Praying With Authority

God’s Redemptive Plan: Praying With Authority

God’s original design in the Garden of Eden was for man to live in a perfect world, free from sin, pain, hunger and death. In Paradise there were no weather problems, hunger problems, or predatory animals. Adam and Eve did not have to kill to eat to survive, there was no sickness or disease; all of that came through sin and the fall. God’s perfect plan is to redeem us by sending Jesus who died to put things back in order and to bring his kingdom on earth. Jesus told us how to pray in the Lord‘s prayer. He said to pray that “His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” In heaven there is no sickness, sadness, disease or poverty, so it is God’s will for us to walk in freedom, joy, peace, health and provision here on earth. Jesus often said “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” We as believers are to bring the redemptive plan of the Kingdom to earth as disciples of Christ.

Matthew 24:12 warns us that because of the increased wickedness in the world, many hearts will grow cold. The one who stands firm to the end will be saved. We must learn to stand in our authority as believers to stand firm until the end. Many saints have been taught that when bad things happen we have to accept it and trust that God is allowing it for some reason..to teach us patience or humility; and many people cite Job as our example for suffering. The difference between Job and the believer today is that we have authority over Satan in Christ. Job did not have authority over Satan because Jesus had not yet died and given the keys of life and death back to us.

In the Old Testament, people were still under the law and therefore under the judgement of sin. Jesus suffered on the cross and died for us to fulfill the law and redeem us from the curse. He rose again with resurrection power! When Jesus died he first went back to hell and took the keys back to death to life so we Had power and authority over the devil. (Mathew 16:19) Jesus said He would send us the Holy Spirit to help us once He returned to the right hand of the Father.

Too many people in the body of Christ are struggling with disease and poverty. We must be careful not to accept the things the devil is putting on us and call it God’s will. If we took our authority and prayed for one another more, we would see more victory over the works of darkness. New Testament Scripture is clear that God is not the one putting these things on His kids. There are examples in Scripture where Jesus healed the sick and assured that the sickness was not from sin but that the works of God should be revealed in Him.” (John 9:3 NKJV) and before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead he said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the son may be glorified through it.” John 11:4. Jesus was glorified not through the death of Lazarus but through performing the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead.

As believers we need to be especially careful what we speak and what we agree with “The power of life and death is in the tongue,” Proverbs 18:21. We must take a stand against evil and not tolerate it and certainly not say that God is allowing it or doing it to teach us something. If we believe death and disease is from the Father, then we won’t resist it. “Resist the devil and he will flee,” James 4:7. Jesus overcame the works of the devil…we are to overcome too!

One strategy of the devil is to keep us in judgement rather than offensive prayer. Scripture admonishes us to “judge not lest we be judged,” and “pray for one another.” We need to be careful not to act as “Job’s comforters” pointing fingers of judgement. “Are you sure you don’t have any un-confessed sin? Maybe this is why you keep getting attacked?” Even when we have strong accountability and quickly repent so we do not get deceived and stay entangled in sin; unwarranted attacks may still come from the enemy of our soul. A famous preacher said, “If you never run into the devil, it’s because you’re heading in the same direction!” Thank God Jesus died to give us back authority and overcome the works of the devil.

Jesus warned us that the Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Persecution comes from anti-christ spirits that are already in the world, and people with selfish motives, strife, envy and jealousy. Jesus warned us about this in John 2:18. Jesus said “If they hate you it’s because they hated me first but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” John 15:18-20. When the devil deceives people they believe the lies which gets them into wrong thinking and wrong attitude. When people are deceived, they come against the Christian agenda and Christ’s people. The apostle Paul persecuted many Christians before the scales fell from his eyes and he was converted. We need to pray for the scales to fall from people’s eyes so they will come to the truth.

We must look at the fruit of teachers and pray for discernment too. Jesus warned us in Matthew 7:15-20 of false prophets in Sheep’s clothing and tells us to look at the fruit. Paul warned us in Acts 20:29 that savage wolves would come in among the church… speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples. We must rely on the Holy Spirit through the Love of the Father in Christ to correctly interpret and apply the Word of God as Jesus promised, “But the Helper, The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things, and bring to remembrance all things I said to you.” John 14:26. We must make sure prophetic words line up in scripture and demonstrate the Father’s will. “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21-23. “The gifts and the call are without repentance”….but without repentance, many will go astray.

Jesus gave us the keys and told us we had the same authority He has to overcome the works of the devil. In the great commission, Jesus said believers would heal the sick, cast out devils, take up serpents and raise the dead! Jesus always healed people, He never put sickness on anyone to teach them a lesson. Jesus said to glorify us that we may glorify Him. Healing and resurrection power through His Love bring God glory!

We have the victory in Christ. Many weapons may be formed but much fewer will prosper as we take our authority in Jesus name and stand on His promises. The Kingdom of God suffers violence and the righteous take it by force! We are called to advance the Kingdom of God! We don’t retreat and wait until the enemy attacks and then plead to the Father to deliver us when Jesus already paid the price for our deliverance. We are to stand in our most Holy faith having done all, we stand on the word. Praise the Father for sending the Son and Holy Spirit to fight with us! We are not alone and we have authority because of what Jesus did! Pray that you won’t be deceived by anti-Christ spirits. Pray for discernment. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you into all truth and righteousness. Stay strong in the Lord saints!