“I have
given you authority to trample on snakes and
scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” (Luke
10:19).
Dr. Bill Bright, the
founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International, tells a story about a lady
who was in charge of Chicken at a barbecue.
This is an amusing story about the late Christian A. Herter, former U.S.
Secretary of State, when he was running hard for reelection as Governor of
Massachusetts. One day he arrived late at a barbecue. He'd had no breakfast
or lunch, and he was famished. As he moved down the serving line, he held
out his plate and received one piece of chicken. The governor said to the
serving lady, "Excuse me, do you mind if I get another piece of chicken.
I'm very hungry."
"Sorry," the
lady responded, "I'm supposed to give one piece to each person."
"But I'm
starved," he repeated.
Again she said:
"Only one to a customer."
Herter was normally a
modest man, but he decided this was the time to use the weight of his office,
and said, "Madam, do you know who I am? I am the governor of this
state."
"Do you know who
I am?" she answered. "I'm the lady in charge of chicken.
Move along, mister."
If we were there, we
would have probably given the governor an extra piece of chicken.
However, the lady's stubbornness is noteworthy for two reasons.
First, she knew who she was -- that is, the lady in charge of chicken.
Second, she knew what her authority was -- that is, she diligently
implemented the instructions given to her.
Christians need to be
more like the chicken lady. We need to know who we are in Christ. We have
been filled with His Spirit and have received His power (Acts 1:8), we are
joint heirs with Him (Romans 8:17), and are seated with Him in heaven
(Ephesians 2:6). When we walk in the Spirit, we walk in His authority, we
speak His words, and we do His acts. We are not intimidated by the
powerful of this world, or by the powers of darkness. The devil should be
intimidated by all Spirit-filled followers of Christ. We should be
popular even in Hell, as the apostle Paul was (Acts 19:15).
"David said to
the Philistine, 'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I
come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of
Israel, whom you have defied'" (1 Samuel 17:45, NIV). When facing the
giant, symbolic of Satan, David knew who he was. When facing the prophets of
Baal on the Mountain of Carmel Elijah knew who he was. Standing in front of the
mighty walls of Jericho, Joshua knew who he was. On the banks of the Red sea,
Moses knew who he was. Going to the king’s presence with a plea to redeem her
people, Queen Esther knew who she was. At the jaws of death Daniel, Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego knew who they were. Oh Christian friend, do you know who
you are? Do you understand the authority that Christ Jesus has given unto you?
Do you exercise the authority over the enemy that is your right? May we be like
that Chicken lady who knew who she was, what her authority was and who diligently
implemented the instructions given to her.
May God help us to use
the authority that Jesus has given us.
Blessings
Daniel Solomon Raju
