I Give You Authority

Charles Kraft offers a comprehensive and compelling book detailing his view of the spiritual authority Christians possess today to wage spiritual warfare. Any Bible-minded Christian will find much to agree on here.

That said, there is much to disagree on for some folks as well. The source of the disagreement, in my opinion, lies in the foundational difference between how the Charismatic Movement applies Jesus' words given to the apostles as well as an unwillingness to recognize the distinction between the apostles ministry and the ministry of the church going forward after the apostolic era.

For Charismatics, Kraft's use of Scripture makes perfect sense. For biblically minded, non-Charismatics they will only agree with Kraft up to a point, and then they will become uncomfortable with his conclusions.

I am decidedly on the non-Charismatic end of the spectrum; however, I am not willing to shut the door to God doing special things and special times. What this means practically, is that I am not comfortable Charles Kraft's discussion of how to deal with demons and the spirit world. It is based on assertions that are overlaid on top of interpretations of Scripture that I do not agree with.

Although this is my position, I am not willing to say that these things never happen. I am just in disagreement with the expectation of these things and the normal way of "conducting business" with these things that Kraft outlines.

Kraft's book is very popular, and many people won't like it being questioned. When Christians come to difference on these issues, they must be kind and gracious to one another. Usually differences on these issues will not be resolved in a brief conversation if the differences arise from long-term perspectives. No matter what your view, you would benefit from respectfully investigating all sides of the issue.