Weapons of Warfare
The Christian Arsenal—
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according
to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the
flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of
fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every
lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and
we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of
Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience,
whenever your obedience is complete.
—2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Every plan of God is for the good of His people; every plan of Satan is for their
destruction. Satan knows that when he wounds one of God's people, he
wounds the heart of God. The real war is between God and Satan. We are not
drafted, but we can enlist in God's service. Then as soldiers in God's army,
our commission is to liberate those who are behind the enemy's lines by
breaking his strongholds with the weapons of our warfare.
Satan's goal is to see that the prayers of God's people do not reach
heaven because God has chosen to partner with His people in fulfilling His
plans on earth. So when you come to God on behalf of others, often you will
110 BECOMING A PRAYER WARRIOR
need to battle against the powers of darkness. Satan knows where people
are weak and attempts to enter through that opening in their lives to take
them captive. Any area where people are in bondage is an area where Satan
has a strong hold or "stronghold" in their lives.
It is God's will for us to tear down those strongholds and loose people in
areas where they have not been able to freely function. This is a primary
purpose of the spiritual weapons God provides for us. As we war on earth, it
stirs divine intervention from heaven.
The following diagram helps to illumine the complete arsenal of
spiritual weapons every
believer has at his or her
disposal. The pillars that
support this arsenal are
faith and obedience, and
prayer and intercession;
these are essential for the
effective implementation of
the seven primary
weapons. God has provided
all that is necessary for
successful spiritual warfare;
your part is to will to use
the weapons that His Word
guarantees will destroy
enemy strongholds.
"In warfare there are
four possible attitudes-
offense, defense, detente
and desertion...Satan can
get along very well with
Christians as long as they
are on the defensive,
seeking detente or
deserting. Therefore, if we
are determined to see him
defeated in our own hearts
and in our society, we must be only and always committed to the offensive."1
Faith and Obedience: Our Pillar of Victory
Faith and obedience are so intertwined that one is incomplete without
the other. These two factors go together to comprise one of the pillars that
THE CHRISTIAN ARSENAL—PART I 111
supports the believer's arsenal of spiritual weapons.
You must have faith that the weapons God provides for you will work
and accomplish the desired purpose for His glory. Have faith in the name of
Jesus. Have faith in the power of Jesus. Have faith that the same power
dwells in you and empowers you to do even greater works than He did,
because Jesus lives in you (see John 14:12). Listen to Jesus' words about
faith:
"Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this
mountain 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in
his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall
be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you
pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall
be granted you" (Mark 11:22-24).
Exercise your faith by speaking forth the Word and declaring aloud the
victory Christ gives. When the Holy Spirit quickens a verse of Scripture for a
given situation, speak it forth as a word of faith, casting down every
imagination that is contrary to the Word of God (see 2 Cor. 10:5).
What quenches all fear, doubt and unbelief? FAITH. FAITH. FAITH.
BELIEVING. BELIEVING, BELIEVING.
You can speak forth faith as a command. Note the example in Acts
16:18: "But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, 'I
command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!' And it came
out at that very moment"
The importance of obedience—which also includes commitment—
cannot be overemphasized. As an intercessor, your work is going to be
constant and challenging. You will be putting yourself in the place of the
person for whom you are praying, sometimes feeling his or her need. This
type of prayer calls for obedience to the voice of the Spirit and unwavering
commitment But a word of warning: Do not allow intercession to keep you
burdened. Learn how to respond in obedience when the Spirit calls you to
prayer, but then release prayer burdens to your loving heavenly Father.
Commitment means the act of entrusting to: delivered in trust.
Therefore, your commitment and determination to withstand the enemy
and aggressively oppose him will strengthen your warfare. The enemy
recognizes this quality in you. Someone has aptly said that all hell trembles
to see a saint on his knees. For this very reason, the enemy will try to keep
you from prayer. Your obedience and commitment will foil his plan!
As a Christian you are set apart and consecrated to God for His sacred
purpose. As you entrust your life to Him more and more every day, the
112 BECOMING A PRAYER WARRIOR
world will notice a difference:
And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and
because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their
life even to death (Rev. 12:11, italics added).
Your life is now "hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). Since He laid
down His life for you, you should lay down your life for the brethren (see 1
John 3:16).
"It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live
with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also
will deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny
Himself" (2 Tim. 2:11-13).
