There will come moments in life when you will be confronted with injustices, frustrations, or abuses of authority. But also understand that nothing happens by chance! God holds your destiny in His hand (Psalms 31:16), and He allows all things for a purpose (Proverbs 16:4).

When He wants to elevate you to a higher level of authority, He will test you to see if you submit yourself to authority in difficult situations. In other words, God will test you, but Satan will also take advantage to tempt you. And how you react will have a significant impact on your destiny!

When faced with blatant abuse of authority, you have the right to express your disagreement or discomfort, but you must always do so with respect and gentleness. If the established authority listens to you, glory to God! But if they don’t listen to you, never insult them, never slander them; never resort to violence!

Expose their wrongdoing to the higher authorities who established them, denounce them because it is written: “… have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11 (New Geneva Edition).

Denouncing is not disrespect, denouncing is not rebellion: denouncing is refusing to be complicit in the law of wickedness, to cover the barren works of darkness; denouncing is deciding to protect the violated values of the institution, deciding to protect the rest of the team, the rest of the flock.

Also, denounce to higher authorities any established authority abusing its power, and if they do not act and take no measures, leave that organization! If it is a church, stop going there, but never engage in confrontation against the established authority. If you must testify against their wrongdoing, do it, do not remain silent!

Testify with respect, gentleness; state the facts but refuse to let the devil sow bitterness, anger, contempt, or hatred in you!

Protect your heart!

Refuse to succumb to the temptation to confront authority, refuse the temptation to insult, slander, or despise in your heart or by your mouth an established authority. Turn your frustrations into intercessions! Cry out to the God of justice for Him to bring justice! Pray for wounded hearts to be healed! Refuse to let anger, hatred, rebellion enter you because of what the established authority does, protect your heart.

If it is in your biological family that you are exposed to abuse of authority, never confront your father or mother. Do not slander them, do not despise them in your heart but turn your sighs into intercessions and protect your heart! How?

Move away if you can. If you can talk to another authority in the family who has the ability to intervene, do it, confide in them. But do not let the devil take advantage of what happens to poison your heart with the poison of hatred, rebellion, contempt against authority. If it is impossible for you to move away or if you speak and what you say is not followed by action, then accept to endure some injustices (1 Corinthians 6:7)!

Cry out to the God of justice and ask Him to bring justice, ask for forgiveness for the folly of this person! When you pray, ask God not to let wickedness prosper in your family! Proclaim God’s promises for it (promises of salvation, deliverance for your brothers and sisters) but never attack authority! Attacking an established authority is attacking the order that God has established…

This text is an excerpt from the book “GETTING OUT OF INNER PRISONS” written by Apostle Yvan CASTANOU.

We invite you to read the following article “How God can restore marital relationships through obedience to His Word.”

Abuse of authority