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March 11, 2026

Using Our God-Given Authority

Yesterday, I shared some thoughts regarding spiritual warfare. While we are not to become distracted or preoccupied with satan or his demons, they do exist and must be resisted at times. The Bible tells us that:

  • We are in a very real spiritual war (see 2 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Timothy 1:18).

  • We are soldiers in this war (see Ps. 110:2-3; 2 Timothy 2:3-4). 

  • We are to “wrestle” against all levels of the kingdom of darkness (see Ephesians 6:12).

  • We are to “resist the devil” (which would in most situations be his demons) and he will flee from us (see James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9).

  • We are to “tread” on satan and his demons (i.e., exercise authority over them—see Luke 10:19; Romans 16:20).

  • We are to cast out demons (see Mark 16:17).

  • We have the authority to “bind” (forbid) and “loose” (permit) when dealing with the agents and gates of hell (see Matthew 16:19).

  • We have powerful weapons designed to overcome the kingdom of darkness (see 2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:10-20).

Regarding binding and loosing, the book I mentioned yesterday by Jack Hayford, Prayer Is Invading the Impossible, gives an enlightening amplification of Matthew 18:18-19, based on the technical aspects of the Greek wording. Dr. Hayford’s translation makes clear that WE must go on the offense:

“Whatever you may at any time encounter (of hell’s counsels which I’m declaring my church shall prevail against), you will then face a decision as to whether you will or won’t bind it. What transpires will be conditional upon your response. If you do personally and consciously involve yourself in the act of binding the issue on earth, you will discover that at that future moment when you do, that it has already been bound in heaven!”(1)

Wow!

The words bind and loose could be translated as “forbid” and “release.” The Greek words are actually legal terms, as in legally binding, or the opposite - being released from that which legally binds. The Lord is saying He has given us legal authority, spiritually speaking, to stop satan’s attacks and release individuals from his control. God doesn’t give us detailed formulas for doing so. He is not into formulas in any area of biblical truth. He prioritizes relationship, and gives us principles to apply as the Holy Spirit leads us. He alone knows exactly what is needed in each situation. Sometimes we simply give biblical commands, releasing the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17); other times we are led to worship (2 Chronicles 20:1-30), fast (Mark 9:29), or even clap and shout (Psalms 47:1). 

In spiritual warfare, the point is not so much how we wrestle, but that we wrestle - bind, loose, and/or wield the sword - and do so as Holy Spirit leads us. We must go on the offensive and aggressively deal with the forces of darkness whenever necessary. The word “against” is used five times in Ephesians 6 to describe our spiritual warfare. The Greek word is pros, which is a strengthened form of pro. We get the English word “pro/professional” from it. These Greek words mean “in front of,”(2) or “superior to.” We use the concept when referring to professional athletes. A pro athlete is one who is “in front of” or “superior to” others. The words also have the connotation of stepping forward and facing toward something or someone.(3) Paul is using the symbolism in this Ephesians passage of a wrestler stepping forward and facing his opponent. God is saying to us in these verses, “Step forward and face the kingdom of darkness. Wear the armor I have provided and overcome them.”

The following remarkable story tells of two powerful intercessors stepping forward to face demonic powers. John G. Lake, a missionary to South Africa in the first half of the 20th century, relates the story of a fever epidemic that struck a portion of South Africa in a single night. The devastation was such that in one month, a fourth of the entire population of that region died. There were not enough caskets to meet the need, and people were being buried in blankets, so great was the devastation.

Lake tells of a powerful intercessor who began to pray. For days— all day long and into the night—he stationed himself under a tree and prayed against the plague. Several times, Lake asked the man, “Are you getting through?”

He would reply, “Not yet.” But one day he said to Lake, “I feel today that if I had just a little help in faith, my spirit would go through.” Lake got on his knees and joined the man in prayer. What happened next is amazing. Here it is in Lake’s own words:

“As we prayed, the Spirit of the Lord overwhelmed our souls, and presently I found myself, not kneeling under the tree, but moving gradually away from the tree....My eyes gradually opened, and I witnessed such a scene as I never witnessed before - a multitude of demons like a flock of sheep! The Spirit had come upon the other man also, and he rushed ahead of me, rebuking that army of demons, and they were driven back to hell, or the place from whence they came. Beloved, the next morning when I awoke, that epidemic of fever was gone.(4)

We have authority; we must learn to use it!