Prayer and Intercession: The Pillar of
Communication and Power
We have already discussed in previous chapters the importance of
communication with God and the difference between prayer and
intercession. Prayer and intercession comprise the other pillar that supports
the arsenal of spiritual weapons.
Here we will discuss the matter of praying in the Spirit. The term
"praying in the Spirit" can mean different things to different people or
denominations.
To some it means following the leading of the Holy Spirit and praying as
He directs in your understanding or in song. As you pray earnestly, you
follow the prompting of the Spirit deep within your spirit. These prayers
may be prayed from the heart or from written prayers, using books such as
M y Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, Prayers That Avail Much
by Word Ministries, Inc. or the prayers in the section of this book titled "Daily
Prayers," chapter 10.
To others praying in the Spirit may mean praying in an unknown
tongue as described in 1 Corinthians 14:1-25. Private "praying in tongues* is
different than the use of tongues and interpretation of tongues in public
worship (see 1 Cor. 14:26-28). As you read the following Scriptures, you will
notice that this form of praying in the Spirit can be a useful tool for some
intercessors.
1. Praying in the Spirit is your spirit communicating directly
with God. It is primarily for use in your devotional prayer life for
intercession, praise and worship:
Let him speak to himself and to God (1 Cor. 14:28b).
THE CHRISTIAN ARSENAL—PART I 113
For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God;
for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries (1 Cor.
14:2).
2. Praying in the Spirit is a perfect prayer. Since you do not always
know how or what to pray in a given situation, you can bring the
need before the Lord by praying in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, your
Helper, enables you to pray as you ought—thereby praying in the
Lord's will.
Praying in the Spirit is a means by which the Holy Spirit intercedes
through your spirit in prayer. This is where we get the term "prayer
language," an unlearned language in which you can pray. When you pray
with your understanding, you are easily influenced by your feelings,
thoughts, desires, experiences, distractions, understanding and will. Even
your vocabulary can limit your prayers. God gives you a prayer language
that bypasses your mind, will and emotions and allows you to continue in
prayer without interruption:
And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do
not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself
intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who
searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because
He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we
know that God causes all things to work together for good to those
who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose
(Rom. 8:26-28).
(See also 1 Cor. 14:14; 1 John 5:14,15; Jas. 4:3).
3. Praying in the Spirit has definite meaning. Although you do not
understand what you are praying, God does:
There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world,
and no kind is without meaning (1 Cor. 14:10).
4. Praying in the Spirit edifies the person praying. When you are
built up, strengthened and encouraged, you can continue with the
spiritual warfare you are called to do:
One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself (1 Cor. 14:4a).
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith;
praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20).
5. Praying in the Spirit has the authority of heaven behind it.
114 BECOMING A PRAYER WARRIOR
There is no way you could know when Satan and his demonic
forces will launch an attack. The Holy Spirit will prompt you at the
strategic, opportune time:
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with
this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for
all the saints (Eph. 6:18).
(See also Eph. 6:12; Jas. 5:16b).
Praying is an act of your will, whether you are praying in the Spirit or
with your understanding. When Peter walked on the water, he had to
exercise his will and faith. He got out of the boat and moved his feet. Walking
was not the miracle; the fact that he didn't sink was.
Praying in the Spirit is similar. You must respond to the Holy Spirit's
prompting in the same way—with faith and obedience. Speaking is not the
miracle; the fact that you speak in a language you don't understand is. The
Holy Spirit will give you the utterance. As with any language, the more you
use it, the more comfortable you will feel using it.
If you pray in tongues, it is important that you do not criticize, condemn
or exclude those who don't. On the other hand, it is just as important to
remember that if you do not pray in tongues, you refrain from the same
attitudes or judgments of those who do. The issue is not how you pray, but
that you are faithful to the call of prayer and led by the Spirit.
The apostle Paul wrote, "Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues....I
thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all....Do not forbid to speak in
tongues" (1 Cor. 14:5,18,39).
Communication with the Lord through prayer and intercession is a
pillar on which our life in Christ depends. It is a strong pillar of support in the
Christian's arsenal of spiritual weapons against the enemy. Praying and
singing in the Spirit is the power that moves mountains and draws you into
fellowship with the Lord:
What is the outcome then? I shall pray with the spirit and I shall
pray with the mind also; I shall sing with the spirit and I shall sing
with the mind also (1 Cor. 14:15).
