In this message titled By His Power and Authority (Matthew 8), Pastor Victor Laird taught through Gospel of Matthew 8:1–34 and 17:14–21, building on the previous study and guiding the church through a vivid and practical understanding of Christ’s authority over sickness, nature, and the demonic realm. Victor began by recapping how Jesus healed the leper (Matthew 8:1–4), restored the centurion’s servant through spoken authority (Matthew 8:5–13), raised Peter’s mother-in-law from illness (Matthew 8:14–15), and cast out demons while healing all who were brought to Him (Matthew 8:16–18). He then reminded the church of the moment when Jesus calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23–27), revealing His absolute authority even over creation.

As the teaching moved into Matthew 8:28–34, Victor emphasized the encounter with the two demon-possessed men, showing how even demons recognized Jesus’ authority and submitted to His command. He explained the difference between power and authority—power being the ability to act, and authority being the rightful position to exercise that power—and demonstrated how Jesus possessed both perfectly. He then connected this truth to believers, pointing to passages such as Matthew 17:14–21 and Acts of the Apostles 1:4–8, showing that the lack of effectiveness in the disciples came not from inability, but from unbelief.

Victor taught that faith was essential, reminding the church that faith comes by hearing the Word of God and that even faith as small as a mustard seed could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). He warned that unbelief could hinder the work of God and explained that prayer and fasting were necessary to overcome deep-rooted unbelief. He also addressed practical ways the enemy gains influence, including rebellion (1 Samuel 15:23), involvement in occult practices, and unforgiveness, highlighting Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:14–15 that forgiveness was not optional for the believer.

Throughout the message, Victor called the church to recognize the spiritual reality behind many struggles and to walk in the power and authority given through the Holy Spirit. He reminded believers that God had not changed and that the same works seen in Scripture were still possible today through faith and obedience. The sermon concluded with a strong exhortation for believers to stand firm in God’s Word, reject unbelief, and actively live out their calling, knowing that greater is He who is in them than he who is in the world.

This message from Matthew 8:1–34 and 17:14–21 was shared at Calvary Chapel West Jacksonville, a church under the leadership of Pastor Allen Victor.

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