The-Believers-Authority-Study-Guide

Content

1. Using our Authority under Jesus

2. Spiritual Laws of Authority

3. A New Level of Faith

4. Using our Authority Responsibly

5. Exercising our Spiritual Authority

6. Ministering in Authority

7. The Spirit of Prevention

8. Spirit of Witchcraft/Christian Witchcraft

9. Spirit of Jezebel

10. Spirit of Python

11. Spirit of Leviathan

12. Weapons for Overcomers Jesus’ Authority Under the Father Lesson 1

Jesus came with all authority His Father’s name would bring. Jesus knew that He had His Father’s authority, and that His right to use it was contingent on His maintaining intimacy with His Father.

“I can do nothing on my own authority…because I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me want” John 5:30

“The Son can do nothing on his own; he does only what he sees His Father doing” John 5:19

“I do nothing on my own authority, but I say only what the Father has instructed me to say” John 8:28

Jesus was a man under authority. The source of His authority was his intimacy with the Father. He spent hours in prayer with the Father, cultivating a precious relationship. He kept his will lined up with the Father’s will, seeing to it that He always obeyed him and that he did nothing except with the Father’s agreement. Jesus’ intimacy with the Father enabled Him to both maintain His authority and to get God’s instructions concerning what the Father wanted Him to do.

Our own authority is powerless without intimacy with the Father. Intimacy and hearing God are linked together. Jesus was always listening for what the Father wanted to do. For us to walk in this authority, we must be continually in communication with the Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit came on Jesus at baptism and he started to minister in authority and power beyond anyone’s expectations or understanding. Luke 4:36 say, “What kind of words are these? With authority and power this man gives orders to the evil spirits and they come out!”

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18)

From the authority given to Jesus from the Father as a result of his obedience, this authority has been commissioned to us. Therefore intimacy is essential for us to fulfill this commissioning.

“Go then, to all people everywhere and make them my disciples; baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded them.” (Matthew28: 19-20)

Authority is the God-given right to receive and use God’s power that flows from the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus gave His followers the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49), the source of His power, and advised them to keep close to Him (John 15:1-17)

A. Authority is based on our position in Christ and not our feelings. B. Authority is not based on a personality type or a gifting. It is given to everyone and is rooted in our position as members of God’s family. Jesus wins this authority for us legally through His victory on the cross and from the tomb. C. Authority should be seen as something that belongs to us. God entrusts it to us and we are to manage it. “A person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful” (I Corinthians 4:2) We are to treat this authority as something precious, something we do not own but are trusted to manage, lent us by the One to whom we have committed our lives. We dare not consider it a right or legacy with which we can do anything we want.

Status Authority is authority delegated to those in positions such as head of family, head of church, head of state, teachers, or those in leadership positions. They carry with them God-given authority that is proportionate with the responsibility those positions have to carry out their duties. Often we grant authority to those who have wealth, schooling or high status, and those prominent in business, education, athletics, music, politics, or in the medical field. We grant a certain amount of authority to set standards or influence us and God gives a certain amount of authority and responsibility automatically to those in such positions. (James 3:1)

Genesis 1:28 seem to indicate that everyone has been given a certain amount of authority over creation.

Personal intimacy authority is directed from God and unrelated to status. This type of authority is “God-ordained and God-sustained.” Richard Foster says in Celebration of Discipline,

“When people begin to move into the spiritual realm they see that Jesus is teaching a concept of authority that runs completely counter to the thinking of the systems of this world. They come to perceive that authority does not reside in positions, or degrees, or titles, or tenure, or any outward symbol. The way of Christ is in another direction altogether: the way of spiritual authority. Spiritual authority is God-ordained and God-sustained. Human institutions may acknowledge this authority or they may not: it makes no difference. The person with spiritual authority may have an outward position of authority or may not; again, it makes no difference. Spiritual authority is marked by both compassion and power. Those who walk in the Spirit can identify it immediately. They know without question that submission is due the word that has been given in spiritual authority.”

Fellowship with God is crucial. We need to be in constant communion with Him as there is an important intimacy requirement for those who care this authority. Like Jesus, we need to learn, during times of intimacy with God, what He wants us to do with His authority, and then go out as Jesus did to exercise that authority in the world.

We must distinguish between authority that is naturally built into the position and the presence or absence of this special God-given authority we as believers have been granted. David refused to attack King Saul because of his God-ordained position as king even though Saul’s behavior showed he neither deserved the position nor retained the special spiritual authority that comes from closeness to God. He continued to have status authority but not the personal intimacy authority that servants of God are meant to exercise. David possessed the personal intimacy authority but not yet the status authority of the position of king.

Personal intimacy authority comes from spending time with Jesus. This relationship is reflected in John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.” This authority does not come from position or a title but from the towel. We are called to serve. (Matthew 20:26-28)

A leader with spiritual authority knows God and his ways and demonstrates this in his life. “A leader does not seek spiritual authority, a leader seeks to know God.”1

Ten Commandments of Spiritual Authority2 1. The ultimate source of authority is God. He it is who provided this “power base” to undergird ministry. 2. This authority is delegated to God. We are only channels for it, not owners of it. 3. We are responsible to God for how we exercise the authority He gives us. 4. True Christian leaders will recognize God’s authority whenever it is manifested in life situations, whether through themselves or through others. 5. Persons in authority are subject directly to God, not indirectly through other authority figures. 6. Refusal to obey others in authority over us is actually rebellion against God, not just against the human instruments of that authority (Romans 13:2) 7. If we are rightly subject to God’s authority, we will seek and recognize other spiritual authority and be willing to be subject to it. 8. We are never to exercise spiritual authority merely for our own benefit. 9. If we are truly working in spiritual authority, we do not need to insist that others obey us. That is their responsibility before God. 10. God himself can be depended on to defend our spiritual authority. We do not need to assert it in such a way that we are defending ourselves.

Activation:

Determine to implement one aspect of your spiritual life that will help you know God better. Write down ways you are recognizing your authority that God has given you.

1 Clinton, Dr. J. Robert, The Making of a Leader (1988) Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress 2 Kraft, Charles H., I give you Authority (1997) Grand Rapids, MI: Chosen Books p90

3 Spiritual Laws of Authority Lesson 2

God does not violate our free will.

God doesn’t control your life without your consent or agreement. He will not make you receive what he has already provided for you. Rather he chooses to move in your life through cooperation and agreement. You cannot pray for something, act in a contrary way, and expect God to answer your prayer.

1. Obedience gives us greater authority. Knowledge for knowledge sake does not give you authority. It gives you position. 2. Obedience comes from time spent with God because the closer we come, the more that is asked of us. This brings us closer to the throne. We have to have current obedience to do regardless of what appears in the natural. 3. Jesus suffered out of obedience. It gave him more authority. We are taught that suffering is a lack of faith. We do not look for suffering but there will be pain when we obey God.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (his way of doing and being right) and then all these things will be given to you.” Matt 6:33

4. Submission is when you don’t want to do it but you do anyway. 5. The release of God’s power in your life is directly proportional to how you believe about Christ’s authority in you. a. We are partakers of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1:3-4) b. You and I have the same essential qualities as Jesus when we were reborn by the word of God. (John 1:16; I John 4:17) c. Every follower of Christ must comprehend “what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power” (Ephesians 1:19) We all agree that our Lord has this immeasurable, unlimited power but would you say the very same thing about ourselves.

This is why Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” John 8:32

4 6. Being a man-pleaser hinders our faith. It will keep us from believing. “The fear of man brings a snare.” Proverbs 29:25 Chose to press through what others think and receive. (Mark 5:25-26) a. Your life moves in the direction of your dominant thoughts. (Proverbs 23:17) b. Satan uses lies and deception as a means to frustrate, hinder, or stop us from being effective for the Kingdom of God. c. Satan tries to dominate our lives through fear to cripple us from accomplishing what God wants to do. (II Timothy 1:7)

“All who receive God’s abundance grace and are freely put right with Him will rule in life through Christ.” Romans 5:17

“Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.” I John 2:6

“The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works.” John 14:1

There is not one demon spirit, fallen angel, or even Satan himself who has power or authority over us. We reign supreme because of our position and authority in Christ.

According to Revelations 5, Jesus received: Jesus took back authority over:

1. All power (might & dominion) 1. Every created thing in heaven 2. All riches 2. Every created thing on earth 3. All wisdom 3. Every created thing under the earth 4. All might (in Hades) 5. All honor 4. Every created thing on and in the sea 6. All majesty, glory & splendor 7. All blessing

This is what we have through intimacy with Jesus Christ. This is what we inherited. This is the authority we carry. Therefore we have power and authority over: • The wind, sea & land (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24) • Sickness & disease (Matthew 4:24; 7:21-22; Acts 9:34) • Can heal from a distance (Matthew 8:8-13; 15:28; Luke 7:7-10) • Finances (Matthew 17:27; 14:19; 16:27-31) • Relationships (Acts 3:16; 4:8-10; 11:14; 16:27-31) • Curses: generational, word curses spoken by others or ourselves (Deut. 28:9-20) • Enemies/demons (Matthew 17:18; Luke 7:21; Mark 5:1-19) • Death (Luke 7:14-15,22; John 4:21; Acts 20:9-10

5 Power and Authority are not the same.

Power

Gift given to you from God Power can be momentary or continual We can choose to use it or not We can use it for our empire or for God’s kingdom (Pharisees/King Saul/Paul) Power has a temporal nature We can have a power encounter and never change Power is recognized after it happens. Power to do the miraculous Gifts & callings are not irrevocable.

Authority

Authority is bestowed upon you. Authority is not a gift but the result of a relationship. Authority increases as your relationship increases. Kings rule with authority. Authority is the ability to stop what is evil and do what is good. Authority precedes power. Authority causes a reaction. Authority is recognized before it happens. We have authority over the seen and unseen.