The Name of Jesus: Our Authority
As you pray in the Spirit, you will need to take your authority in Christ. The
name of Jesus has power on earth, and in heaven and hell. Since you are a
temple of His Spirit and the same Holy Spirit dwells in you, you can use His
THE CHRISTIAN ARSENAL—PART I 115
name just as though He Himself were here. "I have given you authority...over
all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19), Jesus promised.
Jesus gave His followers power and authority over demons, and He
gave them the right to ask the Father for things in His name:
And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father
may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I
will do it (John 14:13,14).
Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the
name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and
under the earth (Phil. 2:9,10).
Everything has to bow at the name of Jesus. So use the name of JESUS
during warfare. God recognizes it. And so does the devil and his host of fallen
angels. Make the enemy flee in terror. Say the name of our Lord Jesus.
The following is an effective way to pray using Jesus' name and
authority:
By the authority of Jesus and His precious blood, I bind you, Satan,
according to Ephesians 6:12 and break your powers over this
situation. I loose (name of person) from your hold and destroy
your works and your assignment in Jesus' name.
Father, I ask that Your will now be done, and I thank you. In Jesus'
name and by His authority, I declare it done.
The power of the Holy Spirit in you gives you authority to use the name
of Jesus to defeat the enemy. It can be likened to a policeman who can halt a
huge truck just by standing in the middle of the highway and holding up his
hand to signal "Stop!" The policeman, wearing his badge, has authority
behind him to stop traffic and forbid the truck to proceed when a law has
been violated. Intercessors, too, must use their delegated authority to stop
demonic forces from wreaking havoc with God's people.
But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him (1
Cor. 6:17).
(See also Eph. 3:16; Rom. 8:11.)
A key to your authority in using the name of Jesus is your personal
relationship with Him. That relationship, nurtured by your time of
fellowship with the Lord, ensures that you will use this authority only in
ways that will glorify Him. Notice the example of Peter and John speaking to
116 BECOMING A PRAYER WARRIOR
the lame man at the temple gate in Acts 3:1-8. On the other hand, note what
happened to those who tried to use the name of Jesus without proper
authority in Acts 19:11-17. If you are walking in proper relationship to Jesus
Christ, the enemy must submit to your authority when you use the name of
Jesus:
And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My
name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it
shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will
recover (Mark 16:17,18).
The name of Jesus is your power of attorney and the blood of Jesus is
the official seal that secures your right to use it.
The Blood of Jesus: Our Covering
When God released the plague of death against Egypt, forcing Pharaoh to
free the Jews. God instructed the Jewish people to put the blood of an
unblemished lamb over the doorposts of their homes. The angel of death
then passed over every house that was covered with the blood of the lamb.
(Read Exodus 12.) Today Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, offers the same
kind of protection through the power of His innocent blood shed on Calvary
for all those who believe.
I can personally testify to times when the blood of Jesus has protected
me from an onslaught of the enemy. For example, in February of 1976 Floyd
and I purchased a van to give to a church in Guatemala. When we arrived
there, we met with the pastor to discuss the details of the seminar we would
be teaching. Then he gave us directions for getting to the beautiful little guest
house which had been prepared for us just outside of town. As we were
walking out the door, the pastor said that if we did not want to stay at the
guest house, we could use the apartment directly above the church. He gave
us the key, so we thanked him and went on our way.
Our van was packed with supplies to give to the Guatemalan pastors.
Therefore, every time we reached another checkpoint, we had to open up
the van and allow the officials to search through all our things. By the time
we arrived at the guest house, we were exhausted. Because we had to be
back in town by 8 A.M. the following morning, we realized that with the
delays at the checkpoints, we would probably not make it. So we returned to
the church late that same night and dragged our tired bodies into the church
apartment.
It was now 2 A.M. and I was just laying my head on the pillow when the
THE CHRISTIAN ARSENAL—PART I 117
Lord began to speak to me about changing my message for the following
day. I slipped out of bed and waited for my orders. He directed me to Isaiah
41, where I read:
The coast lands have seen and are afraid; the ends of the earth
tremble; they have drawn near and have come. Each one helps his
neighbor, and says to his brother, "Be strong!"
"But you. Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen,
descendant of Abraham My friend, you whom 1 have taken from
the ends of the earth, and called from its remotest parts, and said to
you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I
am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I
will uphold you with My righteous right hand" (vv. 5,6,8-10).
