Prophetic Intercession

Luke 10:19-20 states: "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

This scripture clearly tells us that Jesus has given us authority over the enemy. This authority comes from Jesus. It is not something we have out of our own strength. It is not something we can earn or produce. We receive it by grace because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

Now that we have been given authority over the enemy what do we do with it? Should we engage in every battle that presents itself?

Before a soldier is sent into battle, he has to receive orders from his commander. He would not intentionally engage in a battle he was not sent to fight in. If he does so, he would fight this battle in his own strength without the backup and support needed to win the fight. The same applies to us believers. Even though we have been given authority, that does not mean that we are to engage in every battle because we may think that we should. It is important that we yield to the Holy Spirit and let Him direct us as to when and how to engage in a confrontation with the enemy.

Our authority in Christ Jesus cannot be exercised without Jesus. Let me illustrate. The authority of a police officer is in his uniform and his badge. Without the badge, the police officer would not be able to enforce the law. People would laugh at him. However, as soon as he holds up the badge, people start taking him seriously.

When I started learning about spiritual warfare I thought that the more I was emotionally charged, the more effective my confrontation with the demonic power would be. I knew, of course, that the authority came from Jesus, but for some reason I was convinced that I needed to help the process by pumping myself up emotionally for the task. Needless to say, it wasn't very long until I had a rude awakening when a demonic power just laughed at me and the theatrical display I made while trying to cast it out of a demonized person. This experience forced me to press in to God consistently about His authority through us.

Hosea 4:6 states: "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." When we conduct warfare based on our preparation, we are conducting warfare in the flesh. We rely on our strength. The enemy will be quick to notice this and respond accordingly. Spiritual warfare has to be led by our Commander-in-Chief, Jesus Christ. It is only through his spirit that we can understand what is going on with the situation we are warring about.

1 Cor. 2: 12 states: "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." And then in verse 14, it says, "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

The Holy Spirit will help us understand spiritual matters and He will direct us in our warfare and show us how to use Jesus' authority. His guidance could be compared with a guided missile connected to a wire and the gunner guides it with a joy stick. The target is hit with precision. When we conduct spiritual warfare we want the target to be hit with precision, don't we?

Paul prayed in Ephesians 1: 17-21,22-23:

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelations so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparable great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way."

We can clearly see from this scripture that it is His power that is working in and through us. So what is this about? Ephesians 3:10 explains it this way: "His intent was that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms."

It is about his manifold wisdom to be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. Jesus took the keys away from the enemy, made a public spectacle of him and then gave the keys to us so we can become part of advancing His Kingdom, seeing people set free from the bondage the enemy is putting them in. Before Jesus died he said, "It is finished!" He triumphed over the powers and authorities by the cross. The enemy is defeated. He knows it, Heaven knows it, but do we know it? This is the test. The enemy will challenge the authority God has given to every one of His children.

In Matt. 28:18 Jesus states: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me." Further he states in Matt. 10:19: "I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

There is another part to holding the keys. We will need to know which door they fit to. God is willing to show us. There is a spiritual principle involved in warfare. The more we are yielded to God, the more effective we are and the more fruit we produce in his Kingdom.

Another important factor to remember is that we do not fight people. God loves people and his primary intention is for all to be saved. (2 Peter 3:9). For instance, we can't pray: "God this person hurt me a lot, please hurt him back." This would not be right. God makes it very clear in His word who our real enemy is. It is written in Ephesians 6:12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Several years ago, I had a conflict with a person close to me. This person loved to use people. He loved to humiliate me in front of others and he was constantly emotionally and physically abusive. Then one day I had all I could take. I was frustrated and angry and I complained to God about him. I went on and on about how bad this person was and how unfair this or that was. It seemed that everything in me was on edge. After a long time of complaining to God about him, suddenly I heard a voice ask me this question: "What do you want me to do to him?" Huh? That stopped me in my tracks. I stopped my complaining and pondered the question. Why would God ask me this question? It took me several minutes of arguing with myself about the answer until I realized that this person is loved by God. I also realized that this person wasn't saved and I asked God to bring him into His kingdom. When I finished giving God my reply, suddenly this incredible peace came over me. From one second to another resentment, anger and frustration were washed away by God's perfect peace.

God has not given us authority in His Kingdom so we can lash out at others or want to see our will accomplished on earth. He has given us authority so His Kingdom can advance and people are set free from demonic oppression.