Moses had authority and power because of his intimacy with the Lord. This is what we have through intimacy with Jesus Christ. Shifting from a slave mentality to a kingly mentality awakens us to our access to God, how we can enjoy his presence, chat with him, receive guidance, encouragement, or rest in our time with him, and then be invigorated and empowered to walk in the fullness that Jesus did. Demons respect authority and order. 1

Activation:

Seek the Lord about your mentality. Is it based on being a slave or a king? What can you do to go from being a pauper to a prince/princess?

1 Jackson, John Paul Audio teaching 2010

6 A New Level of Faith Lesson 3

God wants to bring us to a level of faith where we are not moved by anything. He wants to bring us to a place where our prayers and violent faith usher in boldness and an authority that will defeat the powers of darkness in our lives and will ultimately determine the outcome of our situation. Oswald Chambers in his book, My Utmost for His Highest, defines violent faith, as “God’s divine strength imparted by His spirit”.1 God wants to see victory come in our situations through the power of His Holy Spirit and our faith. God wants to catapult us to a place of faith that is beyond wishful thinking and beyond the boundaries of religion and tradition. It even goes beyond the definition of what you understand faith to be. He invites us to go into the lions’ den with Daniel to see God close the mouths of the lions or Esther when she goes before the king and has the golden scepter extended to her.

He wants us to take seriously:

“For without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6)

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

“…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

The Word declares us to be:

♦ You are an heir of God and joint heir with Christ. (Romans 8:16-17) ♦ You are the anointed one. (Isaiah 61:1-3) ♦ You are chosen. (I Peter 2:9) ♦ You are His glorious church. (Ephesians 5:26-27) ♦ You are the redeemed. (I Peter 1:18-19) ♦ You have authority and power. (Luke 10:19) ♦ You have a destiny. (Jeremiah 29:11) ♦ If you submit yourself to God, you can resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) ♦ We have the power of life. (Proverbs 18:21) ♦ The greater one is inside me. (I John 4:4)

1 Chambers, Oswald My Utmost for His Highest (Nashville, TN: Discovery House Publishers, 1992)

7 ♦ We have victory through Jesus and are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37) ♦ I am the head and not the tail. (Deuteronomy 28:13) ♦ No weapon formed against me shall prosper. (Isaiah 54:17) ♦ No matter what I go through, God will be with me. (Isaiah 43:2-3) ♦ With God’s stripes, I am healed. (Isaiah 53:5) ♦ I can pull down fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) ♦ I have complete control over my mind. (2 Corinthians 10:5) ♦ God provides for all my needs. (Matthew 6:39) ♦ I don’t have to fear or dread terror or any other calamity that threatens me. (Psalms 91)

We will never rise above what we believe in our self-image. We must come into agreement with what God says in order to fulfill our potential and God’s divine plan and purpose for our lives.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ 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 the body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 1:18-22

We can boldly approach the throne of God. (Hebrews 4:16)

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea’, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:22-25

8 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5-7

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. I John 3:10

Conditions to walk out as Jesus did.

1. Must have faith. 2. Must remain in Christ. 3. Must believe and not doubt. 4. Must ask. 5. Must speak it out. 6. Must receive. 7. Must forgive and receive forgiveness. 8. Must love one another. 9. Must obey his commands. 10. Must know that he lives in us. 11. Must show ourselves as his disciples. 12. Must bear good fruit.

Activation:

What two conditions do you need to fulfill so that your faith increases. Share with someone and then make a conscious effort to implement these into your life. Observe the answers to prayer you receive in return.

9 Using our Authority Responsibly Lesson 4

With our authority comes the responsibility to use it for God’s purposes. If we don’t rebuke the devil, he will not be rebuked. If we don’t drive him back, he will not leave. It is up to us. Satan knows our authority, but hopes we will stay ignorant. We must be as convinced of our authority as the devil is.

Misuse of Authority

1. When the person given authority is exalted. Unfortunately, many who have been exalted by God turn aside from His ways and misuse the authority they have been given, turning that authority into a counterfeit. King Saul misused the authority given to him. James and John tried to exert their authority to gain position for themselves. 2. When those without power are hurt. God speaks harsh condemnation against those who misuse their authority to harm others. (Malachi 3:5; Mark 12:40; James 3:1) David misused his authority and was guilty of both adultery and murder. Using words to oppress, intimidate, putting people down, cause guilt or shame, making verbal statements that stem out of selfish ends, or placing labels upon the individual that crush their spirit are examples of spiritual abuse by leaders. 3. When scripture is mishandled. Authority is misused when pastors or exhorters quote Scripture in such a way that people feel unnecessarily condemned. There are actions and attitudes we need to condemn that are biblical but this misuse is a misrepresentation of God using the Scriptures. 4. When people are led from God Religious or political leaders who lead people away from God wield this misuse of authority. King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel led hundreds to worship the Baal gods. (I Kings 16-22) Jeremiah 14:14 inform us about those who speak but are not sent from God. These false leaders often stand for unsound positions with regard to foundational biblical Christian faith, using their authority of their offices to mislead people. 5. When God’s work is opposed. Jesus himself received persecution and death at the hands of those using their human authority to serve the enemy. Leaders in Christian circles use their authority to shut down those that are legitimately following Jesus due to fear of losing position, jealousy of their anointing, or other selfish motives.

10 6. When authority is counterfeit. Great discernment is required for Scripture informs us that many false prophets will arise. We have the responsibility to know the one true God intimately so that we easily recognize the false.

Two Extremes that cause Misuse of Authority

1. Pursuing power rather than character The unwillingness to deal with the inward has opened many to deception. It is more important to pursue a right relationship than to have a formula in His power. As Christians, character should be our first priority and pursuit. 2. False humility Paul stressed to Timothy the importance of not neglecting the gift of God. Neglecting what is entrusted to us is serious. False humility stops people of pursuing God’s gifting in their lives because they are afraid. Pursuing God’s gifting must become priority.

Jesus’ primary teaching method was demonstration.

Jesus was patient with his disciples as he taught them what life in the Kingdom was all about. They got to watch and listen as He carried out His Father’s will. As He walked, talked and carried out His ministry, they learned how to be like Him. He taught them both word and deed. He showed them how to heal and cast out demons. He demonstrated how to use the authority the Father had given Him. Yet the disciples found themselves in the teeth of a storm and Jesus rebuked them for their lack of faith (Luke 8:25). Again in Luke 9, the disciples doubted how Jesus could feed the five thousand. Jesus told them to be creative and use your authority to feed them. He was always teaching and they were consistently learning how to use their authority. We must do the same.

The disciples often responded in harsh ways such as wanting to “call fire down from heaven to destroy them” (Luke 9:54). Jesus refused to allow this and rebuked them for their desire to use their authority irresponsibly. He then showed them how to use the authority he had given them appropriately.

An important part of responsibility is not to neglect it.

1. How often have we neglected the authority given to us by not applying His power to illness, weather, poverty or other life situations that He expects us to deal with as His agents. 2. How many people does Jesus heal directly because we do not participate? 3. How many go unhealed because we who have been commissioned to operate in Jesus’ authority and power have neglected our responsibility?

11 Activation: Prepare better to Fight!

1. Make it a priority to shed ignorance. Examine your belief system regarding your authority. Ask yourself why you do not accept the responsibility God has given you. 2. Shed fear Once people begin to move in spiritual warfare, they often begin to experience fear. Memorize and embrace truth from 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing fear), but He has given us a spirit of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.” 3. Work toward spiritual maturity A choice for spiritual ignorance is a sign of spiritual immaturity. Spiritual maturity involves a Scripture-based recognition of the forces that fight against us, plus the scriptural good news of our authority over those forces. Increase your spiritual maturity by increasing your knowledge of spiritual warfare and advancing your ability in applying this knowledge in your personal life.

Exercising Your Authority Lesson 5

When our wills are lined up with God’s we can and should assert our authority to:

1. To Protect Psalm 94:14, 32 “The Lord will not abandon his people; he will not desert those who belong to him…the Lord defends me; my God protects me.”

a. We have a high level of protection but need to be alert to vulnerabilities for areas not healed that may give the enemy an opening. We gain more protection as we learn more about whom we are in Christ and increase our awareness of the spirit realm. b. We need to claim protection over our lives. i. Home ii. Work iii. Family iv. Specific areas we go 2. To Prevent a. Attacks b. Sickness 3. To Attack

Goals to aim for in our assertion of authority (2 Corinthians 10:8 – 2 Corinthians 13:10)

1. Spiritual authority has a territorial dimension. Paul asserts his authority in 10:12-18 over an area he believes God has assigned him – an area that includes Corinth. 2. Spiritual authority flows from a burden to see a love relationship between those served and Christ (11:1-6). 3. Spiritual authority is grounded in a substantial knowledge of God and His activities in the human sphere (11:6). 4. Spiritual authority must operate without being tied to payment. Paul exercises his spiritual authority as a servant without being a burden (11:7- 12) 5. Spiritual authority involves an uncompromising opposition to charlatans - those who masquerade as true Christian leaders but who teach lies (11:13-15)

6. Spiritual authority serves even to the extent of readily sacrificing and suffering (11:16-33). Paul, in exercising the authority God gave him, has endured incredible hardship on behalf of those he has ministered to, mostly at the hands of those who oppose him. 7. Spiritual authority involves direct revelation from God (12:1-6). Paul was taken up to the “highest heaven” and heard things there “which cannot be put into words, things that human lips may not speak.” 8. Spiritual authority is exercised in weakness and ordinariness, even with God-allowed satanic reminders to keep us humble. In 12:6-10 Paul speaks of his weakness and of the “painful physical ailment”, or thorn in the flesh, that God has allowed “as Satan’s messenger to beat me and keep me from being proud”. 9. Spiritual authority is authenticated through the operation of spiritual gifts (12:12). Paul points to signs and wonders as proving his apostolic authority. 10. Spiritual authority is ready and able to rebuke and discipline those who persist in disobedience (13:1-2) 11. Spiritual authority can be tested by checking the presence and activity of Christ in those who have responded to the message presented by the one who claims that authority (13:5-6) 12. Implied in the passage is the fact that spiritual authority is not contingent on a given personality type. 13. Neither is spiritual authority contingent on one’s ability to preach or communicate in other ways. Spiritual authority precedes these abilities, acting as a life-giver to these means but not restricted by whether or not one is a gifted communicator. 14. True spiritual authority affirms rather than puts down others, encouraging them to operate in all the gifting and authority God has given them. 15. Spiritual authority can be exercised in a multitude of unique ways. Rather than being a mere “doing” thing, it is to be grounded in and exercised out of a person’s very being.1

