TRUE AND REAL AUTHORITY

Table of Contents

1. Opening Exhortation: Hearing the Still Small Voice and God’s Desire to Heal
2. Communion in Remembrance of Jesus’ Finished Work
3. Corporate Prayer for Healing and Salvation Across Many People and Nations
4. Introducing the Topic: The Authority of the Believer
5. Looking Away from the Natural Realm: Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
6. Jesus’ Model of Authority: Not Acting on His Own Initiative
7. “Face Like a Flint”: Faith and Authority Flow From Hearing
8. Moses and God’s Initiative: Authority Expressed Through Obedience
9. When Initiative Becomes Self-Initiative: The Warning From Moses’ Mistake
10. Why People Don’t Hear: Noise, Fear, and Distractions
11. A Practical Prayer: The Holy Spirit Clearing Our Hearing
12. Closing Blessing and Prayer Over the Word

Opening Exhortation: Hearing the Still Small Voice and God’s Desire to Heal

Pastor Leonard begins by emphasizing confidence in God’s leading—being able to “participate” in hearing His still small voice. He states plainly that God wants every believer healed from every condition affecting any part of the body, and that hearing God’s voice reinforces that certainty inside of us. This opening sets the tone for the entire message: hearing God is not a side detail, but central to walking in what God wants for His people.

Communion in Remembrance of Jesus’ Finished Work

They shift into communion, explaining that when believers come together to celebrate communion, they do it in remembrance of Jesus’ life, His death, and His resurrection—His finished work. Pastor Leonard mentions that they generally read from “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” He describes the pattern: Jesus took the bread, prayed over it, and gave it to the disciples; then He took the cup, prayed over it, and gave it to them.

As they partake, Pastor Leonard leads the kind of declarations they speak during communion. With the bread, they thank the Lord that Jesus’ body was broken so theirs might be whole, and they speak healing over the body from head to toe. With the cup, they thank the Lord for His precious blood, which washes them clean of every sin, and they declare that they partake of their inheritance: righteousness, protection, healing, wholeness, and provision. He ends this portion with gratitude for being able to share in communion and thanks Pastor Lenny (Leonard).

Corporate Prayer for Healing and Salvation Across Many People and Nations

Pastor Leonard asks to spend a couple of minutes praying for people, and the church agrees to come into unity and agreement. He explains that they will agree together for the people named, and also for all who are hearing his voice, coming into agreement as they pray to their heavenly Father.

He prays with confidence, repeatedly declaring, “Father, it’s time,” and emphasizing that God’s love is not the question, God’s mercy is not the question, and God’s grace is not the question. From that foundation, he asks for healings to be released.

He begins naming people and locations one by one, moving “across the ocean” and then across nations and regions. He prays for Ida in Norway, Johan in the Netherlands, specifically cursing cancer; Vera in England, declaring it is time for her to rise out of a wheelchair; and Rosalind in Canada, declaring it is time to see her miracle. He prays for the spiritual healing sought by Jessica, and mentions Christine in Texas. He thanks God for healing his mom’s painful knees in Florida. He prays for Kristen’s complete recovery, Jackie’s complete healing, and healing “springing forth” in Mandy’s husband, Jack, from within. He continues with Peter in Chicago, saying it has been too long, and declares “today is the day” of salvation and healing, referencing the biblical declaration “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” He also references calling on the Lord for salvation and healing, quoting “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

He includes Judy and Ranjanna in India, praying for healing to manifest and take place. He prays for Mark in Florida, declaring that cancer would become a distant memory. He mentions Barry in Albany, and thanks God for Donna and Jenny, whose healings are becoming more complete day by day, declaring victory over cancer. He prays for his brother Jacob in Fishkill, saying it has been far too long, and asks for mercy in a way he connects to Paul’s experience. He also prays for Evelyn’s friend in Poughkeepsie (the name escaped him, but not God), asking for complete healing and cursing cancer in Jesus’ name.

He acknowledges that many people reach out to him and says that even if he forgot any, God has not forgotten them. He again declares, “Today is the day” of their saving and healing, and the congregation says “Amen.” He shares that he prays every day and will not stop, expecting testimonies and praising God for testimonies already coming and more that will come.

