Men must always pray
Lu 18: 1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Why Pray?
1. Unless man prays God will not do anything on the earth! The key words in the statement are man and earth. God will not do anything in this earth realm that has been given over to man , unless a man prays! God has decided that way and so it will be forever! Because Adam and Eve messed up in Eden, God became a man and redeemed it back and restored it back to man; now the honour and glory belongs to man!
God is better than self motivation stuff, he imputes power and authority to you just as we like to give all we have to our children and want them to succeed. God gives us everything and expects us to exercise rule and dominion over it!
2. the second reason is we join hands with God to do the will of God. Prayer is not asking God what oyu need. Prayer is an activity reserved for you the vice regent on earth to sit in the board meeting with God and rule and reign! God has predetermined everything; but we ought to know that so that I can accomplish it in prayer. It frees me to be a co- laborer, partner, joint functionary with God.
3. The third reason is to exercise rulership and dominion over earth. The fall of mankind robbed him of dominion, the man became the slave of the devil. The choicest of God’s creation became subservient to the enemy of God! God planned redemption in such a way that it meant not merely deliverance for man, but to restore man’s position of authority above anything else, including the devil. Unless that was done, man could not exercise authority!
But, So many are content preaching a gospel of mere freedom from sin!
Eph 2: 6
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Redemption is not just freedom from sins, or a status of sonship, or even freedom from the devil’s atrocities! It is much beyond that- God has raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places…
Where in the heavenly places?
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Jesus is at the right hand of God. We also have been made to sit at the right hand of God (in Christ Jesus)! The right hand of God is a place of power, authority and dominion!
So many have got it wrong! Some claim that there are seven heavens; and because they are not married and are consecrated they were going to the seventh heaven and all the others would be stuck in the third!
You would be lucky to just get to heaven; find some little corner! However the bible says … made me sit together with Him- where God himself is; at the most important place in heaven- in equality with Christ!
Why did God not stop just with forgiving my sins? I would be glad and serve him forever with just the promise of heaven! But that is not enough for God! He is a God of too much! You think about yourself; God is thinking of the whole earth! God raised you up!
At the right hand
Is it an honorary position? A doctorate? No! We are seated in close proximity with God where we can talk to him, in a place …
Eph 1: 21
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Why sit in the heavenly places?
NOT TO LAY EGGS! this is not about Jesus being seated at the right hand of God! Jesus being seated- there is where he came from- it is not about him- it means nothing ever happened to us!
It is about the man Jesus Christ! This Man freed from the dead, from satanic hold in hell, came out- with new life and ascended back to heaven and sat victorious and all the power is now invested into this one Man– Jesus Christ!
As col 2: 15 says-
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
It is not about Jesus the Son of God- it is about man! The man Jesus who came as our substitute- and is now seated there as a man! And because a man is seated there- God says- consider the man Christ Jesus- it is trying to tell us that it is not merely Jesus seated there- it is us! Together with Him… Him sitting there was already a reality for Him- it is about us!
Where am I?
Above all principality and power!
Where are they ( all the powers and principalities)?
They are under our feet!
So many have no clue to the reality of this statement. Someone advised, “be very careful when you lay hands on someone possessed with the devil- the devil may get onto you! Haha. It is a mean devil- he would do this and that to you!
Churches have not taught Christians the knowledge of this reality.
Someone referred to Jude 1: 9
Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Michael, the most powerful archangel of heaven dared not rebuke the devil! I don’t rebuke thee, the lord rebuke you! Please get a revelation where you are sitting! The Lord Jesus is on your side- the devil is under your feet; he has been placed there!
Get a revelation- you are not Michael the archangel- you are a son of God seated with Christ at right hand of God (where Michael is not sitting); let Michael be who he is! I am not what He is, I am seated at the right hand of God, raised up together with Jesus, seated together with Him! ‘The Bible tells, you rebuke the devil!’
In my name you shall cast out devils! I give you power over every serpent and scorpions; nothing by any means will hurt you!
Let us look at it logically- let us not try to teach each other Hebrew or Greek!
Heb 1: 14
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
It means they have been appointed to serve us- they are ready to serve us. Is the one who serves greater or the one being served is greater? We ought not to think that man is made lower than angels! Scholars suggest that ‘man is made just a little lower than God’ is a better rendition of the original text! Angels are our ministering spirits!
Maybe Michael was deferring to his once upon a time buddy in angelic hierarchy; it does not apply to us! We were once captives but now the defeated foe has set us in our charge. We have been handed over all of the whole earthly realm by the Victor Christ Jesus! Under my feet!
Why pray?
We pray to exercise dominion! Therefore before praying, we must pause to meditate on all these truths! We are seated with God! Where is satan positioned right now? What is his title ? never refer to him as Mr Satan- he is to be referred to as the defeated foe!
