Daughters of promise

4. Submit to God and then resist the devil.

Submit yourselves therefore to God; resist the devil and he will flee from you.  James 4:7

I’ve left the best till last.  The most powerful way to use authority is to exercise it in a way that facilitates holiness and repels evil.  Here are the two directives from James.  

Submit.  Resist.  

Both are deliberate.  Both require full commitment to follow through.  

To submit is to surrender any place where I’ve held back an area of my life in order to exercise control over it.  I’ve rejected God’s control and perverted authority. Rebellion creates an open door to the enemy. 

But when I pursue God with my whole heart, when I am smitten by His loveliness and decide to live in His presence, resisting is easy and instinctive. I smell something foul a mile away. That’s because chasing God relentlessly culminates in an aversion to the devil.  I will not just object to his temptations; they will repulse me.  I will react with bile in my throat to his suggestions.  

Resisting is an aggressive term in Greek ~ like throwing someone off my property who is coming to do me harm. Self-centered autonomy makes me unable to resist, while submitting to God enables it. 

A holy life builds impenetrable fence lines.  God-chasers hate sin and long to kill it.  Timbers on the ground get repaired and nailed upright.  Never have I exercised spiritual authority in a more powerful way than when I submit my whole self to God and resist evil.  The kingdom of darkness loses ground and the kingdom of God is advanced.  My choices matter!

3. Renounce the lies that kill your faith. 

Satan’s primary activities include lying and accusing.  He lies to us about God and accuses us of things before our Father.  Jesus, our Defender and Advocate, reminds him that our sins have been forgiven.  He puts the enemy in his place. 

But when he lies to us, do we agree with God?  Or is Satan so artful that we cave to his arguments?  Here are some examples of lies and accusations.

You are a failure and are of no use to God or the church.

You are an embarrassment.  Keep quiet or you’ll be humiliated. 

It’s a waste of time to confess your sins because God isn’t listening. 

You are inferior to other believers. 

You are a hopeless victim of your past. 

Who you are now is who you will always be.  Forget dreaming of being different.

God is so disappointed in you and you can never earn His approval.

Do any of these sound familiar?  Throughout my life, I believe I’ve heard them all, depending on what season I was living.  Given the relentless nature of our enemy’s attacks, we know that he doesn’t come at us just once.  These accusations come often, and as long as they are effective, he will repeat them.  He knows that if he can get us to give mental space to these and rehearse them internally, they will grow exponentially and turn into strongholds.  

How do we deal with a lie before it does mental and emotional damage?  Let me offer a 2-part process.

1. Capture it and take it captive.  Focus on it with the Holy Spirit’s help.  Decide if you’re willing to disown it and believe God over people.
2. Kill it with the Sword of the Word.  Renounce it out loud with specific scriptures that expose it as false. It will sound like this:  

I used to believe _____________________, but Your Word says _________________.  Though it feels true, I know it’s not.  I repent for believing it, I renounce it, and choose to believe You, Lord.  

You’ve exchanged the enemy’s lie for God’s truth.  The stronghold is broken, the torment from the lie is removed, and peace will move in.   If the lie has held you captive for much of your life, you may need to process this with Spirit-led friends or a pastoral counselor.  God promises freedom but we must seek it.  

2. Put on the armor.

The night is far gone; the day is at hand.  So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Romans 13:12  

God is not capable of being a neglectful Father.  He provides everything we need – no matter what it is.  Protection from enemies we can’t see coming is at the top of His priority list.  We fight invisible enemies with invisible weapons.  We wear them by faith and believe they are effective because God said so!

How do I put on the armor my Father has provided?  And what does each piece mean?  I offer the following as a daily template prayer.  

Lord, I put on the helmet of salvation.  Protect my thoughts.  Bind my mind to Yours.  Conform all my thoughts to Your thoughts.

I put on the breastplate of righteousness.  Protect my heart, my most vital organ.  Conform my desires to Your desires.  I long to love what You love and hate what You hate today.

I put on the belt of truth.  No matter what comes at me, I make a vow to stand in Truth.  Expose deception quickly so that I can plant my feet in the foundation of what is safe and secure, Your very Words.