Pastor Lori then adds names they want to include: Joseph (not present) with a leg issue, praying that a faulty operation would be reversed by God’s power and anointing; her brother-in-law Lee in Albany with a botched Achilles repair surgery, praying God would work a miracle and fully heal it; and then Dan Yotter, praying God would be his comfort in what he is facing. They close the prayer and turn toward the teaching.

Introducing the Topic: The Authority of the Believer

Pastor Leonard asks the church if they are ready for the word and announces the topic: the authority of the believer. He shares that he has read multiple books on this subject—he counts them out as five books by five different authors—and says that despite these books, there is something he believes has not been pointed out the way it should be. Pastor Lori confirms she has read some of the same kinds of materials.

He explains that they are going to look at well-known scriptures and examine the subject carefully, because everyone wants to operate in the authority of the believer. He asks for agreement, invites Pastor Lori to respond out loud, and sets the expectation that they will look at many scriptures. He also mentions that they will look at the life of Moses and even notes humorously that he will be preaching from the Old Testament.

Looking Away from the Natural Realm: Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

He begins with Hebrews, noting that he is reading from a modern translation (the Passion Translation) for clarity, but he points out the familiar meaning. He references Hebrews 12:2 and explains it as “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher and perfecter of faith.” He then emphasizes the first major point: to operate in faith and in the authority of the believer, you must look away from the natural realm.

When he brings Hebrews 12:2 into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

He defines the “natural realm” in a very practical way. It is what we can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel—our five senses. He teaches that the five senses will never allow believers to walk in the fullness of faith or the fullness of authority, because faith requires looking beyond what the senses report.

He then uses Jesus as the example. Jesus endured the cross because He was not focused on the natural realm. Pastor Leonard describes what the natural realm would have looked like for Jesus: the crown of thorns, being whipped, flesh being torn, spikes driven into hands and ankles. He argues that if Jesus had focused on that natural realm, He could not have endured it. Instead, Jesus looked away from the natural realm and fixed His eyes on “the joy set before Him.”

Pastor Leonard then identifies what that joy included. First, it was fulfilling the Father’s will. He references Hebrews 10 and the statement about coming to do God’s will. The KJV wording is: “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” Second, he says the joy set before Jesus was also “you and I.” He explains it as believers being Jesus’ finish line—what helped Him endure was keeping His spiritual eyes on the finish line.

From this, he reinforces the key takeaway: what helped Jesus overcome the natural realm was spiritual focus. Believers must learn this because it connects directly to operating in faith and authority.

Jesus’ Model of Authority: Not Acting on His Own Initiative

Pastor Leonard asks important questions: Did Jesus possess authority? Yes. Did he possess power? Yes. Did he possess anointing? Yes. But then he asks the critical question: Did Jesus act in His own authority, on His own initiative? He says no.

He then points to Jesus’ own words from John 5 and explains that Jesus said He could do nothing from Himself. When John 5:19 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”

Pastor Leonard calls this “the number one thing” in understanding how to use authority: it cannot be from your own initiative. He says this truth is often missed, and he emphasizes that Jesus is the primary example.

He then references Philippians 2 to show how Jesus humbled Himself, not grasping at equality with God, but taking the form of a servant, and then God highly exalted Him. When Philippians 2:6-11 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

His point is that Jesus did not walk around declaring His own authority in a self-driven way. Instead, Jesus spoke and acted according to what the Father instructed.

He reinforces this with John 12:49, explaining that Jesus was not self-appointed in His speaking, but spoke by the Father’s authority and instruction. When John 12:49 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”

Pastor Leonard applies this directly to believers, saying many people try to use authority by “mental assent.” They attempt to exercise authority simply because they know they have it, but they do it on their own initiative rather than by God’s initiative. He calls this a critical misunderstanding: authority is meant to flow from God’s instruction, not from self-driven effort.

“Face Like a Flint

Pastor Leonard next references a prophetic passage from Isaiah describing resolve: setting one’s face like a flint because the Lord helps. He explains that it points to Jesus and to Jesus’ steadfast focus on hearing and doing the Father’s will. When Isaiah 50:7 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”

He explains what “flint” means in this context: hardness, like a rock. He uses an everyday illustration: someone can be “as hard as a rock,” and you can’t get through to them. But here, he says Jesus being set like a rock means Jesus was set on the Father’s will, the Father’s speaking, and the Father’s doing. That is what believers need to learn from.

