When Jesus healed the sick, he spoke with authority. "Hold thy peace, and come out of him," Mark 1:25.he said to the mentally disturbed man, and the man was immediately made well. At other times, his words were simple but powerful expressions of the spiritual might he reflected: "Rise . . ., " "Stretch forth thine hand . . ., " "Be opened . . . ." John 5:8, Matt. 12:13, and Mark 7:34.
If we speak to sickness (or any irregular condition) with true, God-derived authority, we too can heal—sometimes instantly. Christ Jesus promised that those who believed on him would be able to do the works he did and even greater ones (see John 14:12).
Authority, the ability to take action and enforce obedience, depends on the clarity of vision that sees what needs to be done and on the purposeful power that gets it done. Where do the power and the clarity come from? From spiritual understanding, the "pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." Rev. 22:1. Understanding is authoritative because it originates in omnipotent Mind, absolute Truth. Human efforts to distinguish between what is right or wrong, important or unimportant, within a human situation—however well intentioned—are weakened by acceptance of error's power and reality. Such clouded vision generates hesitancy and instability, and these are qualities that undermine authority.