Pray with me:

Father, You have given us all of the authority we need to triumph over every spiritual attack against us. So often we lose by default, failing to use this authority and “the weapons of our warfare” which You said are “mighty to pull down strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3–5). Jesus, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, has given us the right to use His name. Increase our understanding of this authority. Open “the eyes of our understanding” and give us “the spirit of wisdom and revelation” (Ephesians 1: 17–18). 

We pray for our family members today, forbidding the enemy to blind them to truth, oppress them with disease, deceive them with lies, and rob them of their destinies. We ask You, Father, to save, heal, and deliver them. 

And for our nation, we bind every plan to harm our president, our legislative leaders, and justices on the Court. We bind demonic strategies to influence President Trump and other leaders as they make decisions regarding the Middle East. We ask You, God, to lead and direct them. And we pray that You would break the deadlock occurring regarding the funding of DHS. Protect our nation, we pray, against terrorism. Dismantle the evil regime in Iran; remove it completely and give peace to Israel and the Middle East. And pour out Your Spirit there. All of these things we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Our decree:

We declare that our God-given weapons are mighty to pull down strongholds of darkness. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Today’s post was adapted from a chapter in my book, Intercessory Prayer, published by Baker Books. 

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

  1. Jack W. Hayford, Prayer Is Invading the Impossible (South Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1977; revised edition, Bridge Publishing), p. 45, 1977 edition.

  2. Geoffrey W Bromiley, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament Abridged (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985, p. 935.

  3. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 6960.

  4. Gordon Lindsay, The New John G. Lake Sermons (Dallas: Christ for the Nations, Inc., 1979), pp. 29-30.

 
 

March 10, 2026

“Prayer Is Invading the Impossible”

As we intercede for righteous causes and against the influence of evil, it is important that we do so on a firm biblical foundation. This week, I’m going to share some thoughts regarding spiritual warfare, which are applicable for our personal lives, as well as for nations. 

It comes as a surprise to many Christians when they hear that the basic concept behind “intercession” does not necessarily have to do with prayer. The English word basically means to “go between.” Mediation is one of its synonyms. Intercession is used in the context of prayer because when interceding for someone, or perhaps for a place, we are “going between” them and God, mediating for them with our prayers. 

What many more Christians don’t realize, however, is that our intercession on behalf of individuals and places is not just heavenward, going between them and God, but it is also placing ourselves between them and the powers of darkness. Intercession, therefore, involves two very different activities: One is a reconciling, a connecting, becoming a bridge in order to unite individuals with God and His blessings; the other is a separating, a breaking, a disuniting from satan’s influence. These two opposite activities are what Christ did for us through His work of redemption, and they’re what we do in our representation of it. We petition the Father and enforce Christ’s victory over satan. 

It is often not enough to simply ask the Father to do something, although this is most Christians’ total concept of prayer. Many times it is necessary to accompany the asking with spiritual “warfare” (2 Corinthians 10:4) or “wrestling” (Ephesians 6:12), enforcing the victory of Calvary. As Arthur Mathews said in his great book, Born For Battle, “Victory is an accomplished fact, but it does need a man to lay hold of that victory and precipitate a confrontation with the enemy, and resist him.”(1)

Jack Hayford, in his outstanding book, Prayer Is Invading the Impossible, says:

“To see both sides of Jesus is to see both sides of prayer. It is to see the need for compassion, for care, for concern, for weeping with those that weep, for sympathy, for groaning, for aching deeply because of what you sense transpiring in human lives. And it is to learn the place and time for anger, when we see satan’s wiles successfully destroying; for indignation, when the adversary’s program violates territory that is rightfully Christ’s; for boldness, when demonic hordes announce their presence; for attack, when the Holy Spirit prompts an advance.”(2)

Certainly, we must guard against imbalances and not become preoccupied with satan or demonic spirits. I once heard someone describe a humorous cartoon they saw that depicted an overemphasis on spiritual warfare. It portrayed the devil with 40 to 50 strands of rope around him, and several individuals nearby discussing the situation. “What do we do now?” one asked.