He then ties this to Romans 10:17, using it to explain how faith is born. He emphasizes that authority rises up from within as a response to what God says, not because of our own initiative. When Romans 10:17 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

He continues by referencing Luke 6:18, describing how people came to listen and then were healed and set free. His emphasis is that hearing comes first. When Luke 6:18 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.”

Pastor Leonard summarizes Jesus’ pattern as: hearing and seeing the Father. He states it as a model: Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing and only said what He heard the Father saying, and He stresses again that Jesus did not operate from self-initiative.

Moses and God’s Initiative: Authority Expressed Through Obedience

Pastor Leonard shares that this teaching “sprang forth” from him being awakened around 3:00 in the morning and beginning to think about Moses. He expresses admiration for Moses and says many believers would like to have the faith Moses had.

He begins with the call of Moses at the burning bush. He references Exodus 3:10, where God sends Moses to Pharaoh to bring Israel out of Egypt. When Exodus 3:10 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

Pastor Leonard then points out that this was not Moses’ own initiative. Moses would not naturally desire to return to Egypt, where he would expect death. But because it was God’s initiative, Moses heard it, came into agreement with it, and walked in it. Pastor Leonard says this is where power and authority come from: agreeing with God’s initiative and moving in God’s power.

He then moves to Exodus 4:2-5 and uses it to show another example of authority working through obedience to God’s instruction. When Exodus 4:2-5 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.”

Pastor Leonard adds a vivid, humorous commentary here. He imagines Moses deciding on his own initiative to throw down the staff to make a serpent and then to grab it by the tail without fear. Then he contrasts that with reality: Moses fled from the serpent. Pastor Leonard draws attention to the detail that God specifically told Moses to grab the serpent by the tail—something Pastor Leonard says is not how you handle a snake. He reinforces that this wasn’t Moses’ initiative, and then he makes the central claim: faith isn’t our initiative, and authority isn’t our initiative. Faith is agreeing with what God told you to do and doing it even when it doesn’t seem natural.

He continues with Exodus 14:14-16 at the Red Sea, calling it extremely important. When Exodus 14:14-16 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”

He explains that Moses did not lead Israel to the Red Sea as part of his own planning. Moses did not do it by his own initiative. Moses did not arrive there already knowing he would divide the water and cross on dry ground. It was God’s initiative, and Moses was blessed to operate in authority because it was God’s initiative.

He then adds Exodus 17:6, again showing that the miracle was not Moses’ idea but God’s instruction. When Exodus 17:6 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”

Pastor Leonard summarizes the pattern: God’s power was evident through Moses because Moses obeyed God’s voice. Pastor Leonard defines this obedience as what faith is and where authority comes from.

When Initiative Becomes Self-Initiative: The Warning From Moses’ Mistake

Pastor Leonard then transitions into a warning: look at what happens when a man takes his own initiative. He says it will keep someone from the promised land, from abundance and rest. He asks the congregation to let that sink in, and notes that many people have not heard this preached even though it is clearly in Scripture.

He then reads from Numbers 20:8-12. He emphasizes the instruction: God told Moses to speak to the rock. Pastor Leonard describes this as God’s instruction, where faith and authority take place, because it is based on God’s voice. Then he highlights what Moses did: Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it, acting out of his own initiative, and then God declared consequences.

When Numbers 20:8-12 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.”

Pastor Leonard points out something he considers striking: Moses still took the rod “as he commanded,” but he didn’t obey the full instruction—God said speak, and Moses struck. Pastor Leonard explains the result in his own words: because Moses did not believe in God in the instruction and did not treat God as holy before the people, Moses would not bring the assembly into the land God had given them. Pastor Leonard uses this as a direct illustration that operating in our own initiative can block us from entering the promised rest and abundance.

He says he will be teaching more on it later, then asks the congregation questions about wanting Jesus to perfect their faith and wanting the faith of Moses, Noah, David, and Samson. He circles back to the repeated foundation from Jesus: do nothing from yourself; do what you see the Father doing; speak what the Father instructs.

