By What Authority

A man is brought to Jesus blind and mute—unable to see truth, unable to speak life, bound by a power he couldn’t break. In this episode of By What Authority, we step into Matthew 12:22 and watch what happens when the authority of Jesus confronts the places where the enemy has silenced us. You’ll hear how intercession carries the powerless, how Jesus restores identity without shame, and how healing...

In this episode of By What Authority, Raymond Ybarra delivers a sobering and necessary word on the fragile nature of trust in spiritual leadership. Using a real‑to‑life story of a congregant’s vulnerability mishandled, he exposes how easily carelessness can wound—and how deeply Christ calls His shepherds to protect, not exploit, the people entrusted to them. Drawing from 1 Peter 5, Luke 17, and th...

A personal testimony about how the Holy Spirit corrected me after preaching a message on Christ’s authority — and how that correction freed me from limits I didn’t even realize I had placed on God. This bonus episode is a reminder that the Spirit’s work in us is ongoing, gentle, and always for our growth.

In this episode of By What Authority, Raymond responds to a moment of real confusion in the congregation after a recent message about healing, spiritual gifts, and apostolic authority. When people lingered after service trying to reconcile what they heard with Scripture—and when his own sister encouraged him to bring clarity—Raymond knew it was time to teach. Not to debate. Not to correct a man. B...

Yesterday morning, on the drive home from reporting to his probation officer, Raymond wasn’t coming from a mountaintop moment. He wasn’t riding a spiritual high. He was sitting in his van, worshiping in the middle of real life — and that’s exactly where the Spirit met him. In a single moment, the words of Peter in John 6 came rushing back: “You alone have the words that give eternal life.” And the...

In this episode of By What Authority, we explore what it truly means to trust God when the path ahead is unclear. Using the story of Noah as a foundation, we uncover a powerful truth: God often gives us enough to obey, but not enough to understand. He reveals the “what” and the “why,” but rarely the “when,” the “how,” or the “what comes next.” Through Scripture, personal reflection, and honest tea...

In this deeply personal episode of By What Authority, Raymond opens the door to a season of his life marked by emotional separation, silent rebellion, and a slow unraveling of the self. Surrounded by people yet disconnected from everyone—including himself—he found his soul crying out words he never intended to share. But what felt like abandonment became the beginning of an unexpected invitation....

In this episode of By What Authority, Raymond invites listeners into a simple moment from his past—a quiet act of kindness inside a Subway restaurant—that becomes a doorway into a much deeper truth about grace, faith, and the difference between knowing Scripture and actually living it. Through Scripture, story, and Spirit‑led clarity, Raymond unpacks why biblical application is impossible without...

Many believers underestimate the spiritual weight of their words. Sticks and Stones confronts the childhood lie that “words will never hurt me” and exposes the biblical truth that the tongue carries the power of life and death. In this episode of By What Authority, Raymond Ybarra traces the destructive force of careless speech, the heart that fuels it, and the sobering accountability Jesus gives f...

In this episode of By What Authority, Raymond explores what Scripture calls a labor of love—the kind of work heaven recognizes, the kind of obedience that flows from relationship, and the kind of service that carries eternal weight. Drawing from Psalm 127, 1 Corinthians 13, and Jesus’ sobering words in Matthew 7, this teaching invites listeners to examine the heart behind their work and rediscover...

Many believers today encounter zeal that looks passionate and sounds spiritual, yet carries a tone that doesn’t reflect Jesus. In this episode, Saul’s Zeal vs. Paul’s Authority: Recognizing It in the Church Today, we explore the difference between zeal that pressures and zeal that builds, zeal that compares and zeal that equips, zeal that comes from the flesh and zeal that comes from the Spirit. T...

Many Christians repeat the phrase “Tomorrow isn’t promised” without realizing it doesn’t come from Scripture — and actually contradicts the very foundation of our faith. In this episode of By What Authority, Raymond Ybarra challenges a popular Christian cliché and replaces it with the truth of the resurrection. Through Scripture, a personal moment of witnessing God move, and a call to examine our...

A routine evaluation turned into a spiritual confrontation — not with anger, not with fear, but with clarity. In this episode, Raymond shares the moment he realized someone was trying to speak over his future without the authority to do so. What rose up in him that day reveals a truth many believers never examine: not every voice has the right to define you. Through personal testimony and Scriptur...

