Scriptural Authority, Power, Knowledge
Authority and knowledge: these words translated into the English are sometimes rendered power. All power is vested in the Godhead. God does not portion out His power to creatures. God’s power is dispensed when His orders are carried out obediently; then, through His Spirit, He shows His power. Humankind is not given a purse “filled with the Spirit” from which they dispense power, as you would dispense discretionary funds.
God uses power in His perfect knowledge and it is apportioned in direct proportion to the need. Any created being to attempting to dispense God’s power by their own will is engaging in usurpation*
When God speaks their power to perform an effect in this realm He may choose to distribute that power through an angel or human. This power is used to give His commandments the authority equal to the need. By this means He uses those creatures who act obediently in order to carry out His will or plan in creation. The creature has no personal discretion in the matter, other than their initial and ongoing obedient spirit.
This impartation of the Spirit is not “power” in the sense that we have come to understand, but it is often interpreted by humankind that way. It has been said that knowledge is power. To humankind that is true, but power and knowledge are not universally interchangeable in the mind of God. Because knowledge gives one an advantage over another it is often interpreted as power. Angels are created with greater knowledge over creation than mankind and in scripture that is interpreted often as more power. God has all knowledge, therefore knowledge is an advantage, but God also has all power; real, tangible ability to exert kinetic effect over all creation. To God, knowledge is not power, it is simply a facet of being.
*Take a position of power or importance illegally or by force.
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