Author: Christine Wyrtzen

Understanding our authority as God’s children is a high priority- so much so that the Old Testament hints at it prophetically. One stunning foreshadowing occurs in the book of Joshua. 

Joshua and the children of Israel were to fight against the five kings of the Amorites and their armies.  God told Joshua ahead of time that he would deliver them into his hands.  Once their enemies realized there were mass casualties and utter defeat was imminent, their five kings went to hide in a cave, fearing for their lives.  Joshua was told where they were.  

The custom of that day was that a conquering king would force the defeated king to lie prostrate before him, face down in the dirt. Then he would place his foot on the back of his enemy’s neck as a sign of conquest. Joshua’s commanders accompanied him to the cave and expected to see him enact this familiar ritual – five times – once for each king.  However, this time, they were surprised when Joshua said, “You come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.”  So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks.”  Joshua 10:24  We can see the implications of conferred authority by a higher power.  Instead of Joshua doing it, he had his men carry it out on his behalf and in his place.  

Jesus delegated this authority, too, when he sent out his disciples in pairs – giving them the power to heal the sick and cast out demons in His name.  He repeated this again just before He ascended into heaven – sending them out to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth in His name and in the name of His Father and of His Spirit.  

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.  Matthew 28:18-19

We are not lone rangers recklessly wearing conferred authority and power. We walk in humility, always listening for what to do next. Jesus did nothing without His Father’s nudging, and we do nothing without His.  

It would be a story of tragic proportions if Satan still had the authority he gained at the Fall in the Garden.  But that’s not the end of the story.  Jesus was sent to get it all back, to redeem what was lost.

The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. Isaiah 59:15

Jesus won back authority at Calvary.  He also achieved this by living a life without sin.  When Satan tried to tempt Him and cause Him to stumble, Jesus walked in perfect obedience, something no man could do. He became the second Adam, our representative before God, just as Adam had been initially. The identical law that brought God’s curse to our world was the same one that Jesus subjected Himself to in order to defeat it on our behalf. 

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man, the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man, the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:18-19

When Jesus won back the authority, he turned around and gave it back to us. We are, again, God’s representatives.  So many don’t exercise it because they don’t know they have it.  Do you?  

Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20 

In the garden, Adam and Eve enjoyed a perfect environment. It was idyllic perfection.  Adam had been given the earth to rule and all was well until they sinned.  At that moment, he gave up his God-conferred authority to Satan.  The enemy boasted of this to Jesus.  And he [Satan] said to him [Jesus], “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.  Luke 4:6  

I believe Satan had wanted it all along.  You might wonder what makes me say that.  Consider again with me his treasonous act in heaven.  He felt entitled to what belonged to God.  You know someone who feels entitled to what others have, don’t you?  It’s a heinous character trait.  Give them a sacrificial gift, and they’ll tell you that it’s about time!  In my twenties, I remember telling someone I was sorry for something.  I asked how long I would owe them.  The answer came back at me with an indignant puff of air.  “Forever, of course!”  They were serious.

When God expelled Satan and his fallen angels to the earth, it was a dead planet where nothing grew.  It was desolate and barren, Genesis says. But then, the Spirit of God hovered over the earth. Things changed. The landscape began to tremble with life.  What had been brown and lifeless turned green and lush.   Satan watched all this from just above the earth’s atmosphere.  Don’t you know he felt entitled to rule this pristine planet!

That is not the end of the story.  His authority was turned upside down when Jesus died and rose again.  Satan hopes we don’t know that and will continue to let him use his power – unchecked.  If no one contests it, he’ll act like he’s still got the final word.  

And [Jesus], having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.  Colossians 2:15

John Vaughn, a professor at Southwestern Baptist University, was on a flight from Detroit to Boston.  He had not paid much attention to the man in the next seat but noticed after a while that the man beside him bowed his head and prayed.  When he finished, Vaughn said, “Are you a Christian?”  The man seemed shocked.  “Oh, no,” he said.  “You have me wrong.  I am not a Christian.  I am a Satanist.”  Curious, Vaughn asked “What were you praying for?”  The man said, “Do you really want to know?”  Vaughn said yes.  “My primary attention is directed toward the fall of Christian pastors and their families living in New England.”  He paused.  “And why are YOU going to Boston?” he asked Vaughn.  “I’m going to Boston to speak at a pastor’s seminar.”                  Excerpt from Dr. Karl I. Payne’s book, Spiritual Warfare

If that had been you sitting next to the Satanist, what would you have done?  The thought may be horrifying.  Would you have asked to be moved to another seat? Perhaps you’d have been seized with fear and counted the minutes until the flight was over.  Oh, we can do more than that.  