“I say we bind him again!” was the response of another.

We don’t want to become imbalanced in our approach to spiritual warfare, but satan and his evil spirits are real and must be warred against. Our Hebrew word translated as “intercession,” paga, backs up this assertion. Though translated as intercession, paga is used in many ways in the Old Testament. Its primary meaning is “to meet with,” and can describe any type of meeting. One of these meetings, of course, is to meet with God on someone’s behalf. It might surprise you, however, that paga, this word for intercession, is used to describe battle or conflict no less than 15 times in Scripture. It is translated “attack,” “fall upon,” “strike down,” “impinge,” and with other battlefield terms (see Judges 8:21; 1 Samuel 22:11-19; 2 Samuel 1:11-16; the essence is the same in all of them - people in battle attacking one another).(3)

It is impossible to separate the concept of paga from warfare; violence and war are prevalent in the use of the word. Hear me clearly: Intercession involves spiritual warfare!

Jack Hayford also said in his great book, “But there is a way to face impossibility. Invade it! Not with a glib speech of high hopes. Not in anger. Not with resignation. Not through stoical self-control. But with violence. And prayer provides the vehicle for this kind of violence?”(4)

When we try to separate spiritual warfare from intercession, we do so to our own detriment. Much time and energy is wasted dealing with symptoms and effects, when in many situations the real cause of the problem is spiritual or demonic: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12 KJV). Yes, we must guard against an overemphasis upon satan and demons, but most believers in America err in the other direction. Most of them, in fact, stop reading Ephesians 6:12 after the words “we wrestle not!”

The importance of spiritual warfare for individuals can be seen in the following testimony. 

I heard a minister tell of a person for whom he had prayed for a long time. It seems this person could never achieve any stability in life or in his walk with the Lord. He would find a job, then lose it. He would walk with the Lord for a while, then turn away. This cycle repeated itself again and again; no amount of prayer seemed to make a difference.

One day, as the minister prayed for this young man, the Lord showed him a vision of three demons following the fellow everywhere he went. In the vision, they were not in him, but were always present and had a great influence over him. The minister saw names over each demon, describing what each caused in the young man. One at a time, he rebuked them in Jesus’ name, breaking their hold over him. From that moment on, everything changed. Stability came to him. He became very successful, eventually becoming a wealthy businessman and an ordained minister. 

It is always appropriate to ask the Father to mature and strengthen individuals, but this man needed something more. He needed someone to exercise authority over the demons controlling him and command his deliverance. He was simply not strong enough or mature enough to overcome the spiritual strongholds on his own. The church in Galatia was experiencing demonic-induced deception (Galatians 1:6-10; 3:1). Paul said he was in travail until Christ was formed in them (Galatians 4:19). Sometimes people need help to get freedom and grow in spiritual maturity. 

Pray with me:

Father, as we represent Christ and His victory over the powers of darkness, teach us to war with wisdom. As we mediate, standing in the gap (Ezekiel 22:30-31) for people and nations, guide us as You did the man interceding for the unstable individual in today’s post. You showed him exactly what was needed for the young man’s freedom. 

Remove all fear of spiritual warfare from the body of Christ. Give them the assurance that they can intercede for deceived and bound individuals, setting them free in Jesus’ name. Even now, we bind demonic deception over our family members, freeing them from the control of darkness. 

And Father, we can also push back the forces of evil on a broader scale as the Ekklesia joins together in binding the powers of darkness. We do so now, binding the influence of evil powers in the Middle East. We declare the victory of Jesus over that region and ask that it be released into Iran and the entire region. Bring deliverance, Father, and send revival. We ask all this in Christ’s name. Amen. 

Our decree:

We decree that the kingdoms of this world are becoming the kingdoms of our Lord, Jesus Christ. (Revelation 11:15)

Today’s post was adapted from a chapter in my book, Intercessory Prayer, published by Baker Books. 

