Authority and Prayer

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18).

Our prayer life is more important than we often realize. John Wesley said: It seems as though God is limited by our prayer life; that He can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks Him to do it.

Adam’s original lease of dominion was transferred to Satan when Adam obeyed him, and Satan became at that time the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). You understand that God gave man authority and dominion over the earth when God created him (Genesis 1: 26-28). Satan gained a legal right to this authority when Adam chose to disobey God’s direct command. Since that time, the earth has been under Satan’s control. Jesus called Satan the prince (ruler) of this world in John 14:30. Satan is called the prince of the power of the air in Ephesians 2. John tells us that the whole world is under Satan’s power and control in 1 John 5:19.

During Jesus’ wilderness temptations, Satan offered Jesus the authority of the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would simply worship him. Satan told Jesus that the authority of the kingdom of the world was delivered to him. Who delivered authority over the earth to Satan? It was automatically transferred to Satan when Adam sinned.

Though God is sovereign overall, for a time limited period God had given some of His authority to Adam to rule over the earth under His providence. Now, Satan has a legal timed limited dominion over the earth since he obtained Adam’s original lease of dominion. This lease of dominion will end at the second coming of Christ.

Until then a thief has been let loose on this planet. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. His desire is to mar human life and to make the earth a place of rebellion to God instead of a place of peace and tranquility. This is a sobering fact.

The good news is that Jesus Christ conquered Satan when He became our sin, died, and then was raised from physical death. Jesus cancelled the authority Satan has over Christian’s lives! When Jesus was raised from the dead, He spoke to His disciples just before He was taken into heaven and said: All authority has been given to me in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). Jesus spoke that as the representative new creation man, the God -Man who is the first-born from the dead (See Colossians 1). Jesus is now head of a brand new race of people, the New Creation folk, the church.

When He said in Matthew 28:19, Go ye, He actually transferred His authority over Satan to the church. Now, the only people who can exercise authority over Satan are Christians who know their rights and privileges in Christ. That’s the reason we must exercise our rights in prayer, binding Satan from hindering people from receiving the gospel, and demanding that He leave us and our loved ones alone.

The Father desires to use us to pray and ask Him to manifest Himself in the earth. God is limited to the prayers of believers because of this lease of dominion being transferred to Satan by Adam when he sinned. Since the church is the only group on earth that can exercise authority over Satan, God must now work through the church for His will to be accomplished.

Our prayers untie God’s hands. Take time every day to pray in the spirit. Praying in the spirit is a way to pray the perfect will of God into manifestation, and a way to pray for things that you’re aren’t aware of that need God’s intervention (see Romans 8:26-27 and 1 Corinthians 14:2). Pray with your understanding about things you know about. The Father has promised answered prayer. Take time to call on His name today, and invite His purposes into your life circumstances and into the earth.