Prerequisites

1. Ask for the Release of the Holy Spirit Jesus did not begin operating in signs and wonders until after his baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22) He told his disciples to wait until the same Holy Spirit who had empowered him would come upon them. The need to be filled with the Holy Spirit is scriptural. Jesus needed it; so do we. 2. Tend to your spiritual condition God is patient with us, helping us when we fall, knowing that eventually we will learn (Isaiah 42:3; Matthew 12:20). He reads our hearts and makes a

1 Crow, Michael D. “Spiritual Authority: Theoretical, Biblical, Historical.” A doctoral tutorial paper presented at Fuller Seminary, 1996.

clear distinction between our mistakes or rebellion. Allow God to minister to you as you sort through these areas. Repent of all rebellion. He is merciful to those of His children who fall frequently while learning to walk. 3. Accept your authority through Christ Jesus gives us the authority to imitate Him, to be as close to the Father as he was, to do what he did and even more (John 14:12). These are our rights as Jesus’ followers and friends. 4. Gather prayer support It is important to be supported by prayer as we move out in our authority. The more prayer support, the more authority; the less prayer support, the less authority. The kingdom of darkness knows and believes in the power of prayer, and it fears most those who have the most solid prayer backing. Get as much prayer support as you can especially from those who have the gift of intercession. 5. Find a spiritual mentor Mentoring holds us accountable but also provides encouragement and blessing. It is especially important for those of us who assert Jesus’ authority over the enemy to have one or more mentors since we are the ones most likely to be attacked by the enemy.

Activation:

Which prerequisite do you need to add so that you are covered when asserting authority? What is your plan to fulfill what is lacking?

Authority in Ministering Lesson 6

Jesus said that whoever believes in Him will do the works he did and “even greater things” (John 14:12

1. Authority in our personal lives a. Over the past b. Sin c. Trauma d. Current life situations e. House cleaning f. Over our property

2. Authority in our families a. Children b. Spouses c. Extended family

3. Authority in our ministries a. Intercession b. Watchmen to prevent attacks i. Inner circle ii. Outer circle iii. High tower

4. Authority to bless a. Blessing others (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:14) i. Jesus blessed others – children, his disciples, his followers ii. Paul starts each letter with a blessing iii. Old Testament fathers pronounced blessings on their sons b. Blessing people with peace, love, joy or any of the fruits of the spirit c. Blessing those we minister to

5. Authority to Forgive and be Forgiven a. “If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (John 20:21-23) b. Satan often cripples Christians through their guilt and failure to forgive themselves, even after they have repented and given their sins to God. Pronounce forgiveness!

6. Authority to break bondages a. Strongholds of fear, anger, lust, etc. b. Lies & Deceptions

7. Authority to break curses a. Generational b. Self word curses c. Word curses from others d. Vows & Judgments e. Soul ties – Sexual/Controlling

8. Authority for physical healing a. Jesus never prayed for healing; He commanded it (Luke 4:39; Luke 5:13) b. His disciples healed the sick (Acts 2:43; 5:12-16; 14:3; 19:11-12; 28:8-9) i. Stephen (Acts 6:8) ii. Philip (Acts 8:6-7) iii. Ananias’ healing of Saul’s blindness (Acts 9:10-19) iv. Peter and John (Acts 3:1-10)

9. Authority for Inner Healing a. In dealing with deep-level hurts, the Holy Spirit gives us authority to go back deep into a person’s past to bring healing. b. Presenting Jesus c. Healing of lies d. Traumatic events

10. Authority for Deliverance a. Jesus gave us authority to “drive out all demons” (Luke 9:1). b. Demons recognize our authority c. Satan has no access from the inside to those who are spiritually clean (John 14:30; Proverbs 26:2). d. Christians can be demonically influenced from the inside! i. Demons piggyback on human problems – fear, anger, lust. ii. If there are demons, there are automatically emotional or spiritual problems that must be dealt with. iii. Demons have only the authority that a person (often ignorantly) allows them.

11. Authority to Raise from the Dead a. Jesus raised the dead (Luke 7:11-15; Luke 8:41-42, 49-56) b. Jesus commanded His disciples to “Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, heal those who suffer from dreaded skin diseases, and drive out demons” (Matthew 10:8)

c. Peter raised Dorcas (Acts 9:36-41 Authority Lesson 6 – Page 2 d. Paul raised Eutychus (Acts 20:9-12) e. God is still using people to raise the dead. Don’t be surprised if He uses you to do it sometime.

12. Authority over Higher Level Spirits a. Ephesians 6:12; Jude 8-9; 2 Peter 2:10-11; Daniel 10) b. Wise to not engage as an individual c. Unity to break the these powers among church leaders is essential. d. Intense intercessory prayer is essential

Activation:

Step out in faith this week in walking in authority in one of the twelve areas discussed. Bless someone, pray for healing, or trust God to reveal to you someone that needs bondages broken off or help with forgiveness.

18 The Spirit of Prevention Lesson 7

The Spirit of Prevention is anything that purposefully gets in the way of a supernatural breakthrough or miracle that emerges from the natural. It is anything that prevents you from being happy, being prosperous, having health, getting job promotions, having a happy marriage, or coming into your inheritance as a child of God.

Satan’s plan is to stop the will of God and the promises of God from being fulfilled in our lives. He will use every means possible to hinder that plan and prevent it from coming to pass.

In Daniel 10, the Bible says that Daniel prayed and fasted for twenty-one days. It states that the angel of the Lord was fighting against the prince of Persia, which prevented, hindered, and obstructed Daniel’s prayer.

“Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” Daniel 10:12-14

God hears your prayers. A strategy of the enemy is to make you think that your prayers are not being heard, that God doesn’t hear and answer prayer.

“For from the first day…your words were heard.” Daniel 10:12

There are three things you need to know about the devil.

1. He is not omnipotent (all-powerful). If he was really that powerful, he would have killed you before you were saved. Instead, Jesus protected you and has established you for his purpose and plan just as he did Daniel.

2. He is not omniscient (all-knowing). The devil does not know the future; he only knows the present. He does know that he will spend an eternity in torment. He does know that and trembles.

3. He is not omnipresent (everywhere at once). Satan can’t be here and there at the same time. Only Jehovah God is omnipresent. He is everywhere.

How to defeat the Spirit of Prevention

1. Expose it. You must first of all expose that spirit and name it for who and what it is. If you know its name, then you can address it, and it has no more secrecy or power over you. In Mark 5:2-5, the first thing Jesus did was to expose them for who they were. When you identify and expose the enemy for whom and what he is and what he is doing in your family and lives, your power increases.

2. Identify who you are in Christ. We must declare and use the Word of God, proclaim the name of Jesus, and apply the blood to the situation. Recruit people of like faith, like spirit, like anointing, and like destiny to agree with you in prayer for your breakthrough.

3. Overcome the flesh. Overcoming your flesh is necessary because this is one of our greatest hindrances. Paul said that what he wanted to do he didn’t do, and the thing he didn’t want to do is what he did. (Romans 7:15-25) We must constantly deny our flesh, that thing which is easy, convenient, or fun. The enemy is assigned to destroy and they do not give us easily so neither should we.

4. Press in and press on At every stage in life we are encouraged and driven to go after our goals and dreams. Think about what the spirit of prevention is not allowing in your life. Instead of standing still or reaching back, tip your life forward toward the miracles, the financial breakthrough, and restoration of relationships, healing, or the divine purpose of God. Encourage yourself in the Lord your God. God wants everyone of us to press, push, and pursue Him with all of our hearts and birth those dreams, visions, and prayers that He has placed within us. Unless we press and push, the things that have been birthed supernaturally in our spirits will never be born in the natural.

5. Take on a greater boldness. There is a greater boldness that is accompanied by a greater authority that is called a spirit of breakthrough. When we ask, we receive! This kind of boldness is not normal boldness but rather a boldness that comes straight from God. “The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the

20 righteous are as bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1) This aggressiveness in the spirit realm is accompanied by acceleration to prayer.

6. Claim what is yours. As our awareness grows, we need to learn to claim what is rightfully ours. Claiming our rights does not mean we have to remain conscious continually of the threat of the spirit world. Know that both God desires to provide for you.

7. Declare and decree a thing! The word declare comes from the Hebrew achvah, meaning “to make known” or “to set forth an accounting.” Declarations are what we speak into the atmosphere, making known what we already have possession of. We can declare our righteousness, our salvation, our eternal victory and our friendship with God.

By contrast, decrees are a tool by which we cause the truths of the heavenly realm to be manifest into the natural realm so they become our daily reality. We decree healing when we are sick. We decree provision and abundance when we are lacking. We decree peace when there is turmoil. Decrees are a tool to fulfill Matthew 6:10: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven”. Decrees manifest heaven on earth.

The English definition of decree is "a statement of truth that carries the authority of a court order." The same is true with decrees in the spiritual realm. When we decree God’s provision and blessings over our lives, then anything purposed against our provision and blessing can have no further say in the matter. When we decree God’s peace and unity in our family, then anything purposed against peace and unity has no valid objection or standing to come against us.

The biblical context of decrees is that they are the same as the will and purposes of God. Given that serious weight in the spirit, use only Scriptures as the basis for decrees. Often we can get our own idea of how things could or should be, but it is not uncommon for the way God unfolds His plans to look different than what we expect.

Decreeing our own vision can create confusion. Decreeing His will establishes His purpose. Consider the Israelites who missed the Promised Land because it did not look the way they expected it to look. Consider also the Jews who missed their Messiah because He did not do what they expected. Decreeing Scripture releases God’s purposes into our lives without creating confusion or blinding us to His ways.