I put on the shoes of peace.  The terrain of my life can be slippery and hard to maneuver.  I often don’t know how to be a righteous peacemaker.  Don’t let me love peace more than truth, Lord.  Show me today when peace is needed and when truth is more important than peace.  

I take up the shield of faith.  I am adjusting my mindset to believe You today, even when it seems ludicrous.  I believe You even though You may look guilty.  No matter what, no matter whom, I choose to believe You;  I’ll believe who You say I am, who You say You are, and how life works in the kingdom.

I take up the sword of the Spirit.  Make me a marksman with the Word.  I anticipate the areas where I will be tempted today.  Give me a few scriptures that target my temptations.  I will write them out, Lord, and have them ready for that hour.  When your enemy comes and the compulsion to sin is in front of my face, I will open my mouth and read Your Words out loud.  You promised the enemy would flee.  Arm me with these strategic arrows on my tongue.  You will hear the snarl of a defeated foe as he retreats.  

Oh, how you care for me.  I avail myself of everything You used to fight in the wilderness.  To You be all glory.  Amen

1. Sanctify Your Space 

Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19 

God initiated a curse upon the earth because sin had brought about desperate consequences for Adam and Eve and their children.  The very planet that God created for them to subdue would start holding them captive.  What was cursed needed to be cleansed and sanctified, once again set apart for the glory of God.

Because the land still feels the effects of man’s sin, it holds the memory of whatever has been done to it.  God’s original purpose for His creation (including the land) was that it glorify Him, as well as bless and sustain the people He created.  But man’s sin defiled it, and if we are collectively responsible, it follows that we are also critical to the healing and restoration of the land.  If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14  

In the Canadian Arctic, a very moving reconciliation ceremony was held between the original inhabitants of the land and those who came afterward to settle there. As the newcomers repented and rededicated a particular plot of land, they were overwhelmed with God’s immediate response. Although caribou (a mainstay of life) had been scarce in the area for nearly four years, suddenly, 15,000 caribou showed up two days later. The caribou spontaneously gathered on the very spot where the land had been rededicated.

The power of God to heal and restore is released through repentance. Old Testament reformers like Hezekiah and Josiah repented and cleansed the land from defilement and they prospered.  We also must pray through our homes, pray over our properties, and repent for whatever has happened there. Wherever sin has been committed, residue remains and our land holds the scars.

God longs to bless His children.  We must actively rule over every place the sole of our foot treads.  Many today, because of reading this, will spiritually cleanse their homes and feel a powerful difference as they experience a peace never before felt on the land they own.  God is true to His Word. “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things! Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield.  Joel 2:21-22

God raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet.  Ephesians 1:21-22

Jesus defeated Satan on the cross legally, but we must actualize what Jesus legalized through His death.  He, like Joshua, is saying, “You must put your feet on the necks of my enemies even though I’ve already won the victory.”   God did His part, we must do our part.  If something is needed to complete it, God will finish it.  

That’s why the children of Israel were told to march around the wall seven times.  They obeyed, and then God activated the miracle by bringing the walls down.   He could have done it all without their involvement but He didn’t design mankind to be passive.  From the creation of Adam, the mission was clear.  Rule and subdue the earth. 

Consider a policeman who directs traffic.  He holds up his hand – cars stop.  He blows a whistle and points to the right – cars turn to the right.  Is he physically strong enough to move a car where it should go?  No, but he wears the badge that represents the authority he serves.  Perhaps that is why we instinctively take our foot off the gas and slightly brake at the sight of a police car.  We react to the authority of the one in the car before we ever see the person. 

We are powerless without the God of Israel behind us.  We are no match for an invisible enemy with an army behind him.  We would be defenseless, but instead, we are defended.  We would hide, but instead, we are equipped to expose.  We would retreat, but instead, we are told to advance.  We would be small and easily overtaken, but we are mighty and invincible because the Almighty stands behind us.   He has our back, but only as we use authority as it was intended ~ subject to the will of God.  It is never to be self-serving.

Adrian Rogers said this: Kingdom Authority is the God-given mandate of Christians to exercise control over the world in the name of Jesus and under His oversight.

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.