He repeats the main texts to anchor them. When John 5:19 is brought up again, the KJV wording is: “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” When John 12:49 is brought up again, the KJV wording is: “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.” Pastor Leonard again states the conclusion: authority and faith are not on our own initiative; they come from hearing.

Why People Don’t Hear: Noise, Fear, and Distractions

Pastor Leonard shares a conversation with Pastor Lori, saying she raised a concern: people will say they don’t hear from God. If they aren’t hearing, how can they avoid acting on their own initiative? Pastor Leonard responds strongly: if someone claims they cannot hear God at all, they are calling Jesus a liar. He says he would never do that and then quotes Jesus’ words about His sheep knowing His voice.

When John 10:4 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.”

Pastor Leonard insists that God is always speaking and always giving direction so believers can use proper authority, not self-initiative. Then he becomes personal: he explains why he, Pastor Leonard, didn’t hear at times. He says he allowed fear, worry, anxiety, and stress to cloud his hearing. He describes being consumed by news and political conflict, naming media, nations, elections, and disturbing cultural issues, and how listening to these things repeatedly created noise that affected his ability to hear God clearly.

In the middle of this, he clarifies his posture toward people: he states he loves everyone, regardless of their background, and gives an example of meeting two women and telling them, as a minister of Jesus Christ, that Jesus loves them deeply. He tells them there is nothing they could do to make God love them more, and nothing they could do to make Him love them less, because He loves them and gave His life for them. He then says, “everybody’s welcome here,” and adds the reality that all have sinned, connecting it to Scripture. When Romans 3:23 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” He then states that when someone comes to Jesus, they are made righteous.

After that, Pastor Leonard returns to his main point about hearing. He says some people are clouded by other things and therefore do not look away from the natural realm. He uses a telephone illustration: when there is too much noise, you can’t hear the person on the other end of the line. You might say you will call back later when it quiets down, but then when you try again, the noise is still there, and you still can’t talk. His point is that if the noise remains, you still won’t hear.

He also mentions another source of noise: the friends you hang around with. He brings up the “cord” idea and says a cord of two or three is strong. He frames it positively first: he and his wife are fixed in the gospel of grace, the love of God, and their righteousness, and that cord is not easily broken. Then he says it can work in reverse: if you are linked to relationships that keep you from hearing, then that cord needs to be changed.

When Ecclesiastes 4:12 is brought into the teaching, the KJV wording is: “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

He concludes that many times believers can’t hear because of noise and “yuck,” and he encourages asking the Holy Spirit to help clear out what blocks hearing. He uses a vivid phrase: ask the Holy Spirit to become a “Q-tip” and help clean out the ears.

A Practical Prayer: The Holy Spirit Clearing Our Hearing

Pastor Leonard then turns the teaching into a prayer. He says the goal is that once believers can hear, it won’t be their own initiative anymore—it will be God’s initiative—so they can operate in faith and in God’s authority.

He prays and thanks God, asking the Holy Spirit to work in and through them to identify the noise that hinders hearing. He adds a personal observation: he says he was always able to hear God more clearly and fully whenever he worshiped and praised God. He describes worship and praise as the “Q-tip” that cleans out ears. He prays that the Holy Spirit would help them identify what is plugging their ears so they can hear, act in the Father’s initiative instead of their own, and walk in true faith and true authority. He closes the prayer in Jesus’ name, and the congregation responds with “Amen.”

Closing Blessing and Prayer Over the Word

Pastor Leonard closes with a final prayer of thanksgiving for the word planted in their hearts and asks that it bring forth much fruit. He asks the Lord’s blessing on everyone, including traveling mercies as they go home. He prays for those who heard the message on the internet, asking that they be refreshed and that the message be sealed in their hearts. He closes again in Jesus’ holy and mighty name, and the people say “Amen.” The service then ends.

Thank you for reading this teaching from Pastors Leonard Rola and Lori Rola on true and real authority. We hope this article blessed you, strengthened your confidence in hearing God, and encouraged you to walk in the Father’s initiative rather than your own. If this message helped you, please share it with someone who needs encouragement and healing, and help spread the good news of Jesus and His finished work.