Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions[demonic forces], and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19).
Adam’s sin gave Satan a temporary control over humanity and over the earth in general. Since that time he has become skilled in his killing, stealing, and destroying tactics (John 10:10). Romans 5 tells us that death reigned from Adam to Moses, indicating that there was a lessening of that reign when the law of Moses was established among those in covenant with God.
Under the Old Covenant sin was atoned or covered by the application of blood from a sacrificial animal to the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies where the presence of God dwelt. This atoning of sin severely limited Satan’s reign over God’s Old Covenant people. The problem with the Old Covenant was their rebellion to the will of God by wandering off into idolatry and gross personal sin. Humans are sinful to the core. So this Old Covenant was flawed because of sin and the wandering heart of man.
Jesus through the new birth gives us a new heart! We’re new creatures in Christ! The nature of sin is replaced by the nature of God in the heart of the believer! And Jesus captured Satan’s Adam given authority over man when He rose from the dead! That authority over Satan has been given to us, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ!
The demonic forces that have terrorized men for thousands of years are afraid of believers understanding and walking in their authority in Christ. Their scheme now is two-fold.
First, they want to keep Christians ignorant of their position and authority in Christ by watering down what churches teach with man-made traditions. This makes void personal spiritual authority over Satan in the average church going believer. Because they never hear their rights and privileges in Christ preached, most believers are unaware of what they can do to hinder Satan’s kingdom. Hosea said my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Make sure you go to a church that strongly proclaims what Jesus did for us in His death and resurrection!
Secondly, if a believer knows about his personal spiritual authority over Satan, then the enemy schemes to push that believer to walk in the flesh. This will cancel the authority that believer has over him. Strife discord, disunity, unforgiveness, and lack of holy living are tools the enemy uses to keep an informed believer neutral in spiritual authority over him.
So the key to our walking in our God given authority is to feed our faith on the truths of who we are in Christ and on our position and standing before God in Him. And then make a choice to walk in the spirit by walking in love and by choosing to be a doer of the word.
Keep short accounts with the Father. Confess your sin when you miss it. The moment you mess up, fess up! Feed your faith daily on who you are in Christ Jesus. Pray the prayer of faith for yourself and your family. Believe you receive answers when you pray even when it seems as though the prayer isn’t answered.
Pray on behalf of others. Take their needs before the Father and ask Him in specific ways to meet them. Take time daily to pray in the spirit. If you do these things, demon forces will fear the Jesus in you. And you’ll live in the cubicle of the Father’s care while living in a fallen world.
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