In Hebrew, decree means "to divide, separate and destroy." This definition reveals more of what happens in the spiritual realm. When we decree, “I am

21 blessed” (inspired by Psalm 112:1), we establish the blessing while separating ourselves from anything purposed against it and destroying the plans of the enemy. When we decree, “My children are strong and full of integrity” (inspired by Psalm 112:2), we divide our children’s strength from their weakness and separate dishonesty and unrighteousness from within their midst and in their hearts. When we decree, “My home brims with wealth” (inspired by Psalm 112:3), we establish our wealth and destroy the spirits of lack and poverty.

The German diktat is the equivalent of our decree and means "a harsh judgment imposed on a defeated enemy that cannot be opposed." The spiritual ramifications are stunning.

Activation: Decree

When we decree, we: 1. Speak God’s blessings upon our lives, 2. Institute the very will and purposes of God, 3. Separate and destroy the plans of the enemy, 4. Impose a judgment the enemy cannot oppose.

That is the power of decrees!1

1 Nixon, Elizabeth Are you Decreeing and Declaring in your Prayer? Charisma Magazine 2014

Authority over Witchcraft Lesson 8

Witchcraft is a power that influences people, gives a place to demon activity, battles against the minds of men, challenges the Church of Jesus Christ, buffets the maturity of believers, hinders church growth, comes against families, marriages and relationships, and frustrates the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christian witchcraft is the misuse of supernatural power for the purpose of manipulating, controlling, and destroying another Christian. It is often rooted in self-rule, self-will, self-love, and self-importance. Its goal is to get or have its own way; to impose one’s will over another.

In Christian witchcraft, all spiritual activity (dreams, visions, prophecies, etc.) appears the same outwardly, but the source from which we draw is no longer God. Instead, we use our Christian weapons to destroy each other and deceive ourselves into thinking that God is giving us these varied forms of revelation. In fact, our false dreams, visions, prophecies, and even certain doctrines are based in a witchcraft spirit because they originate not in God but in the flesh.

Christian witchcraft can be released through the rebellious and the stubborn, both actions described in the Word of God as workings of the flesh. Scripture says, “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” (Galatians 3:1-3)

Have you ever been around a person whose negative body language, tone of voice, stubbornness, or contentious attitude made you feel like you were walking on eggshells around them? Or his or her actions made you feel like he or she would lash out at you at any moment? Did you get a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach? Could that feeling be the result of a subtle form of witchcraft emanating from the flesh (sarx)? Even though nothing much was said, did you still feel some sort of force emanating from the person? Did you understand the nonverbal message? That subtle force from the flesh (sarx) is a form of witchcraft.

The writer who corrected the foolish Galatians, the Apostle Paul didn’t stop there to make this plain to us. He said, “Now the works of the flesh (sarx) are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (unbridled lust), idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance (contention).

When religious activity is not spiritually motivated but carnally motivated it releases a form of witchcraft. Motivation is everything because its source is the heart of man. Religion also releases witchcraft when it intentionally avoids the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Religion releases witchcraft when it is governed by the flesh. The elements of religion are a lack of spiritual sensitivity, legalism and debate, hypocrisy, self righteousness, and a form of godliness that denies the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This religious counterfeit can be identified because it looks like the Church, yet is carnally motivated and disregards the necessity of the dunamis power of God.

There are many religious people in the world who say they are born again yet attack the ministry of the Holy Spirit. They challenge the baptism of the Holy Spirit, miracles, and healing today, speaking in other tongues, prophecy, deliverance, fervent prayer, the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, and much more. Rather than have Holy Spirit administered lives, ministries, and churches, they hold fast to man-made programs, vain traditions, and secular social activities. The elements of religion are a lack of spiritual sensitivity, legalism and debate, hypocrisy, self righteousness, and a form of godliness that denies the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Control is a form of witchcraft. Fear of man and public opinion is a sure sign of being infected by witchcraft, especially in Christian circles. Witchcraft likes to be in control of every situation.

Hidden agendas are indications of witchcraft at work. Congregations are sometimes full of people with hidden agendas. Their purpose is to advance up some sort of imaginary religious ladder. Each rung seems to give them a sense of value. Holding to a hidden agenda is the root to division within a local church. Whenever someone tries to manipulate another for the purpose of advancing a selfish agenda that is witchcraft. Those operating in Christian witchcraft gain their strength and sense of security by controlling others. Without you, they feel helpless and, many times, will go into deep depression. For the most part, those under the influence of witchcraft will not reach the leadership of an organization because the leadership will quickly lose respect for them as they recognize their self-centeredness. 1

An Unbridled Tongue James 1:26 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”

1 Cramer, Dennis (2015-04-06). Breaking Christian Curses: Finding Freedom From Destructive Prayers (Kindle Location 3050). Dennis Cramer Ministries. Kindle Edition.

What were the goals of this curse? ➤ To undermine my spiritual authority, my self-confidence, and my love for God’s people. ➤ To turn me into a weak, insipid, fearful, insecure, skeptical, calloused, hardened, unloving individual. ➤ To cause me to retreat, hibernate, disappear. ➤ To make me become a spiritual recluse, forever isolating myself from God and His people. ➤ To capture me dead or alive — but it would have preferred me dead!

The procedure to follow for breaking and destroying the curse from your life involves five simple steps: 1. Acknowledge your disobedience. Begin with an honest self-appraisal of your life. Remember, you probably caused most of your own problems. 2. Confess your disobedience. Go ahead and say, “Lord, I have been disobedient.” Say it with deep remorse in your heart to God. 3. Repent of your disobedience. This means do something different than you have been doing. Begin doing the right things and stop doing the wrong things. It is that simple. Don’t make excuses, and don’t cut any corners with God. Repent, turn around, and head back toward God and His Word. Obey Him! 4. Ask for forgiveness for your chronic disobedience. Receive God’s gift of total forgiveness right now. Receive gratefully. He is a forgiving Father, and He will forgive you the very second you ask Him to do so. 5. Obey God. Replace chronic disobedience with fervent, radical, militant obedience. Break the cycle. Establish a new precedent. Build a new history with God. The solution is simple: Obey God!

Freeing Yourself from Curses

Step One: Reveal To reveal means to make known, to show plainly. First and foremost, beyond any reasonable doubt in your mind, you need to know if a curse actually exists.

1. Humbly ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any curses spoken against you. It is imperative that you act only on the divine information (revelation) the Holy Spirit provides. Ask for confirmations, collaborating evidence, even other witnesses to establish the presence of a curse. You do not want to merely imagine or suspect a curse may exist. Speculation will not do; you need hard, irrefutable evidence from God. At this stage be more concerned about the curse itself than about who may have cursed you. At least initially, the “what” is infinitely more important than the “who.” Remember, never attempt to attack the person or persons who may have cursed you. According to the Bible you are required to love, bless, pray for, and do good to those who have cursed you. (See Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.)

2. Attack the curse. Once it is clearly established and confirmed by the Holy Spirit that a genuine curse exists, then move on to step two. Do it now! “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions[ symbols of spiritual enemies and demonic power] and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10: 19). It only make matters worse and add strength to the curse. 3. Aggressively respond to the curse! Exercise your spiritual authority! You are dealing with a formidable foe. In many cases, you are dealing with forces so entrenched in your life that they may be difficult to recognize. However, they must go! 4. Do not delay. Delaying the extraction of a curse from your life only strengthens it! Do not give the curse another minute to entrench itself deeper in your life, to “dig in” any more than it already has. Tell the curse it must come out in Jesus’ name! Do it now!

Step Two: Respond To respond means to reply; to react positively and cooperatively. Assuming the Holy Spirit has revealed that a curse exists (step one), how is the next step implemented? You must vigorously respond based on the knowledge the Holy Spirit has provided. You must respond with wisdom, boldness, confidence, and with complete dependence on the presence and power of the Spirit of God. 1. Go on the offensive! You must act! You must break the curse! “The righteous are bold as a lion” (Prov. 28: 1). 2. Do not underestimate this evil power. Do not rationalize away the destructive potential of a curse. “Burying your head in the sand” will only make matters worse and add strength to the curse. 3. Aggressively respond to the curse! Exercise your spiritual authority! 4. Do not delay. Delaying the extraction of a curse from your life only strengthens it! Do not give the curse another minute to entrench itself deeper in your life, to “dig in” any more than it already has. Tell the curse it must come out in Jesus’ name! Do it now!

Step Three: Resist To resist means to withstand the force or effect of something; to fight against. We are told to “resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4: 7). Since the devil is the power behind all curses, to resist the devil is to resist a curse. How then do you resist? To resist means to work against, to withstand, and to oppose. In relation to a curse, there are two different types of resisting.

1. Maintenance Resisting: This type of spiritual resistance will not produce real freedom for the Christian. Applying a maintenance resistance means you gained nothing. You merely continued, preserved, retained, and supported the spiritual status quo, but you certainly have not improved it. After all, it is your present spiritual status that you set out to change in the first place. So, maintaining means the devil wins and the Christian loses. Consequently, you are still under the curse. This type of weak and insipid

resistance only prolongs the spiritual chess match. As long as the devil can keep you in a spiritual stalemate, he wins! A token maintenance or generic resistance will not do. Ultimately, spiritual impotence awaits those who only passively resist. The quality of your Christian experience will diminish to something abnormal, sub-par, and lifeless. You will become powerless and ineffectual. This anemic type of resistance allows the curse to trespass on your life, thus infringing on the life of God within powerless in Jesus’ name! 2. Militant Resistance: You’ve been given the power of attorney by Jesus Christ Himself to unleash His Holy Spirit against any spiritual force in your life that is not of God — and curses are not of God. This resistance stands on the Word of God, prays in faith, taking full authority over the curse, and disarms it in the name of Jesus. Jesus has authorized you to “resist the devil, and he will flee from you!” So go ahead and break the personal curse right now!

Step Four: Release To release means to free from confinement or oppression. You must release yourself from the influence of the curse. Pray this prayer and mean it!

Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You that I am free from any and all curses. I break their influence right now. I render them powerless right now. I absolutely refuse to allow them to occupy any place in my life. I command them to leave! I break them off my life. I thank You that the curse has now been broken. I thank You that my life will never be the same. I thank You that “whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” I believe You love me and only want liberty in my life. You do not want my destruction. You want my joy to be full. I accept Your joy for my life, and I thank You for victory in all areas of

Step Five: Replace To replace means to restore to a former position, to put something new in the place of something else. Now you can begin to replace cursing with blessing. 1. Pray specifically over your life area by area. Claim and confess all of God’s blessings for your life, your family, your church, etc. This important step will take time, but you will reap the benefits of this effort. Remember, you are replenishing your life in areas that have been dry and barren for years. This process may take hours, days, even weeks to complete. Do not hurry! 2. Ask others to join you in faith-filled prayer. You will benefit from the strength in numbers and the power of agreement in prayer. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work” (Eccl. 4: 9, NIV). This is also true as others labor with you in prayer. Receive the blessings others pray over you. A blessing is not a blessing unless it is received. Drink in all of God’s goodness and love that you have been denied because of the curse. “The Lord will guide you continually, and

satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail” (Is. 58: 11).

Step Six: Return To return means to go or come back; to send back to an earlier state. Now you are ready to return blessing on all those who may have cursed you. “Bless those who curse you,” and “overcome evil with good.” In your mind and heart — and using your mouth — bless those who have cursed you. Pray for them not against them. Let there be no vindictiveness in your prayers. This is only possible as you again. Resist any counter-attack by remaining bold, confident, and in charge. We call this “exercising your faith.” Forgive those who may have cursed you and bless them daily. Remember, no spiritual weapon formed against you will prosper — if you do your part. God does the delivering, and you do the overcoming. It is a proven partnership that will guarantee your freedom from any and all curses.

Lord, in Name Jesus, I first of all repent for allowing witchcraft spirits to operate through me. Lord Jesus, please forgive me for hurting others through my words and attitude. Today, I choose to walk in the love of Christ and I make a decision to break Christian witchcraft of the carnal man. Father, in Jesus’ name I take authority over the spirit of witchcraft and I crucify my flesh. I declare right now that it is no longer I that lives but Christ who lives in me and I live by the faith of the Son of God who died and was raised for me. Thank you Lord.

Activation:

Walk through the above steps to be released for the spirit of witchcraft.

28 Spirit of Jezebel Lesson 9

Jezebel – a spirit of seduction that leads people into immorality and idolatry.

Jezebel’s greatest deception is convincing Spirit-filled churchgoers that it is a power- hungry, self-promoting spirit of control that wants to cozy up to the pastor in order to gain a position of spiritual authority in the local church. This is partly true: Jezebel manifests with control and manipulation. But that is merely the low-hanging fruit of a rotten tree. Jezebel has succeeded in distracting the Church from its broader purpose by disguising what it really is— a spirit of seduction that leads people into immorality and idolatry (see Revelation 2: 20) and a partner with Babylon that seeks to murder. 1

It may begin with control and manipulation, but it ends in murder.

Jezebel targets prophetic voices because it wants to shut down the voice of God to make room for false prophetic utterance, which promotes immoral, idolatrous religion.

Jezebel will gladly control, manipulate and work through any hurt, wounded or willing vessel. Never think you are immune to Jezebel’s agenda just because you are not particularly prophetic. You might not hold the office of prophet, but if you have been filled with the Holy Spirit you have the gift of prophecy. And even if you have never sought to be “Spirit-filled,” Jezebel will do its dirty work through you if you will let it.

These are signs of a church where Jezebel has taken over the leadership.

Here is what this looks like in the everyday operations of the local church. Let’s say that a parent is concerned about something inappropriate that happened to a child in the nursery. The senior pastor does not investigate the problem. In fact, he dismisses the complaint because his daughter is the head of the department— and more children suffer.

Or say that a member of the presbytery is offering unwelcomed flirtation to one of the church volunteers, and she confronts him. That presbyter labels the woman a troublemaker, even a Jezebel, and she is made to feel so unwelcome and uncomfortable that she eventually leaves.

1 LeClaire, Jennifer (2013-06-01). The Spiritual Warrior's Guide to Defeating Jezebel: How to Overcome the Spirit of Control, Idolatry and Immorality (p. 17). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition

If a woman with a strong personality has ideas about how to improve the flow of Sunday school children back into the sanctuary and asks to speak to the pastor about it, the administrator feels threatened and labels her a Jezebel. The staff is warned that this Jezebel is looking for a way to get close to the pastor. She is shunned and her valuable insights are ignored.

At times, it seems as though people operating in a spirit of Jezebel are staying o ne step ahead of the game, falsely “discerning” and wrongly accusing others of flowing in this spirit, without understanding the accusations they are making.

Paul’s warning to Timothy: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4: 1– 2).

Romans 1:18-32 outlines a strategy Jezebel uses to woo believers into her murderous grip. Not only is Jezebel a deceiving spirit promoting doctrines of demons, but also it is a patient principality. Jezebel will take its time to seduce someone deeper and deeper into error. Jezebel’s overarching strategy in wickedness is to repress the truth. It will then replace the truth with its reprobate religion.

The Jezebel deception starts with idolatry.

“Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1: 21)

When we know God and do not glorify Him or thank Him for who He is and what He has done, we are behaving like mere fools who do not know God— and we are not walking in the reverential fear of the Lord who called us “out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2: 9).

This principality first tries to shut down the prophetic voice.

Even prophets who stand up for righteousness and refuse to fall under Jezebel’s seductions are not without opposition: They will usually face persecution for preaching, teaching and living an uncompromising message. Opposition can also come from churchgoers who may frown upon the prophet’s cry to avoid the world’s entertainment, like semi-pornographic broadcasts that air on prime-time television. If that does not work, Jezebel is pleased to pervert it so that others either are led away from truth or refuse to listen to true prophetic utterances from the mouth of that vessel.

Labeling someone a Jezebel is far more serious than we might realize. Failing to walk in love in an effort to restore a true Jezebel believer also grieves the Holy Spirit. On the one hand, many in the Church are completely ignorant of the

Jezebel spirit. On the other hand, too many blood-bought believers are falsely labeled Jezebels. I know of a church where it seems that every tenth person who walks through the door is a “Jezebel.”

We have two choices in confronting Jezebel: When we realize a Jezebel spirit is in our midst we can pretend, continue in our place of authority or be obedient to the revelation the Holy Spirit gave you and walk away. In other words, we can hang my confidence on the respect I received from the people within the organization, or we can “count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,” for whom we would suffer the loss of all those things (Philippians 3: 8).

This can be a painful decision. Part of the reason why the decision can be so agonizing was that one would face tremendous persecution after leaving. Those leaving Jezebel’s den are colored with the brush of deception, accused of walking in hurt, woundedness, rejection— and even a Jezebel spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide you.

Those that leave will be sorely persecuted by the Jezebel spirit working through the very people you have co-labored with for years. Mature believers watching from the outside called it psychological warfare.

When you choose the Holy Spirit, God’s glory will rest upon you. Jesus often gives greater sphere of authority and influence. He also will begin to fulfill prophetic words and dreams from years ago in rapid-fire succession. Whereas Jezebel tried to shut down our voices by discrediting us, Jesus opened the doors of utterance among the nations.

Principalities Over Cities and Regions

Whether you call them territorial strongholds, territorial spirits or principalities, there are indeed spiritual forces over some cities that seek to forward the devil’s agenda. From prostitution to drug addiction to gambling to divination— there are many demonic strategies that distract people from the truth and light of the Gospel, and hinder the will of God from breaking in to a city or region. In fact, principalities rule uncontested in some areas of the world where the Gospel is largely shut out— and that is why the Gospel is largely shut out.

According to Ephesians 6: 12, we know that our struggle is not against flesh and blood— it is not against the pimps and drug dealers and witches— but “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” We saw a principality in action in the book of Daniel, which worked to hinder a prayer answer for 21 days (see Daniel 10: 13). We know that principalities and powers try to separate people from the love of God in Christ (see Romans 8: 38– 39). But we also know that Jesus disarmed principalities and powers—“ He made a public spectacle of them,

31 triumphing over them” (Colossians 2: 15). He is now seated at the right hand of God, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named” (Ephesians 1: 21).

The predominant way Jezebel enters an individual’s soul is through hurts and wounds— and the vows (or covenants) that often follow consciously or subconsciously. Many times, those wounds are tied to rejection.

Seven Degrees of Demonic Influence2

Stage One: Regression As it relates to the Jezebel spirit’s ability to influence the soul— the mind, will and emotions— this manifests as backsliding into old behavior patterns. The wounded soul who makes a pact with Jezebel will revert to self-protection and self-vindication rather than relying on God for protection and vindication. Anyone can overcome regression through prayer and praise. And the pact must be broken, of course.

Stage Two: Repression The dictionary defines repress as “to put down by force” and “to prevent any natural or normal activity or development.” Repression is further defined as “a mental process by which distressing thoughts, memories or impulses that may give rise to anxiety are excluded from consciousness and left to operate in the unconscious.” In this stage, Jezebel puts more pressure on its victim, which can influence the victim’s behavior. A once patient and kind person who is repressed by Jezebel may react with anger to a non-threatening situation because it taps in to an old wound. The person being targeted is reminded of the pain, whether consciously or subconsciously, and reacts. Because of the vow, the individual is led by the spirit of Jezebel rather than the Spirit of God. In other words, rather than manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, the individual manifests the fruit of Jezebel, however subtle. There is the potential for the person to become a Jezebelite at this early stage.

What is the fruit of the Jezebel spirit? At the surface level the fruit of the Jezebel spirit includes control, manipulation, flattery, strife, defensiveness, pride, dishonesty, ungratefulness, a critical spirit, overcompetitiveness, intimidation, super-spiritualism, pushiness, attention-seeking, vengefulness, disapproval, over-ambition, independence, disdain for authority, position-seeking, lust, hunger for power and a religious spirit. Just because someone manifests one— or even a few— of these signs, we cannot conclude automatically that a Jezebel spirit is at work. These are earmarks of Jezebel, but they are also earmarks of other spiritual wickedness— including mere works of the flesh. (Galatians 5: 19– 21)

We must rely on the discernment of the Holy Spirit to recognize Jezebel, and we must understand that Jezebel taps in to the appetites of the flesh with its idolatry and immorality.