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

  1. R. Arthur Mathews, Born for Battle (Robesonia, PA: OMF Books, 1978), p. 113.

  2. Jack W. Hayford, Prayer Is Invading the Impossible (South Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1977; revised edition, Bridge Publishing), p. 45, 1977 edition.

  3. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 6293.

  4. Hayford, Prayer Is Invading the Impossible, p. 5.

 
 

March 9, 2026

Introduction

We have been inundated with reports of war and turmoil throughout the world. Today, I want to change the subject and encourage you with a very powerful word from my brother, Tim, regarding what God is doing. It is entitled:

Look to the Precedents

There is a miraculous phenomenon that occurs when the glory of God increases among His people. When His presence intensifies and His Spirit hovers in a weightier, more tangible way, creative power begins to activate from the very essence of who He is. Throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Acts, we see that whenever Holy Spirit broods over a people, divine creativity manifests, promises are conceived, destinies awaken, and miracles break forth. The glory of God is the womb of the Spirit, a place where Heaven’s purposes are formed and brought into the earth.

I believe Holy Spirit is moving us into a supernatural season of birthing, of promises fulfilled, signs and wonders, and divine interventions. As I have prayed and pondered how to teach this, I heard Holy Spirit say, “Look to the precedents.” There are past occurrences of God’s hovering glory that picture, even prophesy, what He is doing during our time. These instances become blueprints for us to steward. 

The first precedent is found in Genesis 1:1–2 (KJV): “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” The word moved is the Hebrew rachaph, meaning to brood, to hover, to vibrate with life.(1) This paints the picture of a mother bird settling over her eggs, warming them, incubating what appears lifeless until it breaks forth in living form. Before there was ever light, order, or beauty, there was hovering glory. 

When the earth was without form and void, shrouded in darkness, Holy Spirit brooded over it. As He hovered, creation ignited. Out of disorder came divine order. Out of darkness burst radiant light. The same glory that hovered began to birth trees and vegetation, creatures of land and sea, sun, moon, and stars. 

Humanity itself was formed in the image and likeness of God from this womb of glory. And not only man, but a “mandate” was born. Authority was given. Dominion was entrusted. Under hovering glory, God’s government on earth through mankind was established. The very concept of a ruling, reigning assembly, what Jesus would later call the ekklesia in Matthew 28:19, was seeded in that Genesis moment. Glory did not simply create; it commissioned.

Holy Spirit brooded over nothingness, and a birthing season erupted. Life multiplied. Purpose unfolded. Government was established. This is the precedent: when God hovers, He births. The precedent of Genesis prophesies into our present. The same Spirit who brooded over waters has been brooding over His Church, the Ekklesia. From the stirrings of renewal movements in the late twentieth century until now, He has been incubating promises and awakening remnant believers.

The promise is that He will move again, this time in even greater measure. A greater birthing season is upon us, a revival and harvest unparalleled in history. A church rising in greater glory and greater governmental authority, discipling nations and stewarding the purposes of heaven on earth. The hovering has not ceased; it has intensified. 

Unlike the days of Moses, this remnant will stand unveiled. What once faded will now increase, as we are transformed from glory to glory, reflecting Christ’s radiance across the earth. As in Genesis, we are being restored into His image. A glorious Church is emerging, clear in identity, strong in authority, and radiant with His presence.

In Luke 2:9, we are shown another prophetic precedent of hovering glory. The glory of the Lord shone around the shepherds in the field, illuminating the night with Heaven’s radiance. That same glory overshadowed Mary and Joseph. Once again, when glory hovered, something was birthed. This time, it was the Savior. And as the glory appeared, angelic ministry surged to unprecedented levels. Multitudes of angels announced His birth. Heavenly hosts filled the skies with proclamation and praise. Angel warriors protected the child. Angel messengers delivered divine strategy in dreams. Gabriel appeared with revelation, angelic visitations increased, and divine instruction flowed with clarity and urgency. Under intensified glory, heaven’s messengers moved with heightened activity.

