through impossible situations with His name. Is there a sickness in your life? You can solve it by prayer. Some people try to be clever and say, “Why can’t I pray and take medicine at the same time?” Let us just say that a person was healed that way. What was it that healed him, the medicine or Jesus? When we examine the Scriptures, Jesus never healed someone who was under a doctor’s care. Jesus sought people who were abandoned and deceived by doctors and disappointed by medicines and worldly methods. He sought the people who were in dilemmas. Jesus became the salvation for those in despair. That is why we pray in Jesus’ name. The one who always prays in Jesus’ name, he is the one with power!

Second, living by Jesus means to live by the word of God. Matthew 8:16 says that Jesus cast out the demons with a word. We must always possess the word of God. We must always be determined to live by His word and make it as our wisdom. The demons’ greatest fear is the word of God. Sometimes when the demons leave, they plead that the people would stop reading the word of God. Demons cannot tolerate the word of God. When the Devil tempted Jesus, how did He overcome the temptations? The Lord said, “It is written,” three times. When Jesus declared the words written in the Bible, the Devil departed from Jesus.

The Scriptures that we have today are the same words that Jesus advocated 2,000 years ago. The Scripture immediately bound the Devil’s activities. When the people were suffering, Jesus used the word of God to cast out demons. Casting out demons with the word does not simply mean words coming out of the mouth, but God’s absolute knowledge, His absolute law.

When casting out demons, sometimes they do not leave promptly. When this happens, I say, “God has cursed you! God has commanded you to leave right now!” Then the demon leaves. When we determine ourselves to live by God’s words, the demons can no longer deceive us.

The reason people are lost and wandering is they do not possess the word of God. People get confused about their faith also because of the lack of God’s words. The same reason goes for anxiety. Insecurity about the future is due to the lack of God’s word. God sent His word to deliver us from destruction (Ps. 107:20). The enemy ruled over man the moment he became separated from the word of God. Thus, we must be determined to live by God’s words. This means to live by the Lord Jesus.

Third, living by the Lord Jesus means to use His name. Mark 16:17 says, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons.”

The demons fear the name Jesus. We possess and use that name. The name Jesus raised Him from the dead, and He rescued the people of the world with that name.

John 17:11-12 says that the name Jesus, which God gave to the Son, saves mankind. Because of the name, we have received freedom from our sins and obtained eternal life. We have received the name Jesus as our inheritance. We curse and cast out demons in the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus has the authority to stop and halt all the works of demons.

The word of God, prayer, and the name Jesus! From the moment we wake up until we go to sleep, we must rely on the word of God, prayer, and the name Jesus. The enemy fears these three. We observe demons trembling, wailing, and leaving before these three. This definitely is the new teaching with authority.

People in ministry become powerless if they do not have God’s word, prayer, and the name of Jesus, and the same goes for deacons. Whoever does not have the word of God, prayer, and Jesus’ name will become powerless. Who do the demons mock and ridicule? They belittle those who lack the word of God, prayer, and the name Jesus. Who do the demons fear? Demons fear those who possess the word of God, prayer, and the name Jesus.

Through the Bible, we can witness those who do the work of God. They did not live by their own knowledge, wisdom, or their own name. They all lived by the word of God, prayer, and name of Jesus. They are the servants of God who possess power. We must become the ones who are filled with the word of God, prayer and the name Jesus.