I knew this was to be my text for the following day, but I was not quite
sure what the message would be when I crawled back into bed at 3 A.M. I had
just found a half-suitable position upon the mattress when I began to hear
animals howling outside. At first I thought the sounds might be demonic.
Then I heard the pitter patter of dogs running across the flat roof above me.
Suddenly the entire building began to shake with such force that I was
nearly thrust out of bed. All I could think of were my daughters who were
sleeping in the next room. I put both feet on the floor and was hurled across
the room with such might that my watch broke as I slammed into the wall. I
heard one of the girls say, "Is this the rapture?"
The other responded, "No, cause we're not going up!"
Little did I know that many of the prophetic voices in this town had
warned the people of God's coming judgment for the sins of drunkenness,
adultery, witchcraft and idolatry. The morning after the earthquake hit, there
were 60 couples standing outside the church repenting before God and
asking to be married. (National Geographic magazine reported 23,000
people killed in one day, resembling the report in 1 Corinthians 10:1-8.)
When we returned to see the little guest house where we had intended
to stay, the hairs on my arms stood on end. The house had crumbled and a
huge cement beam lay stretched across the beds where Floyd and I and our
two daughters would have slept. Immediately I could see in the theater of
my mind an instant replay of the prayer our pastor had prayed for us before
we left on our trip. He had laid his hands on each member of our family,
asking for God's protection and began to plead the blood of Jesus over us.
Thank God for the blood of Jesus that washes away our sins and causes the
wicked plans of the enemy to pass over us. (See Heb. 9:12-14.)
118 BECOMING A PRAYER WARRIOR
"Pleading the blood of Jesus" is a tactic for intercession that has been
used by prayer warriors for many, many years. Because of abuse, however, it
has become somewhat controversial. To "plead the blood of Jesus" over a
person for his or her protection is simply to remind the enemy of his
boundaries. (See Exod. 12:22,23.)
The blood of Jesus secures lasting peace and victory. A foreshadowing
of this is seen in 1 Samuel 7:3-14 when Samuel challenged Israel to destroy
the false gods of the Philistines which had polluted the land. The people
responded in obedience and observed a day of fasting. The Philistines were
angered when they heard their idols had been destroyed, so they staged an
attack. The people said to Samuel. "Do not cease to cry to the Lord our God
for us. that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines" (v. 8). Samuel
responded by taking a suckling lamb and offering it as a whole offering to the
Lord.
In his book, Born for Battle, Arthur Matthews sums up the account:
Standing identified with the complete acceptance of his lamb,
Samuel cries unto the Lord for Israel. The Lord thunders from
heaven, the Philistines are frightened off and, according to the
record, "came no more into the coast of Israel."
The victory was necessary to the peace. Peace is victory sustained.
The only man who can keep the enemy at bay is the intercessor,
and blessed is that intercessor who knows how to use the power of
the blood in spiritual warfare. "Precious blood, by this we conquer
In the fiercest fight,
Sin and Satan overcoming
by its might."
—F. R. Havergal2
Blood-Bought Benefits
The blood of Jesus:
• Gives SALVATION. Births us into His kingdom and keeps us from
eternal damnation (see Mark 16:16: John 3:3,17).
• Makes ATONEMENT for us, blotting out sins (see Lev. 17:11; Rom.
5:11).
• REDEEMS us. Our life is paid for in full, bought back from the power
of sin and death (see Ps. 107:2; Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:12; Rev. 5:9).
• JUSTIFIES us. Acquits us of sin and guilt (see Acts 13:38,39; Rom.
5:9).
• Makes us RIGHTEOUS. Puts us back into right standing with God
THE CHRISTIAN ARSENAL—PART I 119
(see Isa. 59:2; Rom. 3:22,23,25; 1 John 1:9).
• Gives SANCTIFICATION. Sets us apart unto God at the time of
salvation as well as each day thereafter through the blood of Jesus
(see 1 Cor. 1:30; Heb. 10:10.14).
• Allows REMISSION of sins. Sin was canceled (see Rom. 3:24,25; Heb.
9:22).
• RECONCILES us. Accepting God's provision, we can now fellowship
with Him in love (see Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:20).
• Gives OVERCOMING POWER as we receive and use what has been
delegated to us (see Luke 10:19; Rev. 12:11).
