Good evening, everyone! What a blessing it is to be gathered here in the beautiful town of Holualoa, a place known for its peace, its rich coffee culture, and its thriving arts scene. Tonight, I want to talk about something far more precious than coffee or art. I want to talk about the authority of Jesus Christ and what that means for us as believers.

Let’s turn to Mark 1:21. It says that Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and taught, and the people were astonished. Now, astonished is a strong word. It means they were absolutely amazed, awestruck by His doctrine. But why? Was it because He used complex words? Because He quoted the greatest rabbis? No! It was because of how He taught—with authority!

Unlike the religious leaders of the time who debated theories and left people confused, Jesus spoke with certainty. He didn’t say, “Well, some scholars believe this, while others say that, so you decide for yourself.” No! He said, “This is what God says, and this is what it is!” And the people marveled because they had never heard anyone teach like that before.

Holualoa, a town built on volcanic history, reminds us of the power that shapes landscapes. But there is no greater power than the authority of Jesus Christ! And I want you to grasp tonight that His authority wasn’t just something He used in His teachings—it was evident in everything He did, in His miracles, and in how He dealt with the enemy.

Mark 1:23 tells us that while Jesus was teaching, a man with an unclean spirit cried out. The demon said, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us?” The devil himself recognized the authority of Jesus! And how did Jesus respond? Did He panic? Did He gather people to intercede for hours? No! He simply said, “Be quiet, and come out of him.” And the demon had no choice but to obey.

Church, listen to me. The devil thrives in an environment of fear, but Jesus never operated in fear—He operated in authority! And that same authority is given to us as believers. But too many Christians live in defeat because they don’t understand their authority in Christ.

When trouble comes, do you stand firm and say, “In Jesus’ name, this has to go,” or do you panic and cry, “Oh Lord, what am I going to do?” The enemy feeds off fear, but when you resist him in faith, he has no choice but to flee. James 4:7 tells us, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” It doesn’t say he might flee. It says he will!

Some of you here tonight need to stop letting the devil run your life. You need to rise up in your God-given authority and tell the enemy, “Enough is enough!” Whether it’s sickness, depression, fear, or oppression—whatever the devil is using to try and keep you bound—you have the authority in Jesus’ name to command it to leave.

Let me tell you something: The power of God is not just in His hand or in His arm—it’s in His very finger! In Luke 11:20, Jesus said, “If I cast out devils by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” The devil isn’t some mighty force equal to God—he’s a defeated foe who trembles at the presence of God’s power! If just the finger of God can cast out demons, how much more powerful is His entire hand upon your life?

Now, some might say, “Well, that was Jesus. We can’t expect to operate like Him.” But that’s not what the Bible teaches. Jesus operated as a man anointed by the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38 says, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.” If Jesus did this as the Son of God alone, we wouldn’t have a chance. But He showed us how to live as Spirit-filled believers.

So why do we hesitate? Why do we struggle with fear and doubt? It’s because the enemy wants to keep us in ignorance. He knows that a believer who understands their authority is a believer who cannot be stopped!

I’ll share a testimony with you. There was a man named Kenneth E. Hagin, a great minister of God, who had a vision of Jesus. During that vision, a little demon-like creature began making noise and trying to block his view of Jesus. Brother Hagin thought, “Why doesn’t Jesus make him stop?” But Jesus kept talking as if He didn’t even notice the demon. Finally, out of frustration, Brother Hagin commanded the creature to be silent in the name of Jesus, and instantly, it fell and the disturbance ceased.

Afterward, Jesus told him something powerful: “If you hadn’t done something about that, I couldn’t have.” Brother Hagin was shocked! He thought, “Surely You meant You wouldn’t.” But Jesus replied, “No, I meant I couldn’t.” And He showed him scriptures proving that the authority to resist the devil has been given to us, not something God does for us.

Ephesians 4:27 says, “Neither give place to the devil.” That means it’s up to us not to allow him to operate in our lives. Too many people pray, “Oh God, please make the devil stop,” when God has already given us the authority to stop him!

Holualoa, just like this town is known for its history of movement—sledding down the volcanoes—we are called to move with power and authority in Christ. It’s time to stop living in fear, stop tolerating the enemy’s lies, and start walking in the victory that Jesus purchased for us.

Tonight, I challenge you to take hold of the authority that has been given to you. Speak to the mountains in your life and tell them to move. Speak to the sickness and tell it to leave. Speak to the darkness and command it to flee. And know that when you stand in the authority of Jesus Christ, the enemy has no choice but to obey!

Let’s pray: Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, we declare victory over every attack of the enemy. We take hold of the authority You have given us, and we choose to walk in it daily. Strengthen our faith, open our eyes to Your truth, and help us to live boldly in the power of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

God bless you, Holualoa! Walk in your authority!