Authority is different from power.

Some have the Power to inflict harm on me for not yielding to their requests. E.g. the police hit you with sticks or lock you up if you disobey the "authorities". That's power, to inflict harm.

But it's up to my authority over myself whether I oblige the requests of the so-called "authorities".

If this example doesn't make much sense because you think that the government has authority, you could adjust the framing of it... consider a world without a government, just think of the police as a gang of hooligans who are paid to enforce the desires of some collection of mobsters.