Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed, oppressed, as if the Christian life were a constant and difficult struggle? The following testimony, which summarizes this video by Olivera Pajani, will help you discover a transforming truth: in Jesus Christ, you possess immense spiritual authority, a divine gift that changes everything. Get ready to be encouraged and equipped to walk in the victory Jesus has already won for you!
From Darkness to Light: a Testimony of Transformation
“You know, my life before I met Jesus was marked by darkness. Alcohol, drugs, the occult… I had opened doors to the enemy without even realizing it. When the light of Christ shone into my life, the contrast was striking, but the after-effects of my past were still very much present. Oppression, nightmares, anxiety, depression… I desperately sought help at church, for I read in the Bible that Jesus healed and delivered all who came to Him. ‘There is salvation in no other, for there is no other name under heaven given to men, by which we must be saved‘ (Acts 4:12). For me, it was inconceivable that having become a Christian, I would continue to live under such a burden.
Sadly, many around me seemed resigned to this oppression, considering it almost normal. But my heart cried out and longed for the victorious life Jesus had promised! So I began to search the Scriptures with a new thirst. The Lord, in His grace, put in my path a woman who would become a guide for me. This simple woman, a nanny, taught me a fundamental truth: the authority Jesus Christ has delegated to us belongs to every believer, to you and to me. ‘Behold, I have given you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you‘ (Luke 10:19). This revelation was a key that opened the doors to my own deliverance. I was freed from the oppression that tormented me, and my life was radically transformed.
This experience has had a profound effect on me. If a simple babysitter could operate with such power, it was because there was an essential truth that many were unaware of. I set out to understand the nature of this authority. The Lord guided me to a book that illuminated my understanding: The Believer’s Authority by Kenneth Hagin. As a former lawyer, I was particularly touched by the analogy the Lord revealed to me: this authority is a legal proxy. Just as a legal document gives you the right to act on behalf of someone else, the name of Jesus Christ is our divine proxy. He gives us the legal right, in heaven and on earth, to act in His name, with all His power and authority. ‘Therefore also God has sovereignly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth‘ (Philippians 2:9-10).”
A Position of Authority: Seated With Christ in the Heavenly Places
“To fully understand this proxy, it’s crucial to grasp our position in Christ. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus declared, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth’ (Matthew 28:18). And the Bible teaches us in the letter to the Ephesians that God raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, above all dominion, authority, power and dignity. But what’s even more extraordinary is that, as the body of Christ, we are united with him in this position! ‘He raised us up together, and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus’ (Ephesians 2:6).
Do you realize the significance of this truth? If Jesus is seated above all authority, and we are seated with Him, this means that, spiritually, all authority is also under our feet! It’s a powerful revelation, but few believers walk with this conviction. Why not? Because the authority Christ has given us must be exercised. It’s not automatic. God has already won the victory for us at the cross, stripping away all authorities and dominions. ‘He stripped off principalities and powers, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them through the cross‘ (Colossians 2:15). This victory is ours, and Jesus has given us His name as an instrument to manifest it in our lives and in the world.
I’ve experienced it first-hand. When I was still a lawyer, I met a deeply tormented, suicidal man. Instead of feeling powerless, I felt the authority given to me by the name of Jesus. I prayed for him, commanding the spirit of suicide to leave him in the name of Jesus Christ. Instantly, he felt better! A year later, he told me he was completely healed, with no need for medication. The power of Jesus’ name had worked through a simple believer like me. ‘These are the miracles that will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly drink, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and the sick will be healed‘ (Mark 16:17-18). These words of Jesus are for you too!”
Breaking the Chains: an Authority to be Exercised With Perseverance
“Too often, in the Body of Christ, we fall into a form of passivity. We wait for God to act in our place, saying to ourselves ‘If it is His will…’. But Jesus has already accomplished everything! He has given us the keys to victory. We must take our position and exercise the authority that is ours in His name. It’s up to us to cast out demons and lay hands on the sick. ‘The Lord is my shepherd: I lack nothing‘ (Psalm 23:1): everything is given to us. And this assurance must be translated into faith.
Remember, we are engaged in spiritual warfare. The apostle Paul exhorts us to put on all the weapons of God in Ephesians chapter 6. Satan seeks to oppress us, to discourage us, to hold us captive. But we have a powerful weapon: the name of Jesus! Every time you take authority in His name against sickness, oppression, obstacles, it’s like giving a hammer blow to a wall. Maybe you won’t see immediate change, especially if this situation has been going on for a long time. But don’t be discouraged! Persevere, keep declaring Jesus’ victory, keep breaking the chains in His name, and that wall will eventually crumble. Deliverance and healing will come. ‘For the weapons with which we fight are not those of the flesh; but they are mighty through God, to the overthrow of strongholds‘ (2 Corinthians 10:4).
I’ve seen this perseverance bear fruit in complex situations. In a sexual assault case where I was a lawyer, everything seemed to be at a standstill. But the Lord revealed to me a spiritual resistance. I took authority against this blockage in the name of Jesus, and in a short time, the case was settled. Whatever difficulty you’re going through, know that you’re not powerless. In Christ, you have authority! But beware, this authority belongs to those who are in Christ, those who have given their lives to Him and who live in repentance and holiness. As we see in Acts 19, those who don’t have a true relationship with Jesus can’t use His name successfully.
Perhaps you’re reading this today without knowing Jesus personally. If so, I want to tell you that the greatest miracle you can receive is salvation through Jesus Christ. He came to save you from your sins and reconcile you to God. If you would like to accept this gift today, I invite you to pray with me:
Eternal Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge that I have sinned and I regret my faults. I ask Your forgiveness and I desire to turn away from sin and accept Your Son Jesus Christ as my only Savior and Lord. Jesus, I believe that You died and rose again for me. I accept You in my heart. Amen.“
To go further in discovering this power and authority you have in Jesus Christ, we strongly invite you to watch the full video on our Youtube channel (you can activate English subtitles):
International Association of Healing Ministries