Whenever the devil wants you thinking something about yourself or your failures, call him aside for a little talk and remind him how his teeth were knocked out on Calvary! Do not for one moment be in awe of him, even that he is a mean devil!
If we are seated at the right hand the the Father, then we are seated FAR above all principalities and powers- the devil’s power is nothing! (Every word of God is important for you to overcome! )
Most of the problems in the church is trying to get what you already have. We think we have nothing but God has given us everything, we think we are so small but we are so big!
Jesus being raised up is a only relevant if we are raised up with Him too! In this connection read ch 2:6
And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church], Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself]. (Ephesians 1:22, 23 AMP)
We are his body, another translation-
He has put all things under his feet for the benefit of the church. So that the church may benefit from it- the people of the body, individually and corporately.
Why did He put all things under Jesus’ feet?
What benefit does Jesus have in being raised up and head over all things? Nothing! He was there; He merely got back there! But if we were to benefit – it makes all the difference!
However the church does not benefit since no one ever speaks about it! All they ever say is be careful of the devil, he may get on you! It is for the benefit of the church, for me, that Jesus did it! Jesus benefits nothing, I benefit everything!
Full gospel?
Full Gospel is definitely Not being full of food or even having a pot belly! Having your sins forgiven and going to heaven is not full gospel! Deliverance from the devil is not full gospel! It is about what you are now in Christ and your being seated with Him in heavenly places!
This realization should be as real to you as cold and hot! You never seek counsel to or seek a prophet to divine cold or hot! You just know it! The truth about the full gospel should be as real as you know the ground will take our weight when you get out of the bed in the morning! The bridges we cross, we never check the cement constitution before you motor across one!
Those who fly in aero planes – feel it is the safest mode of transport. Even safer than a motor cycle or car or even walking on the road! The pilot will put the aero plane on autopilot and not care for a thing! Thorough knowledge leads to being sure of the outcome!
When the Christian a thinks of his position he is able to use it instantly like a mathematics table, how the devil is a defeated foe- it leads to a victorious Christian life in his thought, attitude, word, action and behavior!
Eph 1:15-23
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints (the people of God), I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones), And [so that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places], Far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come. And He has put all things under His feet and has appointed Him the universal and supreme Head of the church [a headship exercised throughout the church], Which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all [for in that body lives the full measure of Him Who makes everything complete, and Who fills everything everywhere with Himself].
Why comprehend and understand all these things? If They do not understand it, their Christian life would be a failure. They ought to understand where they are. The have to know the devil’s condition. Prayer is not about howling or blabbering or complaining to God! It is exercising rule and dominion! It is talking the language of a person who knows his rights and privileges!
In Eph 1:23
The church which is his body, The fulness of him who fills all in all!
The church is the fulness of God- love and strength. It is not a church of weakness and Inability! It is an army of people who are the fulness of Him.
1 cor 12 : 6,7
Yet when we are among the full-grown (spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding), we do impart a [higher] wisdom (the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden); but it is indeed not a wisdom of this present age or of this world nor of the leaders and rulers of this age, who are being brought to nothing and are doomed to pass away. But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden [from the human understanding] and now revealed to us by God–[that wisdom] which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification [to lift us into the glory of His presence]. (1 Corinthians 2:6, 7 AMP)
The Moffat’s translation talks of the rulers of this age who are dethroned, refers to that rule behind the leaders. The devil is dethroned, he is under our feet. He is under our feet!
Mat 16: 17,18
Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros --a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra --a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it]. (Matthew 16:17, 18 AMP)
Peter spoke these words under the revelation from the father. Christian truth cannot be received in an academic way, it must dawn upon you- things unknown must be made available you. The spirit of God has revealed it to us! Listening to a lecture will not do you any good, but if spirit of God would open your eyes…
It was at this moment that Peter ‘got’ it for the first time, though his having been with Jesus so far had not helped!
Upon this rock… not Peter! The rock is – knowing who Jesus is, where he is right now, where He puts us. Upon that revelation the church is built! Building a church is not about gathering relatives together! The church is not built by human methods! Even a persecutor and murderer would believe a revelation one day and then begin to preach the next day! It is God’s truth coming to someone under the work of the Holy spirit.
That type of a church is not a mere organization – the gates of hell will not prevail against it! It is not the devil coming after you- gates do not travel!
It is the Church which is offensive, the church rises up, expands like leaven dough rises and pushes against the gates of hell and destroys the work of Satan! It is a triumphant church! This verse is Proclaiming our victory and the defeat of Satan!
Mat 16:19
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19 AMP)
It is about authority! When The devil plays havoc in your life, you do not find an evangelist and stand in line for prayer! Know what the devil is, who you are in Christ, fill your heart with this truth and tell him who he is!
This is the basis of prayer! When you build a church on this rock, then the gates of hell will not prevail against us! What we decide will be established on the earth!
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