Many believers think quenching the Holy Spirit is something that happens privately, quietly, deep inside their own heart. But Scripture paints a far more urgent picture. In this intense and eye‑opening episode of By What Authority, Raymond exposes the subtle, relational, and often overlooked ways the Spirit’s flame can be smothered — not only in us, but through us. Drawing from 1 Thessalonians 5:1...

Many believers have been taught to measure spiritual maturity by attendance, not obedience. But Scripture tells a different story. In this episode, Raymond confronts the growing trend of weaponizing church attendance and exposes why comparison, insecurity, and routine can never replace a surrendered heart. Drawing from James, Hebrews, and the lives of Rahab, Moses, Paul, and the disciples, this te...

The Virtues of Faith: Living “On Earth as It Is in Heaven” In this episode of By What Authority, Raymond Ybarra explores how the virtues of faith, hope, and love shape the way believers treat one another. Jesus didn’t teach us to pray “on earth as it is in heaven” as poetry — He meant for heaven’s culture to be visible in our relationships right now. Through Scripture‑rooted teaching and practical...

“On Purpose, With Purpose — From Dust to the Risen Savior” By What Authority Podcast From the dust of creation to the glory of the resurrection, this episode traces the unbroken thread of God’s purpose for humanity. Nothing God formed was accidental. Adam was shaped with intention, the enemy attacked that intention, and the entire biblical story reveals a God who refuses to abandon His purpose for...

In this final movement through Luke’s Gospel, we trace a single revelation unfolding across three chapters. Luke 22, 23, and 24 are not disconnected scenes of betrayal, suffering, and resurrection—they are a unified unveiling of the greatness of Jesus. In this episode, we explore how Jesus claims greatness in the upper room, reveals greatness on the cross, and shows greatness in resurrection power...

“When God Makes You Notice: Luke 21 in the Light of Luke 20” Most people read Luke 21 as a standalone prophecy chapter — a list of end‑time signs and cosmic events. But Jesus didn’t speak these words in isolation. Luke 21 is the continuation of a confrontation He began in Luke 20, where He exposed false authority, false devotion, and a religious system that devours widows while pretending to honor...

Luke 20 is often taught as a series of debates, but in this episode we uncover the deeper truth: Jesus isn’t arguing — He’s diagnosing. This chapter becomes a single prophetic warning to the church, exposing the heart postures that can quietly grow inside any believer. From questioning authority with the wrong spirit, to receiving revelation without repentance, to using Scripture without submissio...

Luke 19 is not four stories — it is one kingdom revelation. In this episode, we walk through the chapter as a single unfolding moment: a King who calls, entrusts, judges, weeps, and restores. From Zacchaeus coming down, to the servants being examined, to the crowd murmuring, to Jerusalem missing its visitation — every heart is revealed. This episode invites you to slow down, reflect deeply, and as...

Luke 18 isn’t a collection of disconnected stories — it’s a single, unfolding revelation of alignment and misalignment. In this episode, we walk through the widow, the Pharisee, the tax collector, the children, the rich ruler, the disciples, and the blind man to see how Jesus exposes the posture of the heart and invites us back into clarity. This teaching will equip you to recognize where your own...

Luke 17 is often treated like a handful of disconnected sayings—warnings, forgiveness, mustard‑seed faith, a servant parable, ten lepers, a kingdom saying, and an end‑times warning. But when you follow Jesus’ words in order, the entire chapter becomes a single, unified conversation about discipleship. In this episode, Raymond walks through Luke 17:1–37 as one continuous teaching from Jesus. You’ll...

“Luke 16: Stewards, Masters, and the Kingdom” In this episode of By What Authority, we walk slowly through Luke 16 — a chapter many believers know, but few truly see. Jesus isn’t giving random teachings here. He’s revealing the heart. He’s exposing rival masters. And He’s equipping His disciples to live with wisdom, faithfulness, and kingdom clarity in a world shaped by mammon. We explore the unju...

Two Sons and One Father — The Final Parable of Luke 15 In this final episode of our Luke 15 series, we step into the parable that brings everything together. Not with commentary, not with speculation, but by walking slowly through the text — the way Jesus told it, the way His original audience heard it, and the way the Father’s heart is revealed in every detail. We explore the younger son’s ruptur...