Spiritual authority verses just praying

[PeterJens]

Many years ago I came across a man who talked about binding Satan. Now this is not in the sense of people being possessed but influenced, christians, non-christians etc.

Now this is very much in the spiritual realm, where peoples feelings can be swung one way or another. I have found family life and many other situations seem to change when one claims the authority you have, binding the enemy.

Now there is only examples of Jesus casting out demons, and the apostles talking about principalities and powers, but it is odd, I have been in situations where I not claimed such authority, and things have just failed to go right, and others where I have prayed through it, and things went as expected or hoped for.

It is a bit like praising the Lord in tongues. It seriously lifts your spirit, but sometimes it can be as if it is a non-essential ingredient. The battle where Moses had to have his arms lifted up for Joshua to win the battle seems to illustrate the point. Some how there is a spiritual authority and communion, if we walk in it, we can conquer and move in the situation, if not, the situation can come on top of us.

It could simply be the spiritual way to distinguish between walking in the flesh, and walking in the spirit, that there has to be a spiritual dynamic in play so the Lord can bless in the way described. We are happy to undo bolts with spanners, and not our bear hands, so maybe this is like applying the spiritual spanner to a situation.

In one sense when we wake up every morning, it maybe we have to put on the spiritual armour to walk forward, or else the testimony is we just like the sound of the ideas, not putting them into practice.

I wonder what others have found?

 

[Deliver]

Many times prayer is all that's needed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. I have witnessed people being prayed for over the other side of the world that stopped the devil right then and there.
I think everyone would like to have the kind of authority and faith to cast out demons or to speak the devil into a bind in the spiritual realm but a lot of times you need to really know what you're doing when stepping out in faith like that, you need to be sure you're in the will of God and not just trying to exercise authority for the sake of it.
One can say that God has said, it is written, etc.. But for each personal experience, one must be certain of God.

 

[CWJ]

Hi Peter,

It is a little like walking by faith every day. Believing that what God says He will assuredly do, and walking accordingly.

Putting on the armour of God by faith, not only for ourselves, but also for all who are called by His Name, is important I feel: and walking with assurance that the armour is in place, in Christ Jesus': for we are, 'in Christ'; and Christ is, 'in God'. How more secure can we be? For our life is 'hid with Christ in God', and when He is manifested in glory, we too will be manifested with Him. Blessed Assurance! Praise God!

Regarding the enemy of our souls (Satan), we are told to submit ourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee from us. God Himself is our strength and shield, He is our strong tower.

'Yet Michael the archangel,
when contending with the devil
he disputed about the body of Moses,
durst not bring against him a railing accusation,
but said, 'The Lord rebuke thee.'
(Jud 1:9)

Thank you,In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[PeterJens]

Part of what I am trying to grapple with a truth that is distorted by the Latter Rain, Word of faith movement.
We are children of the Most High, the Creator of the Universe, we enter into His throne room to address the King. And He listens. But we fight, we have authority, but often do not claim it, we let things go, where we have the right to pick it up.

The Lord anoints us with authority to bind things and set them free.
"Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Matt 18:18

This is not saying I am a god with command authority to create things out of nothing, which is heresy. No I am saying we appear to have been given authority, and in my experience, exercising it, has made a difference.
But I am cautious, and believe in the body, literally, the eternal body of believers, so I am sharing for our edification.

Based on Matt 18:18 Jesus is implying we not only need to bind and set free, we have the authority to do so.
How many closed doors in peoples lives, are closed not because they cannot be opened, but we need to exercise our authority to bind and set free.

 

[CWJ]

'Verily I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:
and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.'
(Mat 18:18)

Hello Peter,

This was spoken to the disciples of our Lord, to the twelve. Who had been chosen to be with him and to witness his words and deeds, the power of His resurrection, and to preach in His Name. Who had been chosen, commissioned and especially endowed with power from on high. (Mat 10:1)

'And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples,
He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out,
and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.'

* Can we really take Matt.18:18, and apply it to ourselves?

I don't believe so, Peter.

In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[wattie]

Well.. Matthew 18- this chapter is mostly about the way you go about dealing with resolving disputes within a church family. The 'binding and loosing' is about church discipline.. dealing with a sinning brother.

'Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them' is in the context of someone talking with a sinning church member with two or three gathered there.