Even governing angels, archangels such as Gabriel and Michael, were mobilized under Holy Spirit’s supervision as the glory of the Lord marked the moment. Doors were opened in foreign lands. Threats were restrained. Herod’s murderous agenda was thwarted. Heaven’s government was advancing. A King had been born. You cannot have kingdom expansion without the King. With the birth of Jesus, governing authority shifted into mandated order at a greater degree than ever before. The King emerged under heavier glory.

This precedent prophesies to our present hour. The same King who was revealed in Bethlehem will reveal Himself again in far greater measure. His Kingdom will not shrink back; it will expand. His influence will not lessen; it will increase. In this era of increasing glory, Jesus will take center stage in ways that magnify His power and presence across the earth. Greater glory will surge. It will brood. And as it does, the influence of His Kingdom will rise until the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.

In Acts 2, Holy Spirit moved again in a hovering, brooding glory, this time over a remnant of 120 believers gathered in an upper room, waiting for power from on high. Suddenly, a sound from Heaven broke into the natural realm, and a rushing mighty wind filled the house where they were sitting. Holy Spirit filled each one of them, and they began to speak in other tongues as He gave utterance. Visible glory accompanied the moment as cloven tongues of fire appeared and rested upon each of them. The word sat (Greek: kathizo) means to settle upon, but it also carries the sense of hovering, brooding, and incubating, as in Genesis 1 when the Spirit rachaph-ed, (hovered) over the waters.(2) Pentecost was another Genesis moment. The Spirit brooded over those present to birth something entirely new.

In that fiery atmosphere, angelic activity intensified, glory manifested, and Heaven’s government advanced. What was conceived in Christ’s earthly ministry was now being birthed in power: the New Testament Church. What Jesus promised came forth: a ruling and reigning spiritual body empowered to affect the natural realm and even influence nations. Each surge of greater glory amplified Kingdom authority. A governing people was born.

Suddenly, it was birthing season. In one day, three thousand were born again, and new heirs of salvation flooded the Kingdom. Leaders emerged from obscurity, and a global vision ignited to reach every nation, tribe, and tongue. Ministry shifted from Pharisee-driven ritual to a Spirit-empowered movement marked by boldness and authority. The five-fold gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers were activated in a fresh dimension. Spiritual gifts surged with unprecedented power; signs, wonders, and miracles flowed, not through one vessel alone, but through a corporate body saturated in glory and commissioned to transform the world. 

Pentecost stands as a prophetic precedent. When Holy Spirit hovers in greater glory, He births governing authority, multiplies sons and daughters, activates gifts, and advances the Kingdom of Christ to higher levels. The same Spirit who brooded then is brooding again, preparing once more for a supernatural birthing season that will reveal Christ’s Kingdom in even greater power.

Holy Spirit said, “That which previous increases of glory have produced are precedents prophesying what is due now in your times.” Every surge of glory in Scripture declares what Heaven intends to reveal again in even greater measure. As we host His presence, His glory will draw nearer, weightier, stronger, more tangible. As ever-increasing glory reflects from Christ’s remnant (2 Corinthians 3:18), the true Ekklesia will mirror the radiance of our King, and every expression of Kingdom authority will rise to another level as His glory intensifies among us.

Pray with me:

Father, we are in awe of Your glory, the glory that moved/hovered over waters and birthed creations. Holy Spirit, we ask You to move over us again. Hover over Your Church, over our cities, over every place that is ripe for revival. Release light and breathe life. Strengthen Your Ekklesia and establish Your government through a people capable of reflecting You. May what You are forming in this hour break forth in power. 

We continue to pray that Your overriding power and authority determine what occurs in the Middle East. We ask that You fully remove the evil regime in Iran and replace it with a government that wants peace and honors life. Break, once and for all, the influence of demonic principalities in the region, and hover over the region with the power of Holy Spirit. All of this we pray in Yeshua’s name. Amen.

Our decree:

We declare that God’s glory is increasing on earth, moving us into a supernatural season of birthing. A glorious church is emerging, clear in identity, strong in authority, and radiant with His presence.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

Today’s post was contributed by my brother, Tim Sheets. You can learn more about Tim here.

  1. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 7363.

  2. Ibid., ref. no. 2523.

 
 
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