By Jennifer Eivaz
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Week 1: Our Spiritual Authority
Spiritual authority was delegated first to the disciples and then to every believer in Christ. We have been given all authority and empowerment by the Holy Spirit to overcome. Being a follower of Christ does not mean avoiding demonic resistance, but rather learning to overcome it.
Another way spiritual authority works is that God gives a territorial mandate to a person – such as a city, nation, or people group–and the Holy Spirit authorizes that person for the task. Paul was assigned to evangelize the Gentiles, Peter to the Jews. The spirit realm recognizes a person’s authority in that place. The stories of Peter and Paul in the book of Acts show us that Peter was let out of jail at least twice by angels, and the demons knew Paul by name, recognizing his spiritual authority above the authority of other people.
Another way to receive spiritual authority is to ask God for it. The Greek word used to describe our apportioned faith and authority is the word, metron, which suggests that we are anointed to minister within a God-assigned boundary. When we function within our metron, we see our spiritual authority produce something. When we steward what we have, God increases it. In the Bible, we see people with great spiritual authority – and certain people do carry a great amount. You might not have that level of spiritual authority on your own, but when you partner from the heart with what others do, you can walk in their authority as you help them carry out their God-given mandate.
Once we know our spiritual authority and the ways in which it is distributed to us, we need to exercise it. Many people do not pray effective prayers because they do not understand what the will of God really is. God’s will for us is a full and abundant life, and our prayers need to reflect this.
Scriptures: Luke 10:19, Acts 5:19, 12:7. Acts 16:26, Acts 19:15, John 10:10 & Matthew 25:14-20
Week 2: Are Territorial Spirits Real?
As Christians, we are privileged to have dual citizenship. We are citizens of earth and citizens of heaven at the same time. We are living in two realms at the same time, a natural one and a spiritual one. Being citizens of heaven puts us in direct spiritual conflict on the earth, however. These conflicts appear in many different forms and dimensions, and if we are not aware, we will fail to connect that they are rooted in the spiritual realm. King Jesus leads a kingdom invasion through us, displacing what used to belong to Satan.
Because we live in two realms, it is normal for us to encounter the spiritual realm in the context of prayer. Prayer reaches into the unseen, to the very throne room of God, to procure miracles for impossible situations. At the same time, there are sinister territorial spirits, malevolent to the core, that stand behind the difficult situations we face. I believe God wants to unveil the spiritual realm to us and lead us to pray more effectively. Jesus, being anointed of the Spirit to set the oppressed free would personally command a demon to leave, and we are to do the same. When we encounter a demon-possessed person and they begin to manifest, we command the demon (or demons) to leave them, in Jesus’ name, and they must go. On the other hand, we do not see Jesus addressing higher-ranking spirits in the same manner. He responded to Satan’s verbal baiting by quoting the written Word of God.
When handling higher-ranking spirits, we need to remember we are in partnership with the Holy Spirit. When He leads us into spiritual battle, He will lead us into victory. Without His help, we will not be effective. When God gives you an assignment, He gives you authority for the assignment. However, we do not presume authority over territorial spirits and confront them just for the sake of confronting them.
Advancing the Kingdom of God does not come without a fight. Prayer becomes our weapon of choice and the only thing that really works. Intercessors invite the presence and power of Jesus into their metron, thus stopping Satan’s plans, cleansing the atmosphere, and putting angels on assignments.
Scriptures: Ephesians 6:12, Hebrews 4:16, Luke 4:18 & Matthew 4:1-10
Week 3: God’s Mighty Invisible Army
Everywhere God is and everywhere God’s people are, His angels are there, too. They are an invisible army on assignment, helping the body of Christ fulfill her assignment to preach the Gospel and bring heaven to earth.
The ministry of angels is a key to answered prayer and therefore something we need to discover and embrace. Angels are immortal spirits created by God and they inhabit both heaven and earth as they travel between them. Their primary purpose is to serve God in heaven and to serve the heirs of salvation, which are you and I, believers in Jesus as Lord. Angels serve and perform a variety of spiritual and natural tasks. In general, here is what they do: protect, guide, reveal information, provide, arrive in response to prayer, fight demonic spirits, and care for believers upon death. Angels are being dispatched from heaven to earth to answer our prayers. Remember, this is being done by permission of our Heavenly Father because all answers to prayer originate in Him.
I have heard and read much counsel from Christian leaders not to worship angels. The instruction not to worship angels, however, is often misheard as “Don’t work with angels” or “Don’t talk to them.” Angels are not off-limits to us. Within biblical boundaries, we can ask the Father for them and work with them. Jesus could ask for armies of angels to assist Him if needed, and so can we.