Stage Three: Suppression Jezebel’s influence becomes more dangerous at stage three: suppression. Suppress means “to put down by authority or force, to restrain from a usual course of action.” Jezebel wants to restrain the real person and usurp his real personality. Suppression is “intentionally excluding from consciousness a thought or feeling.” The result? Jezebel works through the individual without his even knowing it. Here, the Jezebelite begins to yield more of his soul to this wicked spirit. At this stage, the Jezebelite may not even be aware of why he is trying to manipulate a situation with flattery or lies— indeed, he may not even fully realize he is being manipulative. The root of the Jezebelite’s pain, never dealt with, has been suppressed in the soul. Jezebel is now lending its own personality to the victim. When the Jezebelite wins friends or gains power or makes progress toward various other goals by criticizing or using information for personal profit, he is reinforcing the “rewards” of partnering with the spirit of Jezebel. Eventually the Jezebelite gives more and more of himself over to this wicked influence by way of learned behavior.

Stage Four: Depression Depression is an epidemic in today’s society. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression affects about 121 million people worldwide, and is the leading cause of disability. WHO defines depression as “a common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest in pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy and poor concentration.” Although many people experience depression at one point or another, long-term depression can be associated with an evil spirit— and it could be Jezebel. Jezebel may cause this depression, which includes feelings of inadequacy that can lead to the Jezebelite compensating with a prideful or critical stance. Other times, Jezebel swoops in at a believer’s low point to comfort her, usurping her God-given authority in the process.

Remember how depressed King Ahab became when he could not get his way and buy Naboth’s vineyard? Ahab returned home sullen and displeased (see 1 Kings 21: 4). The Bible says he lay down in his bed, turned away his face and would not eat. Sounds like classic symptoms of depression. When Queen Jezebel took over the matter and secured the property, Ahab came out of his depression, and got up to take possession of the land. Elijah also fell into depression after his dealings with Queen Jezebel’s false prophets. The queen issued a threat: “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time” (1 Kings 19: 2). That sent Elijah running a day’s journey into the wilderness. The Bible says he sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die: “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19: 4). He felt isolated and felt sorry for himself. Depression is not manifesting solely in the secular world anymore; it is prevalent in the Church. When Christians

33 are depressed, they are more willing to hand their God-given authority over to another— and less likely to oppose the devil’s wicked plans. Although Jezebel is not the only culprit— or even the main culprit—culprit— in escorting depression into the Church, this spirit will take advantage of a depressed believer. Indeed, the Jezebelite’s closest friends are often emotionally unstable people who are all too willing to give up control over situations in their everyday lives.

Stage 5: Oppression We have all seen natural examples of oppression. To oppress means, “to crush by abuse of power or authority, to burden spiritually or mentally.” Much of world history records the oppression of women through sexism, the oppression of ethnic people groups through racism and the oppression of Christians through religious persecution. Jezebel’s oppression falls into the last category. Jezebel worships false gods— and, like Ahab, it wants God’s people to worship false gods. As demonic influence grows stronger over the Jezebelites, we find that Jezebel works to oppress its victims by isolating them from voices of truth. Jezebel may use witchcraft, also known in the Bible as sorcery.

Jezebel oppresses its victims largely through imaginations. Imaginations are demonically inspired thoughts or images. Jezebel’s victims might hear whispers about being unworthy or unloved, for instance. If the victims choose to vocalize as truth the imaginations that Jezebel releases, just as happens with vows, the words are given power over their lives. When those imaginations are accepted, they can lead to many negative manifestations, physical and otherwise. The voice of Jezebel can bring oppressive fear, as it did with Elijah.

Oppression can also come through spiritual abuse, such as when those in authority seek to control through an obsessive quest for power. Oppression can also manifest as sickness in our physical bodies, overbearing temptations to sin that seemingly cannot be resisted in the flesh, spiritual apathy, a move toward false religious systems, over-emotionalism in any area or even financial pressures and insomnia.

The good news is this: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10: 38). Any believer can break free from Jezebel’s oppression— or help others break free— by exercising his or her authority in Christ over Jezebel. But until the common ground with Jezebel is rooted out— until any vows or covenants or imaginations are broken— Jezebel has a right to continue working its witchcrafts in a believer’s life. The believer must repent and renounce Jezebel to break free.

Stage 6: Obsession Have you ever met someone who has a persistent, disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling? A compelling motivation? This is the definition of obsession. Sumrall outlined positive and negative obsessions. An obsession with Jesus and His Word, for example, is a positive obsession. A negative obsession, by

34 contrast, opens the door for destruction in our lives. A believer with a negative obsession is no longer thinking clearly. Where Jezebel is involved, this is the stage at which the Jezebel deception has taken hold of someone’s mind. The Jezebelite believes a lie and is enslaved to this spirit. When a Jezebel spirit deceives someone, that person begins manifesting high levels of the Jezebel characteristics we discussed earlier. Beyond manipulation and control, this is where Jezebel’s influence becomes murderous. Jezebel will influence a person to murder the reputation of others, split churches, abuse believers in the name of Jesus and bring great harm to themselves through addictions, including with drugs and sex. The obsessed Jezebelite is acting out the will of Jezebel and is too deceived to know it. He may even teach against the Jezebel spirit while flowing in it.

At this point, without divine intervention, the Jezebelite needs a Holy Ghost confrontation from another believer and full-fledged deliverance ministry to break free from this spirit’s dominance. The Jezebelite also needs ongoing counseling, because Jezebel will not give up just because it has been cast out. Remember, the Jezebelite has given this spirit permission to enter, perhaps by refusing to forgive someone or by making a vow with Jezebel. The Jezebelite may not know that unforgiveness is present or forget that a vow was made because the hurt or wound happened in his youth and he does not remember the incident. This is one reason why a discerning deliverance minister— along with the believer’s own training to hear the voice of God— is so vital.

Stage 7: Possession There has been plenty of debate over whether or not a Christian can be possessed by a demon. For our discussion, we can acknowledge that there is a vast difference between oppression and possession. Possession implies full control and domination. Personally, I do not think that a believer can be fully and completely possessed by a Jezebel spirit or any other spirit. But that does not mean that it is impossible to find a churchgoer who is possessed. Do you see the distinction? Not everyone who walks through the church doors, sings in the choir or serves at the altar rail is a Christian. As we consider Christians with Jezebel spirits, we remember that we are three-part beings: spirit, soul and body. I believe that Jezebel attacks our souls and our bodies, but cannot dominate our spirits. I do not believe, therefore, that a Christian can be possessed by a Jezebel spirit. At the same time, I have witnessed firsthand the lengths of the influence this principality can have on even the most knowledgeable believers.

Recognizing Jezebel’s Brand of Deception Understanding Jezebel’s weapons will help you stop it dead in its tracks every time. Remember this: Jezebel cannot control you until it first seduces you (see 2 Kings 9: 30). Jezebel’s first move is to get you on its side. The spirit often begins with flattery (insincere compliments). Jezebel’s flattery might sound something like this: “You are so wonderful. No one sings the way you do. You should be the worship leader here. I don’t know why the pastor doesn’t see the gift of God in you.”

Jezebel often uses soul ties to ensnare its victims. Jezebel works to forge a bond with you so you will trust and follow it implicitly— and so it can ultimately control your mind and behavior. Jezebel also uses isolation tactics to keep you away from others who can speak truth into your life. Jezebel can work this isolation through fear, intimidation, rejection or fatigue. Remember that Jezebel succeeded in isolating Elijah, who ran away from society into the wilderness and even left his servant behind.

Where you find Jezebel, you will usually find its running mates: fear and witchcraft. The Jezebel spirit may try to push its agenda gently at first, but if the target does not cooperate, it quickly escalates its evil plot. Practically speaking, this means that Jezebel’s first line is to use you as a vessel or a eunuch. Jezebel wants to flow through you to do its evil work. Again, Jezebel targets those who are rebellious, weak or wounded, and knows how to use deep hurts and wounds to mislead and exploit.

But if you will not cooperate with Jezebel’s agenda, this spirit will attack you and try to murder your reputation. Jezebel may even accuse you of being a Jezebel to deflect the attention from itself. If the Holy Ghost is showing you that you are using Jezebelic tactics to protect yourself or to get your way— maybe you are manipulating situations by sharing or withholding information from certain people, playing emotional games in relationships to get the upper hand or using sexual innuendos as a tool— you need to repent, renounce that activity, ask and receive forgiveness and ask God to grace you with discernment not to fall prey to Jezebel again.

You also need to look at the inroads Jezebel has into your soul so you can truly walk away from the demon-inspired behavior patterns that are influencing your life and leading you to a dark place. Jesus said Satan had no place in Him (see John 14: 30).

Activation:

♦ What could possibly be in you that could allow Jezebel to undermine or even usurp your authority as a king and priest?

♦ How could Jezebel find a way to get its seductive hooks into your soul?

Take some time for self-reflection and prayer, and ask yourself (and the Holy Spirit) if you have issues with lust, greed or pride. Jezebel flows in sexual immorality and idolatry— and is proud of it. If you have issues with lust, Jezebel has its hooks in you. If you have issues with greed, you have issues with idolatry (see Colossians 3: 5). And, of course, idolatry comes in many forms. If you think that Jezebel cannot deceive you, then you are already deceived.

Jezebel Yoke “Test”3

Are you yoked with a Jezebel spirit?

Place a check on each line that relates to you, your spouse or any blood relative.

