Prayer brings victory
Prayer brings Victory
Sunday – 13th August 2023
Overview
1. Introduction – Prayer brings Victory
2. Legal Battles and Military Battles
3. Legal Battle
4. Winning a battle legally
5. Men of Prayer
6. Steps to win a legal battle
7. Failing to pray is a sin according to Bible
8. Ways to Bind the Devil
9. Entry points of the Enemy
10. The defeat of the Enemy
11. Concluding Prayer
Introduction – Prayer brings Victory
“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”
Luke 11:21-23 (NKJV)
These are the very precious powerful words of Lord Jesus Christ. There are many things that we experience while we are in the presence of God. We experience the fire of God, we are happy, gifted, and so blessed and we speak in tongues, we move in the anointing of the Holy Spirit and we think that these are all basically enough for us to have victory in life but sadly it does not work. We speak a lot of tongues and we do not see the miracle; we prophesy we do not see the miracle; we sometimes operate in other gifts but we don't see the miracle and we are wondering what is that which is lacking in our life. What is really lacking is the Revelation of Prayer.
Legal Battles and Military Battles
In the Revelation of Prayer, the important thing we understand is that there are battles to win. Legal battles and Military battles or Combat battles, in other words, Legal victory and a Military victory or a Combat victory. Many times, Christendom is taught to straightaway fight against the devil and we can defeat him, not understanding that we can never win against the enemy if there is legal access to our lives. If we do not win the legal battle, we can never win a complete military battle.
Legal battle
A legal battle is to take something back which is God's inheritance for us, from Satan's grip. A legal battle means there is a legal access to the demonic realm in our lives. That legal access can be sin, negative thoughts, pornography, masturbation, unnecessary anger, and fights or it could be any kind of a fleshly thing that is present in our lives and we are trying to fight and receive a healing in our bodies which would never happen because there's a legal battle which the devil is already winning in our lives. At this point, the devil is at rest because he's won the legal battle and we are trying to battle out in the military ways, in our own known traditional ways.
“And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
Acts 19:15 (NKJV)
This is a reply of a demon to some Jewish exorcists. It is very interesting to know that the legal battle winners will always be remembered by the demonic spirits. Apostle Paul was a man of God who was winning all the legal battles. And most importantly, Lord Jesus Christ won every legal battle that was formed against Him.
Winning a battle legally
For example, we have a land in Bangalore. We bought it, paid the registration, paid the stamp duty and the land belongs to us and that is when there was a litigation and someone comes up and claims that land to be theirs. So, there is a legal issue in action and when there is a litigation neither us nor them can take it. In reality, we paid the money for the land, registered legally, and stamp duties are paid correctly, but now there is a litigation now, so we cannot legally own that land. Now, there is an option available that we can fight it out with the opposite party and try to take our land back, but we can fight it up two-three times, but can never permanently possess it because there is a legal claim on the land.
So, now when we think of it in terms of our spiritual life, it is our blessing, we are born again and all the blessings of Lord Jesus Christ as our inheritance, and we are seated in heavenly places with Lord Jesus Christ, everything belongs to us because we are legally born again but the problem is there is a litigation and there is a claim on our lives. Now we try to fight it out physically and we sometimes win, but again we see this demonic thing doesn't go away from our lives, that sickness does not go away, that problem doesn't go away, we are still at the same struggling point. Even though there is a strong foundation of the Word, but still there is an area where we are not able to find victory and the reason is we are trying to fight the military battle before winning the legal battle.
Now, we are trying to fight this legally, by hiring an advocate and battle it out in the court and wins the court case, and the advocate comes with the verdict from the court that land can be taken over by us. After this, we need not fight it physically or run behind the whole matter to possess it because we have won the battle legally.