Today, we begin the next section of Personalized Prayer Mapping.  Spiritual Authority.  Let me say that the only reason we would fear sitting next to a Satanist is that we’re not entirely convinced that we have nothing to fear and that we can be proactive to exert spiritual authority during the flight.  The Gospel has power when it’s shared, and the Word of God acts as a sword without us doing anything but speaking it.

Earth was placed under man’s domain.   In Genesis, Adam was told to rule and subdue the earth.  The mandate hasn’t changed.  We are ambassadors here, representing our home country, God’s kingdom.  We are to bring the laws of the place where we are citizens (heaven), to bear on the place where we are only temporarily sojourners (earth).  

The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; but the earth He has given to the sons of men.  Psalm 115:16

Satan’s primary mission is to hinder the work of God and gain a foothold. He looks for where the kingdom of God is advancing and then does all he can to identify the weaknesses of the people; then, he customizes temptations that will weaken that person, his relationships, and the organization or ministry in which he serves.  

When I teach this in live settings, I have a slide that shows a church board meeting in session.  Looming large over the room is a dark spirit, watching, seeing if there is an opening to work to his advantage. We must know our personal Achilles’ heel and the inherent spiritual weaknesses of our ministries because blind spots are Satan’s perfect entry points.  

May we not be ignorant of the devil’s wiles. If we are alert, prayerful, and spiritually street-smart, we are on the victory side. To that end, our series continues.  

What if the enemy we’ve feared is really afraid of us?  Can that possibly be true?  If so, we have shrunk back needlessly from taking risks for fear of reprisal.  How sad if, in eternity, we regret not advancing, remembering that we retreated instead.

To highlight this truth, consider this story in the book of Joshua.  The very people the Israelites feared (and were supposed to defeat so that they could claim the Promised Land) were actually terrified of the Israelites. Yet, the Israelites wandered around for 40 years, afraid of them.  The Canaanites were giants and the visuals evoked terror.  

Rahab, a prostitute who lived in Jericho (the Promised Land), shared this with the spies she hid in her house.  

“I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that your terror has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.  As soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted, and neither did there remain any more courage in any man because of you.  Joshua 2:9 & 11

Rehab referred to ‘these things’ – the stories the people of Jericho had heard that made their hearts melt.  Like the story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea or the battles they had won that defied mathematics.  The giants understood that the God of Israel was no match for them but God’s children forgot history.

We must remember three words: 1. Tremble, 2. Flee, and 3. Overcome. The inspired word of God tells us that Satan trembles when the Word is spoken. He flees when we resist him.  And finally, he is overcome when we give our testimony and speak of the blood of the Lamb.  

The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. Psalm 27:1

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?  Romans 8:31

To God be the glory!

Perhaps you had a visceral reaction to the two pictures I sent you a few days ago.  One showed a beautiful home surrounded by a pristine white picket fence.  Roses and green vines spilled over the rails, creating a feeling of home.  The other picture showed an abandoned home bordered by a dilapidated fence.  Sections were missing, and much of it sprawled on the ground.  As inviting as the first picture was, the second was a chilling contrast. 

What if our spiritual fence line is compromised, like in the second picture?  Can it ever be restored to its former glory?  Yes.  Let’s explore five ways we can do that.

1.   We go to God humbly, with a childlike spirit, and ask for help.  We decide to be teachable rather than defensive; whatever He reveals, we ask for the grace to accept His words.  

“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 18:3

2.  We ask God for revelation about any gaps in our fence line.  What does each downed timber represent?  Unconfessed sin gives the enemy access and God wants to show us the complete picture because He desires to bring hidden things to light.

I shine upon and give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct and guide their feet in a straight line into the way of peace. Luke 1:79

3.  We repent and renounce. Are there alliances that need to be revoked?  Have vows been made to people and organizations that Jesus never would have made?  These create gaping holes in our fence line.  Repenting and renouncing secures them again.

Remember from where you have fallen and repent. Revelation 2:5

4.  We ask God to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Repentance not only brings forgiveness, but deliverance. The enemy must leave as he loses his legal right to continue to oppress us.    

If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  I John 1:9

5.  We remain vigilant to guard our boundary lines. There is no place more tenuous than a recently confessed sin.  Satan smells fresh paint on new timbers.  He will do everything he can to get us to fail in that same area again. We must be prepared with well-chosen scriptures, written out, ready to speak when customized temptations invade our space. 

Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:15-17

Days after a new presidential candidate secures the nomination, biographies appear on the bookshelves to reveal his/her personal story.  Who they are today is largely explained by where they came from and by the people and events that shaped them early in life.

We’ve spent many days looking at some of the enemy’s strengths – his ability to roar, intrude, plan strategically, deceive, and customize temptations- but we haven’t yet looked at his history to discover just why he is bent on doing evil. 