__ Patterns of desolation, barrenness, lack of fulfillment or hopelessness __ Patterns of fear, terror and anxiety attacks __ Addictions or eating disorders __ Insecurity and inferiority __ Problem submitting to authority __ Division in relationships and organizations __ Extreme jealousy __ Prophetic ministry used to manipulate for money or position, or to gain attention __ Gossip and false accusations __ Codependent behavior and the need to control relationships or be controlled by others __ Sexual seduction to gain control __ Refusal to repent or ask for forgiveness; also refusal to forgive others in order to remain in control __ Manipulation of others to gain control __ History of chronic dissatisfaction __ Extreme interest in activities that consume majority of time, such as success or sports __ Family history of idolatry __ Struggles with doubt and unbelief concerning God’s faithfulness and His Word __ Performance-orientation and perfectionism __ Having continually to “prove” one’s self-worth

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, it is highly possible that you have been yoked with a Jezebel spirit. Because this is a generational stronghold, its appearance anywhere in your family indicates the potential for your yoking as well.

3 Freed, Sandie (2012-03-15). The Jezebel Yoke, Breaking Free from Bondage and Deception (p. 24). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.

Python Spirit Lesson 10

The python is a serpent that waits patiently for its prey and at the opportune moment strikes. It sinks its sharp teeth deep into its victim, but its bite is not fatal. A python is after one thing: Breath. It slowly coils itself around its victim and begins to squeeze the life out, little by little; as its grip gets tighter and tighter, it chokes and suffocates its prey until all the air is expunged from the prey’s lungs.

Satan is after one thing; like a python he is trying to extract the breath of the Holy Spirit and His anointing from our lives. He wants that breath of life that only comes through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Without the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit we cannot do anything with lasting effect. His word tells us it is not by might or by power, but by His Spirit. (Zechariah 4:6)

Paul faced a spirit of Python in a certain maid who was making money for her masters through soothsaying. Young’s Literal Translation names this the python spirit while most translations described it as a spirit of divination.

Too many believers are letting that “old serpent” coil his way around their lives, choke out what belongs to them, and leisurely enjoy his meal. Christians are being overcome instead of overcoming.

Do you feel as if you are losing your passion for the Lord, for the Word, for prayer, and for praise? Don’t brush it off as a spiritual slump. Understand that this is the python tactic of the enemy. Are you facing battle after battle, problem after problem, in your home, your marriage, your family, your finances, or your job? Begin to recognize this as the work of the python.

The Signs of a python spirit in your life

1. Loss of spiritual desire Spiritual is evidenced by a heart on fire for God. (Psalm 63:11) When you delight in the Lord, nothing else compares. Losing your spiritual desire rarely happens deliberately. It happens slowly – just as the python slowly, methodically begins to tighten his hold on its prey to choke the breath out – and the changes in your heart are subtle. Life issues arise ad begin cutting into your time in the Word. Soon worldly pursuits start taking the place of your pursuit of God. Instead of your heart being on fire, it becomes merely lukewarm.

2. Physical fatigue Many times we face our greatest attacks just before a great promotion or just after a great victory. After a tremendous victory, fatigue left Elijah open for attack and feeling like a failure. Fatigue in your body wears on your mind. Your thoughts get twisted – even thinking of suicide. Elijah told God he wanted to die. After he rested awhile, an angel of the Lord awakened him and fed him.

3. “Lack Attack” There are times when it seems that all of your resources dry up at the same time. Everything starts breaking down at the same time, kids are sick, layoffs are announced – you could be under a lack attack. (Matthew 4:9) The enemy attacks in this way to get you to take your eyes off of God and put your eyes on money. If he can get you worrying rather than worshipping, you will start making decisions based on opportunity rather than anointing.

Remember there are two times in your life when you are especially vulnerable to temptation: when you have nothing and when you have everything. Stay close to God in both the good times and the bad times and he will supply ass your needs according to his riches in glory.

4. Weak prayer life Prayer is discipline. It takes action on your part. It takes faith and persistence. The python strategy of Satan is to squeeze prayer and Bible reading out of your daily agenda. The key o spiritual life is to inhale the Word of God and exhale with prayer.

5. Feeling overwhelmed and hopeless “What’s the use? Why even try? These questions and thoughts about quitting and thoughts about walking away from faith are signs of being under attack by the python spirit. The bible says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12. If the enemy can get you to lose hope, he can get you to stop living by faith. The bible also tells us, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)

6. Old habits and lifestyle resurface Hopelessness draws us back into old habits such as lying, cheating, sexual sins, etc. It begins with a longing for your former lifestyle. When the people of Israel encountered hardship they complained and wanted to go back – to slavery. Do not ignore the warning conviction of the Holy Spirit during this time. The lies of the python are coiling around you to pull you under.

7. Pulling away from godly relationships Have you pulled out of relationships with people at church or with people in your small group? Are more and more of your friends carnally minded rather than spiritually minded? Do not forget who made you. Do not forsake the time and place of prayer. Do not forsake the place of power. Do not forsake the power of partnership.

This spirit wants to:

1. Choke your breath 2. Silence your voice 3. Stop your praise 4. Limit your life 5. Distraction you emotionally, from divine opportunities

Breaking through

1. The power of prayer 2. The power of faith 3. The power of praise 4. The armor of God

Activation: Cancel the devil’s assignment

Cut off every access point that gives the python a chance to wrap himself around your life. Set aside time daily to breathe in the Word of God and breathe out with prayer and praise to God. This is your spiritual breath, and it is critical for you to live a strong, powerful Christian life. And lastly, open your heart to the Holy Spirit, invite Him in, and breathe His fresh wind from elsewhere that will empower you to live the rest of your life on fire for God and passionate about Jesus! 1

1 Franklin, Jentezen (2013-09-03). The Spirit of Python: Exposing Satan's Plan to Squeeze the Life Out of You (p. 6). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Leviathan Spirit Lesson 11

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where no matter what you said, it seemed to be misinterpreted? And the more you tried to explain yourself, the more it seemed to stir up misunderstanding, confusion, anger, hurt feelings, and offense? These are indications that a Leviathan spirit is at work.

Leviathan is a high-level demonic spirit that works to twist communication, create misunderstanding, and damage or break relationship. (Job 41:1-34; Psalms 74) Isaiah 27:1 reveals that it is a fleeing serpent, a twisted serpent. The word bariyach refers to swiftly moving, darting quickly back and forth, doing all it can to stir up chaos and confusion on both sides.

“Leviathan spirit works on both sides of a conflict, wanting to “pierce” relationship, poke holes in unity, and deflate cooperation so that we stop loving one another, honoring one another, and working together to advance the Kingdom.” It is also known as the demon of envy and in the Satanic bible is listed as one of the four crown princes of hell and is a gatekeeper.

“Leviathan whispers wrong interpretations of what is being communicated to trigger offense and “torture” people with hurt feelings, bitterness, and resentment so as to stir up anger, arguments, and overreactions.

Leviathan works to bringing chaos and confusion into communication in an attempt to turn people against one another with the ultimate goal of damaging or breaking relationship.

Leviathan wants to create division because it knows when we are united (with God and one another) we are unbeatable.” 1 It operates as a gatekeeper to prevent us from entering into all that God has for us, the area we live in, and to stop us from being effective in our assignments.

We give place to this spirit and invite it to rule and reign when we enter into pride, jealous, envy, and wrong motives for power.

1 Hotchkins, Robert Leviathan Exposed. P33, XP Publishing (2015) Maricopa AZ

Job 41:34 tell us that Leviathan is king over the sons of pride. From this we know that this principality rules and reigns over people who are “of pride”. Pride is about selfishness, valuing and preferring ourselves, our agenda, our perspectives over anything or anyone else. a. Pride is easily offended (How dare he say that!) b. Easily irritated (That’s not what I said!) c. Easily embittered (“I am never speaking to her again!) d. Has no problem breaking up relationship based on misunderstanding. e. It feels like it is our thoughts, our reactions, and our choice. f. Because Leviathan wants to usurp authority, the greater sphere of influence you have been entrusted with, the more likely this spirit will target you.

Taking back Regions

Regional spirits have the right to stay because the people have wounds that allow it. Mark 5:1-20 The man living in the region of the Gerasenes. We know this was a region spirit because the Legion did not want Jesus to send them out of the country (area) verse 10. As soon as Jesus stepped out of the boat, the regional demon met him. We too will meet regional demons that are guarding the land. We must not have anything in common with them so we can remove them from the land. Legion lived among the tombs (monument setup to recall the past or the trauma that wounded you to cause you to be continually affected by it) Dwell means to be influenced by a wound in the soul. This spirit controlled this man and the other people in the region. This spirit caused this man to lose his mind, caused the pigs to dive over the cliff, and caused the people to plea that Jesus leave their region. Both legion and the people told Jesus to not send them away and for Jesus to leave. It gives regional spirits legal rights to stay and this comes through woundedness in their souls.

This gives us insights into how to get healing and breakthrough. Sin and offense wounds the soul. People are living daily in chronic offense. Road rage, waiting in line, restaurants, mails, shootings at each other, businesses, churches. This sin has wounded people in mass numbers and dwell among the tombs. These spirits have influence over these people to keep them in offense.

