Exercising Your Authority in Prayer

“Many in the church today are being held captive spiritually, not because of the enemy’s power, but because we do not clearly understand our authority and calling in Christ...  As we begin to understand the hope of His calling, we will begin to walk in an abundant life of freedom and power.” Angie Weaver  
 
Most Christians do not realize or exercise the tremendous authority they have in Christ.  God has called us to make a difference on earth.  He wants us to rule it. He can enforce His will, but He limits His dealings on earth by working through His people.  He does not want us to passively stand by and watch the earth fall into decay (Psalm 8:4-6, 115:16).  But if we were to evaluate the situation, isn’t this what many Christians are doing?  How many of us exercise our authority?  This needs to change.

      
God has given us authority on earth to rule.  It may not feel like it, but it’s true.  He does nothing on earth unless he does it through a person.  He always intended to rule the earth but through His delegated authority in mankind (Genesis 1:26).  We were to carry out the government of the earth, but Adam and Eve gave it away through disobedience.  You know the story.  Adam transferred authority over the earth to Satan (Luke 4:4, 2 Corinthians 4:4).  All of mankind was then under his dominion.  God did not give Satan authority over the earth, Adam did.
 
We needed someone to stand between us, and Satan, in order to break that dominion.  Jesus was the only one who could.  He came as a man completely fulfilling God’s will and became our intercessor - the one who could join us to God again and break Satan’s headship over us (Isaiah 53:12).  Jesus purchased us with his blood (Revelation 5:9, 1 Timothy 2:5) - and not only restored us to God - He became the way that God could again have dominion over the earth (1 Corinthians 15, Matthew 28:19-20).  Jesus could now rule in the affairs of earth.

He has given us authority to rule - and through prayer - we exercise this authority in Christ.  

We are called to pray and seek justice on the earth on behalf of others.  Not only can we break the personal strongholds in our lives through prayer, but we can impact our cities and nations.  The world lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19).  Look around and you see this everywhere.  Drugs - pornography - murder, evil, etc.  But we can make a difference.  Jesus has authority in heaven and on earth but since He is no longer on the earth, he rules through his Church.  He changes things on earth through us!  We must learn to exercise our authority right in the middle of Satan’s territory.  We read in Psalm 144:1, “Praise be to the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” Exodus 15:3 says, “The Lord is a mighty warrior; the Lord is his name.” As we use our authority, we can actually subdue powers and principalities (Ephesians 3:10).  Wow!
 
But how can we walk in authority in the midst of personal, and sometimes unrelenting, spiritual warfare?  What are some ways we can stand strong?


Ways to Stand Strong in Your Authority in Prayer

• Abide in Christ - As you abide, you are able to pray the things on God’s heart.

• Practice fasting on a regular basis - Fasting gives you spiritual power and strength to stand against the enemy.

• Be ready for battle and steadfast in prayer - Know that you are in enemy territory, and you are here to fight for God’s Kingdom.  Watch for those fiery darts.  Hold up your shield of faith and do not waver in prayer.  Put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6).

• Stand upon the promises of God - Stand on God’s promises and do not listen to the enemy.  Speak God’s promises over your family, neighborhood, city, and nation.

• Know and Pray God’s Word - Try using Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:3-19 in prayer.  The Bible is filled with Scripture you can pray.  Declarative prayer is a key way to exercise your authority in prayer.  We’ll look at this in the next chapter.  

• Focus on God during times of warfare - The enemy will try to discourage you as to your authority.  Focus on God instead of the things you see happening in the world.  Remember, you have authority in Christ.

• Mix praise and prayer together - Worship is the atmosphere where truth dwells.  There is power released in worship warfare.  God is greater than all enemy attacks.

• Let God’s peace rule in your heart - Come in the opposite spirit of the world system. An attitude of peace and joy in the midst of darkness is powerful (Colossians 3:15).    

Recently we got new inter-net access because of our constant work on our computers.  A man came and installed it outside.  While we were at church one Sunday, someone cut the wires. We were unable to communicate with anyone! We knew that it was an unreasonable next-door neighbor because he had done bad things to us in the past.  In this and other difficulties, we’ve learned to walk in God’s peace and take our authority in prayer by practicing these points.  Perhaps you can identify with some form of spiritual warfare where you live or work.  Practice taking your authority in prayer, look to Jesus, and realize that God has called you to live on earth for such a time as this.  
 
It’s time for the Church of Jesus Christ to arise in battle and aggressively take back land stolen by the enemy. Are you and I going to let the devil control our cities when Jesus died for the entire world?  The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (Psalm 24:1).  Let’s not forget that.  This will be our finest hour if we learn to wield the weapons of warfare and stand in our God-given authority.  It’s time to arise and realize the victory we have in Christ.  It’s time to arise in prayer.

“Dear Lord, I thank You for giving Your people authority to rule on earth.  Help me to understand the hope of my calling.  Teach me to exercise this authority in my life, my city, and my nation.  Thank You for becoming my intercessor and breaking Satan’s headship over my life (Isaiah 53:12).  Help me to pray and seek justice on the earth on behalf of others.  I thank You for giving your people authority to actually subdue powers and principalities (Ephesians 3:10).  I choose to reign with You and walk in Your authority.  ‘The Lord is a mighty warrior; the Lord is his name’ (Exodus 15:3).  I am called to declare Your authority and rule the earth with You (Revelation 1:6).  Through authoritative prayer, I can enforce Your victory on earth (Romans 16:20, Colossians 2:13-15) and fight for the nations (Psalm 2:7).  ‘Praise be to the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle’ (Psalm 144:1). In Jesus’ name, amen.”
 
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:10-13).

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