• Provides DELIVERANCE. Releases us from powers of darkness and
sets us free (see 2 Cor. 2:14; Col. 1:13).
• Releases FORGIVENESS. Pardons sins (see Col. 1:14; 1 John 1:9).
• Establishes a NEW COVENANT. Replaces old covenant of sacrifices;
perfect sacrifice now has been made through Jesus Christ (see Heb.
7:22; 8:13; 9:15; 10:9; 12:24).
• CLEANSES us from all sin (see 1 John 1:7).
Agreement: Our Bonding
Intercessors agree with the Holy Spirit on that which He has called them to
accomplish through spiritual warfare. "Agreement" means "to harmonize, to
live in concord, without contention." We are all called to be consistent with
our prayers by the Word and by the Spirit. And to be consistent, we must
keep our hearts free from division so we remain unified within the Body of
believers.
Agreement, or unity, can be both an offensive and a defensive weapon.
When a wolf wants to kill a lamb, he waits until it strays from the flock. The
lamb is then unable to defend itself because it is alone. And yet, within the
company of others, it is protected. We find safety by bonding in agreement
with other believers and staying close to the Shepherd.
Agreement begins with a God focus and a heart that is close to Him.
When your heart is knit to the Lord, He then will knit you together with
another to accomplish more than you could ever accomplish alone. This is
the "threefold cord" that Solomon wrote about in Ecclesiastes 4:12. "Two are
better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either
of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls
when there is not another to lift him up. And if one can overpower him who
is alone, two can resist him" (vv. 9,10,12).
120 BECOMING A PRAYER WARRIOR
Before you can pray in agreement, you must learn to be in one accord
with another intercessor (see Acts 2:1). Partnerships strengthen and protect
your position in the army of God. Prayer alliances with others of like spirit
can increase your warfare efforts. However, choose prayer partners very
carefully under the direction of the Holy Spirit; human logic must not be the
determining factor in such a choice.
When your heart is knit to the Lord, He then
will knit you together with another to
accomplish more than you could ever
accomplish alone.
If it is just one partner, the person should be of your same sex, and
should be accessible for frequent communication. If you feel the Lord is
leading you toward a specific individual as a prayer partner, and the feeling
is mutual, test the relationship. Is the relationship pure, holy and above
reproach? Are there any hidden motives? Would the Lord be pleased?
Jesus said:
"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything
that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in
heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My
name, there I am in their midst" (Matt. 18:19,20).
Learning to pray in agreement is learning to pray in God's will. As your
mind is transformed, you will discover the perfect will of God and be in
agreement with Him through His Word (See Rom. 12:1)
There is a warning about what could happen if you are in agreement
over something ungodly. Read Acts 5:1,2 and 9. and you will see that when
Ananias and his wife Sapphira agreed to tell a lie, their plot cost them their
lives. "Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to
the test?" Peter asked Sapphira just before she fell over dead.
You may ask, "What if I make a mistake?" If your heart is right and your
motives pure, God's grace will abound.
THE CHRISTIAN ARSENAL—PART I 121
Learn to discern the spirit of the one with whom you are agreeing. If you
agree with the word of the enemy—by listening to bad reports he whispers
in your ear or sends by way of someone else—you are in wrong agreement.
Agree with what the Word tells you or the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.
Invite the Holy Spirit to be present before you even start to pray. Pray in
one accord with Him.
Binding and Loosing: Our Keys
Once you have come into agreement with the Holy Spirit, you will need
to use your power of attorney in Christ Jesus to stop the plans of hell and
release the purposes of heaven. Jesus has given His followers two effective
weapons for doing this: binding and loosing. They are Kingdom keys used to
put a lock on Satan's power and unlock the power of God.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever
you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and
whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven
(Matt 16:19).
What then is the meaning of the phrase, "shall be bound in heaven...shall
be loosed in heaven"? One Bible translator points out that the verb form is
the perfect passive participle, so the reference is to things in a state of having
been already forbidden (or permitted). This tells us that whatever is bound or
loosed by the believer is done on the basis that it has already been done "in
heaven."
"Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his
property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will
plunder his house" (Matt. 12:29).
