Quotations from the writings of Ellen G. White with the phrase . . .
e x e r c i s e A U T H O R I T Y ( 2 RELATED PHRASES )
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The phrase 'exercise authority' appears x times in the published writings of EGW See page on Original site Related phrase: desire to exercise authority ( below ) - - exercise dominion ( ) - - exercise lordship ( )
In the case of Moses, the Lord shows that he will defend all who are standing in his strength in defense of the right. Those who would smite his faithful ones, smite the hand of God spread over them as a buckler, — they wound that hand which bears the sword of justice. But when the one thus divinely guarded ceases to rely upon God for help, and begins to exercise authority which the Lord has not given him, that moment his defense is gone. The more criminal and unreasonable the opposition which God’s servant has to meet, the more earnestly should he seek to hide self in Christ. As long as he does this, he will be safe. { ST October 7, 1880, par. 8 } |
Again the strife as to which should be greatest seemed about to be renewed, when Jesus, calling them to Him, said to the indignant disciples, “Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you.” { DA 550.1} |
| “Ye know,” Christ said, “that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Not so shall it be among you: but whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister.” Matthew 20:25, 26, A.R.V. { HDL 17.4 } also { MH 478.1} |
| Jesus understood the motive that prompted the request and thus reproved the pride and ambition of the two disciples: “The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28. { AA 542.3} Read entire Chapter 53 |
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How to Exercise Authority — God will not vindicate any device whereby man shall in the slightest degree rule or oppress his fellow man. The only hope for fallen man is to look to Jesus, and receive Him as the only Saviour. As soon as man begins to make an iron rule for other men, as soon as he begins to harness up and drive men according to his own mind, he dishonors God, and imperils his own soul and the souls of his brethren.... { PM 139.1}
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Jesus understood the motives which prompted the request, and thus reproved the pride and ambition of the two disciples: “Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” ( verses 42-45). { SL 57.3} also { RH February 15, 1881, par. 15 } |
| In the last temptation Satan presented to Christ the prospect of gaining the whole world with all its glory if He would only worship him who claimed to be sent of God. Christ must then issue His command. He must then exercise authority above all satanic agencies. Divinity flashed through humanity, and Satan was peremptorily repulsed. “Get thee hence, Satan,” Christ said, “for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” ( Matthew 4:10). { 1SM 95.1}
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| He has been exacting, which has encouraged a spirit of faultfinding in the church. He has been severe where it was uncalled for, and has lorded it over those upon whom he dared to exercise authority. His prayers and exhortations have led the brethren to think that he was a devoted Christian, which has prepared them to be affected by his wrong course. He has been notional, and his oddities have had a bad influence upon the minds of many. Some have been so weak as to imitate his example. I saw that he had done far greater injury than good to the cause. { 1T 227.2} |
The Prince of life and the prince of darkness met in terrible conflict, but Satan was unable to gain the least advantage in word or in action. These were real temptations, no pretense. Christ “suffered being tempted.” Angels of heaven were on the scene on that occasion, and kept the standard uplifted, that Satan could not exceed his bounds and overpower the human nature of Christ. In the last temptation Satan presented to Christ the prospect of gaining the whole world with all its glory if He would only worship him who claimed to be sent of God. Christ must then issue His command. He must then exercise authority above all satanic agencies. { CTr 196.4} |
| He was often weary, oppressed with poverty, and He experienced the taxation of acting His part to support the family of which He was a member. He suffered reproach, and experienced the bitter hostility of those who knew Him not. In His own home He was made to suffer the discomfort and sorrow that results from envy and jealousy. His brethren thought that it was their privilege to exercise authority over Him, and presume to dictate to Him what should be His course. The misapprehension of His relatives was most painful to Him, because His own heart was full of kindness and love, and He appreciated tender regard in the family relation. But His own brethren often wounded and grieved His heart. They desired that He should concede to their wishes and ideas when such a course would be utterly out of harmony with His divine mission. The statement is made in the Scriptures, “Neither did His brethren believe on Him.” { BTS October 1, 1915, par. 3 }
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“Some teachers do not think it is best to urge or enforce obedience. They say that it is their duty merely to educate. True, it is our duty to educate. But what does the educating of children amount to if, when they disregard the principles placed before them, the teacher does not feel that he has a right to exercise authority.” { PUR December 5, 1901, Art. B, par. 3 }
Talk to Church-school Teachers, September 8, 1901. |
Those who have been seeking to undermine the confidence of our people in the testimonies of the Spirit of God, and in the leadings of Providence in our work, will one day be revealed as having acted a part similar to that of Judas. Judas was tempted and tried, but not rising above these temptations, he lost ground, and finally went so far as to betray his Lord. Christ permitted Judas to go with the other disciples on their evangelistic tours, but on these occasions, Judas often manifested a spirit of superiority. He sought to exercise authority over his brethren. This spirit, unchecked, opened the way for the enemy to work upon his heart and mind, until at length he went so far as to betray his Saviour with a treacherous kiss. There are today, among the professed people of God, some who are walking in the same path; and unless they are converted, they will one day be numbered with the open enemies of God’s work for this time. { RH September 9, 1909, par. 8 } |