1. When the pigs were drowned, the people got offended because their livelihood was destroyed. 2. When the man under the control of the regional spirit was healed, he sat in his right mind; wounds were healed, and clothed. He was healed of his diseases and mental disorders. Offense puts physical diseases upon us as well. When our soul gets healed, we will get healed from bacterial diseases. Genesis 9 gave Noah dominion over everything including the creepy crawling things. (cellular)

3. We cannot have anything in common with regional spirits. Legion said what is in common between us? Jesus had nothing in common with this 6000 strong legion spirit. We must get our soul healed and not have anything in common with it. Greed – poverty- addiction-pride-religious spirit-rejection-offense

Keys:

1. Humility – Choosing humility connects us to the power and victory of the cross. Jesus did not hold our wrongs against us-just the opposite. He forgave our wrongs and chose to serve us even when were maligning Him, speaking ill of Him, lying about Him, treating him unfairly, and persecuting Him. When we go low and embrace humility, instead of being offended by what others did to us, we start taking responsibility for how we are responding. 2. Repentance – Jesus gave no place – in his heart, thoughts or words – to Satan or his minions. “Jesus had nothing in common…” John 14:30 neither should we. Repentance removes from our hearts and lives things that are “landing strips” for the enemy. Acts 3:19-20 shows us that not only are our sins forgiven and landing strips for the enemy removed when we repent, but it opens a door in the spirit so that “times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”. 3. Love – Even if someone does something offensive toward you, you have the power in love to refuse to take up an offense. You were created in love, by love, and for love to be a victor not a victim. Each morning before getting out of bed, ask God to give you grace to not be offended. 4. Listening – James 1:19 tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Good listening skills are a powerful tool to nullify chaos, confusion, and hyper-reactiveness in responding. Partner with the Holy Spirit in listening and hearing. It opens the door for God to give us insights and understandings that will unravel deceptions and distortions. 5. Guard communication – Proverbs 18:21 tells us that our tongue has the power of life or death. When a twisted spirit is in operation, we must guard our words carefully. 6. Decrees – Declaring the word of God releases eternal truth into situations that are temporarily overcome by momentary facts. Facts change. Truth does not. The declared truth of God’s word penetrates temporary circumstances, tears down the walls, and establishes divine truth into a situation. 7. Wisdom – Cry out for true wisdom instead of listening to lies from the enemy. Discern whether your perspective is correct is essential. Seek the Lord for correct hearing, appropriate response, and authority over the situation, and tons of love. 8. Walk in the Spirit of Christ – The Holy Spirit is our mentor in these situations. The Holy Spirit can guide you to walk, talk, think and act like Christ. Do the opposite of whatever the darkness tells you.

Prayer:

Jesus, I invite you into my situation. I declare that you are wielding the fierce, great, and mighty Sword of Your Word against Leviathan. Have your way! Bring forth your truth! King of Glory, you that you are coming into this battle. You are mighty. You are invincible. Leviathan is defeated in our midst. I decree that You have set me, and everyone involved in this situation free from every trap of Leviathan that would ensnare us in misunderstanding, offense, anger, or confusion. As you lead us into all truth, I declare that deception and disagreement fall away. Thank you for shining the light of Your truth upon every one of our communications. I declare that the darkness of Leviathan’s lies, misrepresentations, and manipulations are all shattered. We grab the head of the Leviathan, crush it under our feet, burn it up with the fire of the Holy Spirit, and toss it into the abyss.

No weapon formed against me shall prosper. Every tongue that rises up against me in judgment or false accusations is negated and condemned. The enemy’s schemes, attacks, and confusions are rendered null and void.

Thank you, Lord, that you surround me with your favor as a shield, and you are a glory in my midst. I am covered and protected. I will see the goodness of God in the midst of these attacks. Praise you, Lord, that you give me peace as the enemy is crushed beneath my feet. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Weapons for Overcomers Lesson 12

The Power of Prayer

Prayer changes the atmosphere and shifts things in the spirit realm. In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonian church he exhorted them to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). Prayer is that holy communication with heaven that creates an atmosphere for God’s presence.

When we begin to pray, there is a Holy Ghost outpouring. When we begin to pray, earthquakes will happen in the Spirit. The enemy is not afraid of how long we shout. He is afraid of how deeply we pray. If a man can pray, he can do anything. Heaven and earth will take notice, because prayer is the power on earth that moves the power in heaven.

Prevailing Prayer

Prevailing prayer is vital in the life of every believer. Prevailing prayer is that consistent, insistent, continual life of communication with God. It’s not something you do; it is a part of who you are. It is a part of what Christ means to you. You cannot separate it from who you are. With that kind of life of prayer you will know victory. Everything God wants to do is linked to prayer.

Prevailing prayer is Hezekiah after he received the threatening letter from Sennacherib, king of Assyria, boasting that God would not protect him or Jerusalem from destruction (Isa. 37). Instead of internalizing that fear, Hezekiah went in faith and presented the letter to the Lord. “Then the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead” (v. 36).

In Isaiah 38 Hezekiah was faced with a death sentence. He cried out to God, who heard his prayer and granted him fifteen more years. Prevailing prayer can win battles, it can add years to your life, it can conquer cancer, it can defeat heart disease, and it can cause a stroke to turn around and go back where it came from.

Prevailing prayer was necessary to cast a demon out of a young boy. Jesus was returning with Peter, James, and John from the mountain

where they witnessed the supernatural transfiguration. As they approached, a desperate father made his way through the crowd. He had a son who had been afflicted by a demon of epilepsy since his birth. He had taken the boy to the other disciples, but they were not able to help. So he knelt down before Jesus and pleaded with Him to help. “Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour” (Matt. 17:18).

Prevailing prayer breaks the faith barrier. The other nine disciples had enjoyed Jesus’s presence but had not learned to assimilate His power in their lives. A lot of times we get into God’s presence, but it doesn’t do anything for us in real life. We don’t learn to draw from His presence and use that to operate in His power and authority. The man in Matthew 17 brought his son to the disciples with a plea of “help me.” They tried, but they could not help. They were lacking time in prayer, time in fasting—and faith.

The Power of Faith & Love Faith is one of the fruit of the Spirit. Fruit isn’t just produced at full maturity. It starts out as a seed, grows into a tree, produces a bloom that fades to reveal the immature fruit, and then the fruit is nurtured until it reaches maturity. Our faith in God has to be constantly fed, nurtured, and cultivated. You may hit barriers in your faith walk, but do not let that discourage you. Barriers can be broken. You can go as high as you believe God can take you.

Faith works by love. Galatians 5:6, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (NIV).

The highest level of faith is perfect love. Perfect love is love without an agenda. Perfect love forgives. When you move into the realm of perfect love, you enter into what Jesus entered into when He went to the cross.

We don’t have to wrestle with the gates of hell. We need to break the prayer barrier and move in faith into perfect love. We have the keys to the gates, but we must break through to the highest level of faith to use them. If those keys will work on the gates of hell, they will work anywhere—the keys to financial blessings, the keys to miracles and healing, the keys to signs and wonders.

The Power of Praise We should not be the ones tossing and turning all night. We should not be filled with fear and anxiety. When the people of God are worried, the wrong camp is worried. We need to cause a nightmare in the camp of the enemy. Gideon returned to his small band of three hundred soldiers. He

gave each one a trumpet, an empty pitcher, and a torch to hide under the pitcher. They divided into three groups and surrounded the camp of the enemy on three sides. “Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, ‘The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!’” (Judg. 7:20) It caused such fear and confusion in the enemy’s camp that they turned on each other, killing one another as they fled.

We are equipped to cause nightmares for the enemy. One of the greatest threats to the enemy is a broken vessel. One of the three “weapons” of Gideon’s army was broken clay pitchers. But God used those broken vessels to defeat the enemy.

It is not your strength but your brokenness that God uses. It is not your gift but your yieldedness; it is not your independence but your dependence on Him that prevails. Resist sickness. Resist depression. Resist fear. Resist divorce. Resist poverty. Resist lack and limitation. Stand up and say, “No! I’m not bowing down for you to run me over. I’m not going to give you a foothold so that you can gain higher ground. I resist you in the name of the Lord!”

Paul and Silas were arrested and revival broke out. They were beaten and thrown into prison. But at midnight the two began to pray and praise God. If they couldn’t sleep, neither would the devil. You can bring God into your circumstances—out of brokenness, out of darkness, out of a beating— when you begin to praise Him. Revival broke out, and prison doors opened. If your problems are keeping you up at night, it is time to start keeping the devil up with your praise.

Here are a few more things to remember about praise:

1. Praise is a weapon. Some things will not break loose until you shout a good “Hallelujah.” Praise is a weapon. It brings victory. It brings deliverance. It helps to make a way where there is no way.

2. Praise activates the spirit world. We need to realize that singing praise to God also activates angels, which are called “ministering spirits” (Heb. 1:14).

3. Praise confounds the enemy and releases the power of God.

4. Praise is a lifestyle. Praise is something you do every day. Praise is something with which you fill your mind all week long. You have to live a life of praise if you want to loose the deadly grip of the enemy.

5. Praise is often simply recounting the faithfulness and greatness of God in times past. We frequently see David and other Old Testament writers reminding the people of God to remember His faithful, wondrous acts.

6. Praise frees others too. When we begin to praise God in spirit and in truth, other people are listening and may be blessed. When Paul and Silas praised and the earthquake brought deliverance, “everyone’s chains were loosed” (Acts 16:26). When you praise the Lord in your house, you create an atmosphere where deliverance can come to everybody around you.

7. Praise must be wholehearted. If you want to get a release of God’s power in your life, you can’t be halfhearted about your commitment to God by serving Him halfway; you have to go all the way. You can’t get the blessing if you’re only half-changed or you only offer Him halfhearted praise. The key is to go all the way with God. 1

Activation:

It is time to rise and shine your way through your problems. Meditate on Psalms 18 and Psalms 91 to help you grasp the depth of the covering you have over your life because of the love of the Father.

1. When God starts pouring light on your situation, get up, arm yourself with your spiritual armor (Ephesian 6) and take a stand against the enemy. 2. Follow God’s leading as he directs your path to freedom. 3. Commit to prevailing prayer. 4. Praise, praise, praise the God of the breakthrough. 5. Give thanks as you experience God’s wind of change sweep everything out of your path.

1 Franklin, Jentezen (2013-09-03). The Spirit of Python: Exposing Satan's Plan to Squeeze the Life Out of You (pp. 184-185). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

48 About the Author

Lois is an anointed teacher, author, speaker, counselor, and deliverance minister. She is president of Empowering Life Center, an equipping and training ministry and owns her own counseling business. Over the past thirty years, Lois has been a mother to many through her uplifting mentoring style.

She operates in the prophetic, and desires to empower individuals into their destiny. She believes God is raising an army of warriors in this season to advance the Kingdom of God. She is called to equip, train and impact lives through the Word of God. She not only hosts conferences for anointed speakers, but also is an anointed presenter and speaker herself.

Lois is the author of the book, Emerge, Forsake Rejection and Misunderstanding for Empowerment.

Turned Around, Dramatically Impacted by God’s Surpassing Power

To order her book or messages, go to empoweringlife.org and check out our store. To invite Lois to speak at your event, church, or ministry, contact us through our website at empoweringlife.org, call 207.532.9906 or email us at [email protected]