This is the New Testament way of resolving disputes and it is an update on the Old Testament way in Deuteronomy:

Deu_19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.


So first gotta get it straight on Matthew 18.

As for claiming the authority-- you are right the Word of Faith movement has distorted it bad.. like claiming something that may not have happened.. like saying to someone they are healed of something.. saying 'in Jesus name' over and over.. when actually nothing has happened. For the disciples.. they did heal in Jesus' name.. but this was exceptional circumstances also:

1) They had Jesus actually physically with them in the flesh many times
2) The disciples specifically were given authority
3) A lot of what they were doing was to spread early christianity and establish Jesus' churches- showing they had His authority

Now we have a complete Bible to draw from, the Holy Spirit with us as the Comforter for His churches and indwelling us indvidually and the testimony of the apostles and prophets from the past. There isn't a great need now for tongues, prophecy, casting out demons, signs and wonders etc.. All that has been and fulfilled it's job.

So yeah.. praying is as effectual as anything. God has the authority..it's his thing.

 

[PeterJens]

A failure or a child of God, or maybe a humble person overcome with the lostness of this world.
Can we forgive sins, ie impute holiness through Jesus on to others? Why would we do this even? I mean this is taking spirituality into insane realms, or it can feel like it. I ask myself this question, because Jesus said this to his deciples.
I think at an emotional and spiritual level, emphasing the spiritual reality, walking with faith in Jesus is what we are commanded to do and a reality.

Jesus said "Your sins are forgiven", "Take up your mat and walk". Now I have done neither, because I have never had the faith or understanding to exercise such an idea. The catholic church are full of such ideas, with priests taking such authority, which is a bit like dressing it up and formalising the ideas. In the protestant church we tend to fear these ideas, because they are so hard. But maybe that is the problem, we are not embracing the authority Jesus gives us, and the need to face our sins, and walk in holiness. I know it is easier to put this in a box and just say, apostle stuff, not relevent, but that is just a cop out.

I trust God, and at His right time, things will become clearer, but now it just encourages me.

 

[jb]

Many years ago I came across a man who talked about binding Satan. Now this is not in the sense of people being possessed but influenced, christians, non-christians etc.

Now this is very much in the spiritual realm, where peoples feelings can be swung one way or another. I have found family life and many other situations seem to change when one claims the authority you have, binding the enemy.

Now there is only examples of Jesus casting out demons, and the apostles talking about principalities and powers, but it is odd, I have been in situations where I not claimed such authority, and things have just failed to go right, and others where I have prayed through it, and things went as expected or hoped for.

It is a bit like praising the Lord in tongues. It seriously lifts your spirit, but sometimes it can be as if it is a non-essential ingredient. The battle where Moses had to have his arms lifted up for Joshua to win the battle seems to illustrate the point. Some how there is a spiritual authority and communion, if we walk in it, we can conquer and move in the situation, if not, the situation can come on top of us.

It could simply be the spiritual way to distinguish between walking in the flesh, and walking in the spirit, that there has to be a spiritual dynamic in play so the Lord can bless in the way described. We are happy to undo bolts with spanners, and not our bear hands, so maybe this is like applying the spiritual spanner to a situation.

In one sense when we wake up every morning, it maybe we have to put on the spiritual armour to walk forward, or else the testimony is we just like the sound of the ideas, not putting them into practice.

I wonder what others have found?

You might find This short study on prayer and authority helpful...

Yahweh Shalom

 

[crossnote]

Even Paul...

1 Thessalonians 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

Not all of it is bona fide...

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

 

[Joidevivre]

Some of the time, we want to "take" authority and find it doesn't work. I've learned that I only have the authority in prayer when I'm directed by the Lord to pray specifically. When He is, in a way, asking me to partner with Him. So I move with authority IN His and WITH His authority.

I have understood that Satan was dealt with on the cross by the blood of the Lamb. Revelations tell us that we overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

When I use the binding verse, I am most likely to bind scripture (His own Word) to a situation - even to my children. When my teenage daughter was on drugs, everyday I would bind a Word of Gods that He would show me to her life. Even simple one such as "All your children will be taught of God and great shall be their peace (Isaiah). And then I would continually praise God that He was working that out in her life. Praise silences the enemy according to Psalm. It only took a little while before she was set free from drugs.

And now when I look at her life, I see that every Word of God that I prayed over her has been manifested.