This is the real process that happens when we pray in the revelation of a legal battle. Believers and the church need to understand that there is legal access for the devil in that battle which we are because we have opened certain areas of our lives to the devil. These days we have to pray that we would learn to win the legal battles in our lives, so that the Holy Spirit God will bring down every other military affair and the powers of demonic forces from our lives and we will be set free, delivered, healed, and we will be powerful and victorious.
Men of Prayer – Jesus Christ, Paul, Daniel
There is only one thing common between Paul and Jesus. It was not their messages or revelations, or speaking in tongues or miracles that happened during their ministries, but the only thing that was common between both of them was that they were men of Prayer. Both of them were prayer warriors. The Church cannot allow the enemy to carry on with the problems in our lives, the bondage of sickness and of debt, but this is a season where we should break out of that problem by first winning the legal battle in our lives legally. We should win over the demonic powers legally. We should win over it so that militarily or come back fully we will win over the demonic powers in every realm.
“Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come.”
Daniel 10:20 (NKJV)
The specialty of Daniel was that he was a man of prayer. Only a person who prays can sense what's happening legally. Here we see Daniel, who prayed, and the angels are coming and talking to him about the realms, and in the realms, the Angel of the Lord mentions that there is a demonic realm that is fighting against the praying man. Daniel is a man of prayer but still, the answer is not coming so he had to legally win over that realm so that the answer could come.
Steps to win the Legal Battle
a) Men ought to pray
“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart…”
Luke 18:1 (NKJV)
All the men in the house of the Lord always ought to pray and not lose heart. Most of the time, men are busy with their work and providing for their families that they fail to pray as needed. Jesus is saying men ought to pray and not lose heart.
When does the Legal battle start?
The most important thing to understand behind the occurrence of the legal battle is that the moment we are born again, we have switched on to the inheritances of God. When the devil sees that we are getting inheritance from God, there is a legal battle. The moment the inheritance is released and we receive a miracle from Jesus, we are not understanding that there is the beginning of a legal battle that happens.
Sometimes we saw the beginning of the miracle but still, we are not able to get that fulfillment of the miracle and still, we are struggling and the battle is not ending. This happens because there is a legal battle which begun and Jesus says we need to pray without losing heart. Jesus says not to lose heart because when we pray, there could be a delay in the battle and we might lose heart
b) Women ought to pray more than men
God has created a woman as an Ezer, someone who is going to support and sustain an Abad, to serve God. Women have to pray for their man and themselves. Women have to stand strong and support their husbands to pray.
“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.”
Matthew 18:19 (NKJV)
c) Families ought to pray
In a family, when husband and wife agree that becomes an immediate closure to legal battles in our families, that is where the devil will never allow the husband and wife to come together on a single point to stand against the demonic forces and break it, as he brings attacks more in families.
In families, many decisions are seldom unanimous until they have the revelation of this power of the Almighty God. When there is no union between two people knowingly or unknowingly the demonic realm will have access. That is where Jesus prayed for people and said just as ‘I and the Father are one, let them be one’. So, the legal battles victory process starts when husband and wife come together in prayer.
Failing to Pray is Sin
“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart…”
Luke 18:1 (NKJV)
Here the Bible says, men ought to pray. The Greek translation of the word ought is ‘Dei’ means an obligation. We do not have a choice. The root word of the word obligation means to bind the demonic powers and seize back the inheritances which Jesus has given us. If we do not bind the demonic powers of our nation and seize the people from the hand of satan, we will not see revival. Being under the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ does not free us from the obligation of praying because Jesus said we ought to pray.
“Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.”
1 Samuel 12:23 (NKJV)
In the book of Samuel, it is written, if we do not pray, it is a sin. This means that in the new covenant, there is God's grace and God wants us to be blessed, but if we do not pray, we are missing the legal victory.
To understand it, let us imagine getting involved in a court case in any of the courts of our nation. When we do not have a legal victory, we feel depressed, lonely, and fearful. If we notice, some believers are depressed, lonely, and fearful, because the legal battle is not won. Many negative emotions that children of God face can be because they are going through a battle and are not winning it as they did not understand it was a legal battle.