The context of this passage finds Jesus casting out demons. The Greek
word for "bind" in the verse means "to fasten or tie-as with chains—as an
animal tied to keep from leaving."3
Binding and loosing is not some kind of spiritual magic and cannot be
used at every whim, such as, "Satan, I bind you off of my lottery ticket" This is
an example of improper binding. It is contrary to the Word of God and would
be for selfish purposes. It has nothing to do with binding and loosing for
Kingdom purposes.
One author has this to say about binding and loosing: "It has to do with
the authority of the Christian in spiritual warfare, and there are often many
factors involved. Binding and loosing is a confident assurance and confession
of God's order and government over against the disorder of a sin-cursed,
122 BECOMING A PRAYER WARRIOR
demonized world."4
The Dictionary of New Testament Theology says, "The idea of binding
may also refer back to the picture of the binding of the strong man (that is,
Satan) who must first be bound before his goods (that is, those enthralled by
him) may be plundered (see Matt 12:29 Parallel; Mark 3:27, see also Luke
11:21). Thus Peter would be promised the power that Christ had to bind the
powers of evil and to liberate men, and this would hold good not only on
earth, but also in heaven."5
In order to bind the strong man. you must first know who the strong
man is. It can be a principality, power, ruler of darkness in this world or a
spiritual wickedness in high places (see Eph. 6:12). This is discerned through
prayer and must always be within the will and timing of God. Many times
fasting must accompany that prayer. When the man asked Jesus why His
disciples could not cast the demon out of his son, He replied, "But this kind
does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (See Matt 17:14-21.)
Every individual believer has the right and authority to call down or
resist the devil and bind the strong man. You as an individual will be singled
out and challenged by the spirits of darkness. Or you will be called into war
against the powers over your home, church, city, etc.
Binding and loosing demonic spirits or powers of higher-level spiritual
dominion is definitely something you do not want to do without knowledge
of what you are doing. When calling down strongholds, you may assist
another in prayer and agreement as you learn, but never work alone. You
must know your spiritual jurisdiction.
There can be serious repercussions if this is done outside of the realm of
authority directly related to the order and authority of the Church. The
hierarchy of darkness (see Eph. 6:12) understands authority and the chain
of command of God's people. Moving without the proper authority is very
dangerous to you and can create havoc within the church, etc., in which you
are ministering.
To what then does the loosing refer? To setting the captive free! Do you
recall the story of Jesus healing the woman who had a spirit of infirmity for
18 years? Jesus told her, "Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity." (See
Luke 13:11,12, KJV.)
The Greek word for "loose" is defined in the lexicon as "to loose
anything tied or fastened; to loose one bound; to set free; to discharge from
prison. To free from bondage or disease (one held by Satan) by restoration
to health."6
James M. Freeman, in his book Manners and Customs of the Bible,
explains the common usage in Jewish schools for the words "bind" and
THE CHRISTIAN ARSENAL—PART I 123
"loose." To "bind" is to "forbid," and to "loose" is to "allow." Binding and
loosing is prohibiting and permitting. In the Aramaic language, which Jesus
used, it was a customary expression to denote the highest authority.
Jesus gave Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus asked
Peter who He was, Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"
(Matt. 16:16). Then Jesus went on to say, "Upon this rock (revelation) will I
build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. I will give
you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you shall bind on
earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall
be loosed in heaven" (vv. 18,19). Not only did Jesus give the keys to Peter, but
He gave them to His Church as well.
To bind is to secure the enemy with pressure so he cannot move. To
loose is to gain liberty using the Word of God. Binding refers to the enemy,
while loosing refers to the victory.
There is no formula for binding and loosing. It must be done by
revelation of His Spirit; however, the following is an example of the way you
might pray in dealing with the devil concerning a loved one:
I speak to you, Satan, in the mighty and precious name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth. I take authority over you and bind all demonic
spirits assigned to (name of person). Loose (name of person) and
let him go free in the name of Jesus. I demand that you stop your
maneuvers against this child of God. (name of person) is covered
by the blood of Jesus, the precious Lamb slain for him.
(You might bind anything the Lord speaks to your heart as you
pray. The Spirit of the Lord will lead you.)
Lord, I ask that Your will now be done, and I thank You. In Jesus'
name and by His authority. I declare it done.
Thank You, Lord, for watching over Your Word to perform it, in
Jesus' name. Amen.
Now that you understand your Kingdom authority, you are ready to
become a praying warrior. This will be accomplished as you learn to buffet
your body and enter into the power available through a disciplined Christian
life.