Satan was once a high-ranking angel – alongside Gabriel and Michael.  He lived in God’s presence and was in charge of all the worship in heaven.  Despite that privileged position, he committed an act of treason that got him thrown out of heaven.  Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Luke 10:18  God gave His Son the memory of this event.

Isaiah tells us more about this event; that Satan promoted himself.   I will climb to heaven and place my throne above the highest stars. I will sit there with the gods far away in the north. I will be above the clouds, just like God most high. Isaiah 14:13-14   Satan felt entitled to the worship God was getting.  He believed that he was the one who should sit on the throne.  With this twisted ambition, his gifts were simultaneously corrupted. Pride then fueled his supernatural charisma, and he campaigned to angelic hosts to join his cause.  He was amazingly successful and influenced one-third of them to defect.  God expelled him (and the angels who joined him) and sent them to earth.  

He set up his kingdom in the second heaven, the heavens just above our planet.  Organizationally, it mimics the structure of God’s kingdom.  He is a copycat. He delights in taking what is holy and perverting it. He is both artful and insidious with scripture, quoting it at the wrong time and using it as a weapon to drive a wedge between us and God.  We can read God’s own words about him.

“You were anointed as a guardian cherub and lived on the holy mountain of God. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mountain of God and I expelled you.” Ezekiel 28 THE MESSAGE

We cannot take on this enemy ourselves.  We have no power on our own and it would be an unfair match.  Yet, we are not to be afraid.  We are God’s children, saved by the blood of the Lamb, dressed in his righteousness, and equipped with everything we need to live in victory.  With the Word as our sword and worship as our warfare on the frontlines, the devil trembles and flees.  It’s deja vu for him as he hears the worship he once composed and conducted being sung by those who were snatched from captivity.  Their anthems soar on the wings of awe and gratitude.

From creation forward, God told His us how life would work. He desired to bless and have a relationship with us and set out the following ground rules. ‘Obey, and you will be blessed.  Disobey, and you will be led into captivity.’ There are myriads of examples throughout Scripture that prove this to be true.  

When the nation of Israel worshipped God and followed His precepts, He blessed them, protected them from their enemies, and made them prosperous.  But when they disobeyed, when they chose to worship idols and do every kind of abominable thing, His hand of protection and blessing was withdrawn.  They were carried away as slaves and became acquainted with famine and all other effects of the Fall.  Today, God’s Word still stands and the same rules apply.

Imagine with me that each of us lives within the perimeter of a white-picket fence line.  We are blessed and protected when we follow God and live holy lives.  The white picket fence looks brand new.  It’s pristine.  All the timbers are upright, painted, and sturdy. But when we choose to sin, when there are longstanding patterns of disobedience, that pristine white fence deteriorates into disrepair, like a fence that borders an abandoned property.  Timbers are on the ground, or bent and broken.  The gate is smashed in.  Enemies walk in. 

Personalized Prayer Mapping is about doing boundary-line assessment so that there can be fence repair.  King David said The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. Psalm 16:5-6   How true this was before his sin with Bathsheba, but how his life was ravaged after disobedience.  

If a child of God loves Jesus and knows a life of confession of repentance, his boundary line is secure.  But many of God’s children have more timbers on the ground than are standing.  The enemy is a wolf on the prowl, an intruder, and a strategic planner, and he easily gets through the fence.  

Joyce Carol Oates said, “We human beings are the species that clamors to be lied to.”  How true.  We are lulled into a sense of false well-being by an enemy who wants us to believe that everything is fine.  But he fears the child of God who knows that repentance and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus closes any access and secures the boundary line.   Footholds and strongholds are history.  It’s time for the Bride of Christ to purify for the coming of the Bridegroom.  May we not be found sleeping with the enemy.

Strongholds are fortresses, nearly impenetrable structures. Internal strongholds are built over a long period of time. They exist because the enemy has been at work, and with our cooperation, unrighteous beliefs have become firmly embedded in our mindsets, culminating in unrighteous deeds. Where there are strongholds, you can be sure that sin festers, uncontested. What does Paul say about demonic strongholds?

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4

The overarching message here is that strongholds can be demolished. The weapons that will take them down are not physical; we can’t see or touch them. Instead, they are spiritual and are divinely empowered. They are given to us by God’s gracious intentions so that we can live victoriously.

If I trust God’s love and believe His Word is true and life-giving, I will abhor sin and hurry to do personal housecleaning where strongholds are concerned.  I will know that without intentional introspection, I will continually be prey to Satan, a known spiritual felon.

Where does the enemy have a ‘strong hold’ on you? It need not be. There is another kind of stronghold you’ll want to run to, a beautiful divine alternative.

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalms 9:9

God promises to be our stronghold. We can run from demonic strongholds to the one God offers. It is not a structure at all; it is Him. He is the fortress! All who run into Him are safe. It’s His promise.