God is always good but God is just God. When we do not win legal battles, God cannot give us justice. We may be baptized and born-again, but we need to win it legally. God will always go according to the law; he's the righteous God and he can never support us when we have given legal access to the demonic powers in sin. But once we break the access, the blessings will be abundant.
The ways to bind the devil
1) Become stronger than the devil
“For when a strong man is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe, until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.”
Luke 11:21-22 (NLT)
Paul says there are multiple ways in which a believer becomes stronger.
a) Revelation of the word of God.
b) Praying in the Spirit.
When these two things happen, Paul says, our inner man is strengthened. The outer man may fail, but our inner man is getting strengthened day by day by the power of the Almighty God. When we win the legal battle, we are taking over the weapons of the enemy so that the enemy cannot fight against us the next time.
2) Overpower the devil
“…until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.”
Luke 11: 22 (NLT)
We have to attack the devil and overpower him. This is the only way that we can win legal access. Never give an opportunity to the devil in your life (Ephesians 4:7)
Entry points of the enemy
1) Disobedience
We know the Word of God and because the Holy Spirit is in us, our actions are important.
“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me…”
John 14:30 (NLT)
Jesus Christ was obedient to death and so he was successful in His ministry and His life. The demonic powers had no claim or legal access over Jesus. And His obedience made Him eligible to do ministry and great miracles, signs and wonders happened in His ministry.
A person who has no claim over his life can only pray for others. And the ministry of such a person will only be successful. The Bible says, Jesus constantly intercedes for us. And because of the prayer of Jesus, we are protected in many areas of our lives.
2) Fear or Apprehension
“We might serve Him without fear…”
Luke 1: 74
We should never allow fear to come into our lives. The only way to come out of fear is to be full of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of fear brings torment, but the Holy Spirit is the spirit of power, love, and of sound mind.
3) Accusation
Accusation, defamation, conspiracy, all these things are the weapons of the enemy. is a weapon from the enemy which will give access to the enemy. When someone falsely accuses us, we should not let our hearts be troubled. We can stand against the accusations by renewing our minds (Romans 12:2 so that every thought of ours will be according to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
4) Division among God's people
“But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house, falls.”
Luke 11:17 (NKJV)
Unity in families, unity in ministerial teams, unity in prayer teams, and administration.
5) Doubt on Jesus
“And He marveled because of their unbelief.”
Mark 6:6 (NKJV)
Doubting Jesus can open access to the enemy.
6) Apathy/passivity
“Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”
John 2:17 (NKJV)
Passivity is a loss of zeal for the Lord, a lukewarm experience. There are people who lose their fire, their anointing, and the zeal that they once had for God. The moment we lose the passion, it opens a door for the enemy to come in.
7) Lies and deceit
“When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”
John 8:44 (NKJV)
The Bible says demonic spirits speak lies, so we should never allow our mouths to speak a lie. No lies at home, in church, in workplaces, or for any small or big purpose. We should never speak lies and open the demonic access on the family.
The defeat of the enemy
Jesus wants to defeat the enemy through us, and He can do it when our obedience towards Jesus and the Word of God is fulfilled.
“…casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”
2 Corinthians 10:5-6 (NKJV)
“…or your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.”
Romans 16:19-20 (NKJV)
God will punish demonic disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled. The Bible says we are the apple of God's eye but unknowingly we give access to the enemy. And God has marked a punishment for touching the apple of His eye when we come to complete obedience. The Word of God also says that satan will be crushed under our own feet.
Concluding Prayer
Lord Jesus, we pray to help us identify any open doors in our lives that the devil has taken access and got into our lives. Holy Spirit please help us to close the open access towards our lives and destinies. We believe that when these legal accesses are closed, we will win battles for the Glory of the Kingdom of God.
In Jesus’ Name
Amen