Prayer is Your Place of Safety (Part 3)

Only Christians Have Spiritual Authority Over Satan

1.19.2020

Review

In this series, we are addressing the importance of prayer in 2020, and how your prayer life can become the most important part of your day.

Week 1, we saw that Jesus lived out of His prayer life, and that He spent a lot of time praying before ministry.

We talked about the importance of praying about everything, and how prayer can prepare us for the things that are in our future.

Week 2, We talked about why we must pray.

We began discussing 10 points that explain why we must pray:

1. An angel named Lucifer (Satan) became corrupted and rebelled against God.

2. When Satan was thrown out of heaven, he fell to the earth.

3. In the first man Adam, God gave the human race a measure of His all-authority. He became God’s under-ruler on the earth.

4. This authority was transferred to Satan when Adam sinned.

5. Two things happened when Adam sinned:

6. Satan now has a legal right to rule on earth until that original lease of dominion given to Adam by God runs out.

And today, we will start with point 7:

7. Satan now has a legal right to be here. And with that legal right he is working to hinder God’s plan and purposes in the earth.

John 10:10 – NKJV

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10 – NLT

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

John 14:30 – NKJV

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

John 14:30 – NLT

“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 – AMP

I will not talk with you much more, for the prince (evil genius, ruler) of the world is coming. And he has no claim on Me. [He has nothing in common with Me; there is nothing in Me that belongs to him, and he has no power over Me.]

2 Corinthians 4:4 – NKJV

whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

2 Corinthians 4:4 – NLT

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

Ephesians 2:1-3 – NLT

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. (2) You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. (3) All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

Ephesians 6:12 – NLT

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

1 John 5:19-CEV – CEV

We are certain that we come from God and that the rest of the world is under the power of the devil.

1 John 5:19 – TPT

We know that we are God’s children and that the whole world lies under the misery and influence of the Evil One.

Satan has a legal right to be here. He rules over the unsaved masses of humanity.

He rules in Christians who are ignorant of their authority in Christ.

8. Though Satan has a legal authority to be here, the church now has had man’s original authority restored in Christ.

Matthew 28:18-20 – NKJV

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

9. Christians are the only people on earth with authority over Satan and his helpers.

Jesus went to the cross as the representative man.

Second Adam/Last Adam – 1 Corinthians 15

Jesus became our sin, was judged for our sin, and raised from death when our sin debt was paid.

Jesus dethroned Satan for us!

Revelation 1:18 – NKJV

I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of death.

Jesus regained our original authority for us.

Notice these scriptures:

Luke 10:19

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

This was before the cross. Jesus gave His disciples the authority of His personage by the use of His name. His name represents all that He is!

Authority – Exousia

delegated authority

 

1 Corinthians 2:6

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

 

Who are coming to nothing:

Amplified

who are being brought to nothing and are doomed to pass away

 

Wuest

Who are in the process of being liquidated

 

Youngs Literal Translation

Of those becoming useless.

Moffat

the dethroned powers that rule this world.

 

Colossians 1:13 – AMP

[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

Colossians 2:15 – NLT

In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

 

Colossians 2:15 – NKJV

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:15 – AMP

[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].

Colossians 2:15 – MSG

He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.

 

Colossians 2:15 – God’s Word

He stripped the rulers and authorities of their power and made a public spectacle of them as he celebrated his victory in Christ.

 

J.B. Phillips

And then, having drawn the sting of all the powers and authorities ranged against us, He exposed them, shattered, empty and defeated, in His own triumphant victory.

Colossians 2:15 (Passion Translation)

Then Jesus made a public spectacle of all the powers and principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse us. And by the power of the cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph. He was not their prisoner; they were his!

 

If you’ve been watching scary sci-fi’s, or movies like Polterguist,etc., you need to reinforce the fact that you have authority…

Ephesians 1:19-23 – NLT

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power (20) that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. (21) Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else — not only in this world but also in the world to come. (22) God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. (23) And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

 

Ephesians 2:6 – NLT

For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.

Now you can understand James 4:7

 

James 4:7

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

 

New English Bible:

Stand up to the Devil and he will turn and run

 

Resist:

Strongs – to oppose or withstand

 

Bullinger – set one’s self against, either in word or deed or both.

 

Elliot – The devil can fight, but cannot conquer you if you resist.

 

Wheaton – Temptations when repelled disappear, and when habitually kept at a distance, cease to exist.

 

Flee:

Thayer – flee because of inspired fear and threatened danger.

 

Arndt – seek safety in flight

 

Liddle and Scott – run off as quickly as possible

 

Expositor’s Greek New Testament – If you resist him, he will be vanquished and will flee from you disgraced.

 

And Ephesians 4:27

NKJV

Nor give place to the devil.

 

God’s Word

Don’t give the devil any opportunity to work.

 

NCV

Do not give the devil a way to defeat you.

 

Weymouth

And do not leave room for the Devil.

 

Kenneth Wuest

And stop giving an occasion for acting [opportunity] to the devil.

 

1 Peter 5:8-9 – NLT

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (9) Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

 

Satan must be resisted by faith.

He usually works by putting a thought in your mind and a feeling in your body. If you buy what he’s placing there, he will seek to entrench into your life.

We must renew our minds and control our bodies to remain free from his influence.

NEXT TIME!

10. Our prayers give God permission to bring to pass His kingdom and His rule and wherever authority over Satan is exercised.

God, even though He has all authority universe wide, chose to rule the earth with the help of man. He still rules it that way today…

So now you can understand James’ statement:

James 4:2-3 – NKJV

You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. (3) You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

In prayer, we can exercise authority over Satan and his forces that are seeking to hinder our lives.

God’s hands are tied unless He can find someone to pray and allow Him to manifest His kingdom. He must have our cooperation.

When we don’t pray, Satan gains the advantage.

Action Points:

1. Would you consider your prayer life as casual or very serious?

2. God must have our cooperation to invade our lives. Prayer gives Him that cooperation.

3. Do you exercise your God-given authority over Satan in your family and personal life issues, like your job, your finances, your health, and your relational life?