| “And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.” They were not less anxious than James and John to secure the chief places in the kingdom of Christ; they were therefore angry with the two brothers for taking, as they thought, an undue advantage. Aware of their ambition and their resentment, Jesus reasoned with them. “Ye know,” he said, “that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” There was to be a difference between his kingdom and the kingdoms of the world. “The princes of the Gentiles” were ambitious, and sought for place and power; but their course in this respect resulted from false ideas of greatness and the pride of the human heart. Among the disciples of Christ an entirely different state of things was to exist. One was not to aspire to dominion over his brethren, and to seek to be lord over God’s heritage. { ST January 15, 1885, par. 8 }
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| John and James, who made the request that they might sit, one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of Christ in his kingdom, did not make this request in the spirit that many have thought they did. They both loved Christ, and desired to be as close as possible to his person. It was customary for John to take his position next to the Saviour at every possible opportunity. James also longed to be honored with as close a connection with Christ as John desired. But when the ten heard of the request that had been made, “they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.” Jesus called his disciples to him, and said: “Ye know that the princes of the gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” This means that those who would be great in the church of God must act as true shepherds in his church. They are to follow the example that Christ has given. “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” { ST July 16, 1896, par. 5 }
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| God would have the rulers of the nations know that He is the supreme Ruler. Those who preside over the affairs of nations should realize that there is a King of kings. The man who does not know God as his Father, and Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of the infinite God, can not rule wisely. He who has been placed where he has authority over others should seek the Lord for wisdom, that he may govern wisely the subjects of God’s kingdom. An earthly ruler can not exercise authority wisely or set an example that is safe to follow, unless he obtains wisdom from God, who is too wise to err and too good to do injustice to His human subjects. { 3MR 37.1 }
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God would have the rulers of the nations know that He is the supreme Ruler. Those who preside over the affairs of nations should realize that there is a King of kings. The man who does not know God as his Father, and Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of the infinite God, cannot rule wisely. He who has been placed where he has authority over others should seek the Lord for wisdom, that he may govern wisely the subjects of God’s kingdom. An earthly ruler cannot exercise authority wisely or set an example that is safe to follow unless he obtains wisdom from the God who is too wise to err and too good to do injustice to His human subjects. { 17MR 318.4 } |
d e s i r e t o e x e r c i s e A U T H O R I T Y
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Related phrase: grasp authority
". . . In comparison with the worth on one soul, the whole world sinks to insignificance. A desire to exercise authority, to lord it over God's heritage, will, if indulged, result in the loss of souls. Those who really love Jesus will seek to conform their own lives to the Pattern and will labor in His spirit for the salvation of others." Testimonies, Vol. 5, page 614 |
here is entire quote
| He who would reform others must first reform himself. He must obtain the spirit of his Master and be willing, like Him, to suffer reproach and to practice self-denial. In comparison with the worth of one soul, the whole world sinks into insignificance. A desire to exercise authority, to lord it over God’s heritage, will, if indulged, result in the loss of souls. Those who really love Jesus will seek to conform their own lives to the Pattern and will labor in His spirit for the salvation of others. { 5T 614.1}
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| the same text can be found in Manuscript Releases, Volume 15
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"Christ teaches all who believe on His name, that instead of seeking their own glory they must humble themselves to bear the cross and to walk in His footsteps. He would reform others must first reform himself. He must obtain the spirit of his Master, and be willing like Him, to suffer reproach, and to practice self-denial. In comparison with the worth of one soul, the whole world sinks into insignificance. A desire to exercise authority, to lord it over God's heritage, will, if indulged, result in the loss of souls. Those who really love Jesus will seek to conform their own lives to the Pattern, and will labor in His spirit for the salvation of others." 15MR page 142.2 |
| He who would reform others must first reform himself. He must obtain the spirit of his Master and be willing, like Him, to suffer reproach and to practice self-denial. In comparison with the worth of one soul, the whole world sinks into insignificance. A desire to exercise authority, to lord it over God’s heritage, will, if indulged, result in the loss of souls. Those who really love Jesus will seek to conform their own lives to the Pattern and will labor in His spirit for the salvation of others.* { 2TT 257.2}
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