Power over Powers

There is a spiritual battle going on. 

The spiritual realm is real and our world is impacted by a battle going on between good and evil forces. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12  If we deny, ignore or tolerate the forces of spiritual evil that are operating against , we become subject to their interference, distraction, accusation, burden and even sometimes – their control.

The good news is that Jesus, God the Son has authority over all spiritual authorities and powers.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.” Colossians 1:15-16 ^“…Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” 1 Peter 3:21b-22 “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:5

We can look forward to the time when this battle between Jesus and evil will cease.

“Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says all things are put under Him, it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”‘2 Corinthians 15: 24-28

In the meantime, we are secure in God’s shielding if we invite Jesus to be the Lord over our lives – and to rule our spirit, mind, will, emotions and body each day.

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 “O Lord, fight for me! Harass the hecklers, accuse my accusers. Fight those who fight against me. Put on your armor, Lord; take up your shield and protect me. Rise up, mighty God! Grab your weapons of war and block the way of the wicked who come to fight me. Stand for me when they stand against me!  Speak over my soul: “I am your strong Savior!” Psalm 35:1-3 TPT  “Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1: 5-6

We are called to arise in the amazing authority and power we have been given by Christ over spiritual forces who are enemies of God. We are the agents of God and are commissioned to release His kingdom victory on earth.

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19 The Apostle Paul said he was commissioned ^” …to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery… to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.  Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” Ephesians 3:9-13

^“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-38

We are utterly reliant on the Holy Spirit’s leading so we exercise the authority we have been given wisely and effectively. King David sought God’s specific strategy for each specific battle and we must do the same at each step in every instance. The spiritual realm, like earth, is populated by many beings who operate in consistent ways in their spheres of influence.

This is just a simple insight into how we can take authority over evil spirits through the power of the blood of Christ – so we can live free and set others free to live in peace – abundantly and eternally.

1. Demonic or unclean spirits operate at a personal level. We are called to pray for each other. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:13-16) Through healing prayer ministry, we see Jesus set people free from demonic spirits that attach to sin, spiritual wounds, unforgiveness and unresolved relationships. Demons can cause torment or illness. They hold people in bondage- restrictive, obsessive and addictive patterns of thinking and behaviours , and reduce our sensitivity to the Spirit of God and the truth of the gospel. Demons, like rats are attracted to garbage in our life and they will lose their hold when we confess our sin, forgive and receive God’s healing.  For example: perfect love casts out all fear. If we are casting out an unclean spirit, it is important to fill the void with the Spirit of God. We invite by name the fruits of the Spirit, the characteristics of God and His kingdom,  to be manifest. For example: freedom in the place of bondage, mercy in the place of  condemnation etc. (Luke 11:14-26)

2. Powers operate over a person or region. A power is a spiritual force. The way we use the term “power” in contemporary language actually describes how powers work. We could say,  “He has coercive power.” The atmosphere and even the leadership hierarchy in a meeting is likely to shift when this person enters the discussion. We might say, “She has the power of seduction.” When a seductive person enters a room the atmosphere changes and others will  turn and at some level notice the person. Some will be attracted and others will be repelled but either way they will have been affected by a power the person brought in with them.

Some us have “carried the power of rejection.”  Across much of my life I carried this power, and had difficulty going through electronic doors. The spiritual power manifested in the physical realm, like a cloud that blocked the electronic scanner. I would go back and forwards, jump up and down and then just wait for the next person to come through.  The power of rejection carried by one person impacts other people  others around them – causing them to genuinely “not see us”! My Dad was 6 ft tall, a surgeon who wore a suit but he would be so overlooked when he popped into a milk bar for milk, that Mum would send us kids in to see what had happened and we would be the ones that draw attention to get him served.

Powers attach to us through words that have been spoken over us and with which we have come into agreement. Powers are a force that empowers a curse to stick. We do not cast out powers or replace them with an opposite spirit as we did with demons. Instead we simply bring our identity under the Lordship of Jesus and declare aloud that the blood of Jesus breaks off the influence of this power of the enemy. In doing this we withdraw our agreement with the original words which had established a legal contract with the enemy, a covenant that entitled the powers to rule  over us. For example: Jesus says I am precious – and in His name I break the power of worthlessness off my life! In Christ I am made pure and in His name I break the power of seduction off my life! I am submitted to Christ and in His authority I break the power of control off my life. Live free!

A little warning: At the moment when I first learned how to take authority over powers – I silently prayed to break the power of rejection off a friend who was not with us. She had been unemployed a long time and was getting into financial difficulties. A few days later when I was sharing about powers with our group, she identified that she had carried the power of rejection but that she now had a job! Unknown to me, she had had a job interview five days before that was postponed until one hour after I had prayed for her. She didn’t just get the job, she got a managerial position! However – and this is the warning – the old habits and the power of rejection came back and she lost this job. Gradually this power filled woman of God has learned to walk free!

Towns, cities, regions and states and nations have identity and purpose in God and the enemy also works to steal, kill and destroy God’s plans for people groups, local land, economy etc. Slurs reflect the negative image that the accuser has used to ensnare this people group. Every time we use these slurs, even in jest or intercession, our words give power to the enemy to drain life and pervert God’s plan. When the Holy Spirit reveals this to us, we can stand in the gap and repent for our agreement with the assignment of the enemy and in Jesus’authority we can break off this power. How many people and which people are needed to break agreement with powers over a region is something to take to God. Let the Spirit of God lead you as to the particular strategy. This example may not directly apply but in Genesis 18, Abraham interceded for Sodom and God said he would protect the city if there were ten righteous ones. This may have been based on having a governmental body of ten righteous leaders who break agreement with the ruling powers and restore righteousness in the city.

3. Principalities operate over regions. We must not be naive in tackling principalities. Individuals or local prayer groups are ineffective and vulnerable if they apply the same forms of prayer they have used in personal ministry against demons on earth, to territorial spirits who rule from the second heaven. Principalities are not bound by an individual person’s command.  “If we are to be effective and protected, we must stay within the sphere that has been granted to us by God.” (Robert Henderson, p.146)  The Apostle Paul said, “But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you.” 2 Corinthians 10:13

Backlash occurs if we do not have the authority to do what we are trying to do or if there is something within our history that gives the enemy a legal right to attack us. I see many people injured and subjugated by the enemy when they arrongantly or naaively attempt to rebuke Satan directly. “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with devil…dared not bring against him a reviling accusation but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’” (Jude 8-9)

Contending with principalities that have been empowered through multiple generations of sin, is a very deadly and dangerous thing to do, if we are not recognised in the courts of heaven on this level…When the Church is functioning where it is meant to be, we have an authority to get verdicts from the court against powers of darkness. With these verdicts in hand, we win on the battlefield every time.” (Robert Henderson, p.147)

See more extensive discussion of battle strategies against principalities at Step 4. Then God will demolish evil strongholds in your region.

Read aloud Psalm 91: The Passion Translation  Safe and Secure