Spiritual Authority – claiming what you have been given: One day a man was given a special gift – a cruise! He had never been on a cruise before, so he was excited to take his first voyage. The cruise came at no cost to him. The person who gave it to him picked up the entire tab.

Throughout the week on the cruise, one of the crew members noticed that the man frequently ate the free crackers and juice provided on the deck. In fact, he had never seen anyone eat as many crackers as this man did. Curious as to the reason why, the crew member spoke to the man as he was disembarking.

“Sir, how did you enjoy the cruise?”

“It was spectacular,” the man replied, “I have never experienced anything like it before.”

“Very good, sir,” the crew member said, and then he continued. “I noticed that you really liked the crackers and the juice on the deck. I was just wondering – why?”

“Well,” the man replied looking down, “I saw all of the lavish meals that were being offered all week long, but I didn’t have any money. And since the crackers and juice were free, I let them sustain me during the cruise.”

The crew member replied, “Someone didn’t give you all the information. When the price of your ticket was paid, it not only included getting on the boat and going everywhere the boat goes, but also included everything on the boat as well. Your food was covered in the price of the ticket.”

Our faith in Christ, and our salvation not only takes us to heaven but also provides us with everything we need for the journey.

Tony Evans

Tony Evans, Victory In Spiritual Warfare, 2011, Oregon: Harvest House Publishing, p.118-119