Asking the Father for angels needs to be done in alignment with the Word of God and the will of God. We loose angels in the same way we bind demons; by using our words. Angels listen for and obey the word of the Lord. Our prophetic words are heard and observed by angels and will put them on assignment. When working with angels, understand that they strictly uphold the Word of God. Not to do so would-be rebellion with severe punishment. To be flippant, casual, or careless with the angels will, at best, get you ignored. At worst, it could bring a strict penalty, and we need to be aware of that possibility.
Scriptures: Hebrews 1:14, 1 Kings19:5-7, Matthew 16:19, 26:53 & Mark 11:23-24
Week 4: Prophetic Intercession
Prophetic intercession is a sharp and powerful prayer communicated as a prophetic word. It is different from asking the Lord to do something, which would be a prayer of petition. Instead, it commands something to be done and puts the invisible realms into motion to bring it to pass. The Bible describes the word of God to be alive, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. These are not metaphors but real truths about the nature of God’s word. With a word, God stopped the rain and then restarted it through the prophet Elijah. God created everything with a word. There is not anything made that was not made through His word. His Word holds everything in the universe together, and all creation responds to His Word. His word is living and creates new life in us.
When we say what God says, there is power in those words to bring something to life. God does not withhold the ability to prophesy from those who desire it and when you prophesy in prayer, you speak something out in the form of a command. There are several forms prophetic words can take but all are living words that can both create and cut down. When we start something in prayer, we started it with a word from God. Prophetic intercession becomes the sharp sword of God’s word that pierces through spiritual barricades to release what God has promised us. We see this demonstrated for us in the story of King David’s triumph over the Philistines. When this battle threat rose, David inquired of the Lord, and God assured him of victory. David attacked them and won and named the place Baal Perazim, which literally means “The Lord of the breakthrough. ”Prophetic intercession opens the spirit realm to us so we can prophesy in prayer more intelligently. Even so, we will encounter unyielding circumstances that seem to be untouchable. There is an answer in God, but we need to find the right key. That is the point at which we need to add fasting to our prayers because fasting is a game changer.
Scriptures: Hebrews 4:12, 11:3, John 1:1-3, Romans 4:17 & 2 Samuel 5:19
Week 5: Fasting is a Game Changer
Jesus taught prayer with fasting, and this was a regular practice of the early Church. It ought to be the same for us. The truth is, fasting is a game changer when it comes to unanswered prayer. Fasting purifies our bodies, yes, but it also purifies our hearts. Add fasting to your prayers, and your answers will come speedily. It empties us of unbelief and aligns our faith in such a way that we gain triumph over our enemies. In the Bible, we see three types of fasts: the absolute fast, the normal fast, and the partial fast.
Absolute fast – abstaining from food and water. Since the body cannot sustain itself without water for more than three days, these fasts are very short.
Normal fast – abstaining from food but not liquids for a certain number of days.
Partial fast – allows the consumption of food and liquids but is restricted in some way
Fasting is an exchange. We exchange food for the Word, for worship, and for prayer. It is always done in combination with prayer; otherwise, it is just a diet. We are fasting to be seen by God. We do not behave in a way that makes it obvious to others that we are fasting. When we fast, we not only humble ourselves but also make ourselves weak on purpose – something God rewards with exaltation. When we are not strong enough to break a spiritual barrier through normal means, we need to add fasting to our prayers. Fasting is a spiritual discipline that brings heavenly rewards. Be purposeful when fasting, write down the verses that support what you are seeking in your fast. Taking this extra step forces us to evaluate our hearts and to prove things through the Word. There are a great many rewards to fasting – spiritual, emotional, and physical rewards. Through fasting, we subdue the voice of our flesh and increase our spiritual sensitivity. We hear the voice of God better and begin to discern the spirit realm more accurately.
Scriptures: Isaiah 58:6-9, Daniel 1:8-16 & Matthew 6:18
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, I invite You to empower me to know and understand with a deeper measure and revelation my God-given authority to accomplish all that you have prepared for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Biography
Jennifer Eivaz is a minister and international conference speaker with a heart to equip the church in the supernatural and for raising up passionate and effective prayer. She is a content contributor for many online Christian publications, has been featured on several Christian television shows, hosts the popular podcast Take Ten With Jenn, and authored several bestselling books. Jennifer and her husband, Ron, co-pastor Harvest Church, now meeting in several locations – in addition to hosting a thriving online campus. They also have two wonderful children.
Jennifer Eivaz's Website: www.JenniferEivaz.com
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