By Harmit Jandu
(Short extract taken from lesson ‘Correct Prayer’ from the
Dominion Bible School course)
Are we to pray for the world?
We are not to pray for revival. We are the product of revival. God sent revival on the day of Pentecost and He has not taken it back since!
No one is saved directly by the prayers of others. Each person has to pray their own prayer to accept salvation. You cannot pray it for them. We cannot pray ‘for’ the world. Jesus did not pray for the world. He preached to them.
“I pray for them: I pray NOT for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine” (John 17:9 KJV).
“Then He said to His disciples, The harvest truly is great, but the workers few. (v38) Pray then that the Lord of the harvest may send out workers into His harvest” (Mat 9:38 LITV).
We are to pray the Lord will send out labourers to preach the Gospel and not to pray for the world to be saved. We can pray about the world to get direction from the Lord. We are not to pray for the world. People are saved through the ‘foolishness’ of preaching, not the foolishness of peoples foolish prayers. The context of the above verses reveals that the shortage is for workers. Preaching is the work we are called to do and if we do it the Lord will work with us.
(Mar 16:20 LITV) “And going out, they preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the Word through the miraculous signs following after.”
The Lord will always work with the Word. The Word works. Faith without works is dead.
Warfare praise and worship evangelism?
Praise and worship does not cause God to draw men to Him (unless the unbeliever is present to hear the verbal praise and worship and only if it contains a salvation/faith message). Believers are often told that if they ‘lift Jesus up’ in praise God will then draw people to Him. This is unbiblical, gives a false hope and is one of the most daft thoughts preached in churches. The verse usually used to support this idea is taken out of context. The very next verse explains what ‘lifted up’ meant in context.
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to Myself. (v33) But He said this, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die”(John 12:32-33 LITV).
“And even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14 LITV).
The phrase ‘lifted up’ referred to Jesus being lifted up on the cross as the serpent was lifted up on the pole in the wilderness.
When we speak and praise in tongues it is not to war against demon’s who have already been defeated. Tongues are for speaking to God, not demons. The purpose of praise and worship is not to appease an angry God.
Warfare prayer for ‘Household salvation’ – Is it scriptural?
A common error taught in the church is that of ‘household salvation’ – the idea that if you become born again then you are ‘promised and guaranteed’ in the Word that your whole family will be saved. This is founded on the false notion that you can ‘pray people in’ against their will .
In Acts 16 we read about the Philippian jailer who was told by Paul what to do to be saved. Paul’s answer is often taken out of context.
“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Act 16:31 LITV).
This is not implying that if the jailer receives the salvation gift all his family is guaranteed to become born again if we ‘claim this promise.’ It means that if the jailer believes he will become born again and if his family accepts they too will be saved. They were not forced into salvation by someone else’s faith. They had to make a choice. They willingly chose salvation.
Christians worldwide have used this verse to base their prayer of faith for the salvation of their family members. In order for faith to work it has to based on the Word and not on a false interpretation. Your family members have to make their own personal decision based on what they have heard (faith comes by hearing) about the message of the gospel.
People are saved by responding to the light of the Word. We are called to be witnesses (Acts 1:8) and to let our light shine (Mathew 5:16). People in darkness will respond to light.
In I Corinthians 7 we read and can conclude that an unsaved spouse is not guaranteed salvation by verbal intercessory prayer by their partner. You cannot command someone to be saved against their will. If it were possible then we could technically marry unsaved people and then command them to be saved. The partner of the unsaved spouse is to live the Word and hope that their spouse will see their personal need to accept salvation.
If a husband does not treat their wife correctly it can hinder their prayer.
(1Pe 3:7 ISV) “In a similar way, you husbands must live with your wives in an understanding manner, as with a most delicate vessel. Honour them as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing may interfere with your prayers.”
Our behaviour is our prayer. While couples quarrel their prayers are hindered. This principle applies to everyone not just husbands.
We are to let our light (the Word) shine. We should preach the gospel and if necessary use words!
God does not work independent of us and we should not work independent of Him. Our will should cooperate with His will. This a law of the Kingdom. No amount of sincerity in prayer can change this law.
We are to preach people into a salvation acceptance and not pray them in. We present the gospel and as we grow in wisdom and sensitivity towards the Holy Spirit we can better present the gospel to be more effective. We can pray to ask for wisdom to be a better witness. We cannot ‘pray people in’.
Can we pray ‘warfare’ prayers for a person against their will?
We can stand in intercession to release faith on behalf of someone but usually only with their permission.
“Therefore I say to you, What ever things YOU desire, when YOU pray, believe that YOU receive them, and YOU shall have them” (Mark 11:24).
The above verse does not say, “whatever things THEY desire, when YOU pray, believe that THEY receive them, and THEY shall have them.”
You cannot go against some ones will in prayer. The devil cannot go against your will. When people say, “the devil made me do it” they are lying. Your will is your will and not even God will violate that in the area of salvation.
In Mark 5 we read of the man possessed with a legion of demons. The man could still release his will to some degree so that he could be delivered. The devil cannot absolutely control someone. We all have a will at all times. satan cannot dominate someone against their will and God will not dominate someone against their will. It is this will that you can change by presenting the gospel. The gospel has the power to appeal to people’s conscience and affect their wilful choices.
Are we to battle in militant warfare prayer against demons?
There is a serious misunderstanding today about what spiritual warfare is. The common definition is that we are to ‘battle in prayer’ with demonic forces who rule over nations and its provinces in our efforts to evangelise the world. The facts of redemption reject this false delusional notion. There are no demons hovering in the air over villages, towns, cities, nations or continents.
The gospels never record Jesus begging God for blessings and certainly not battling demonic beings to dethrone them from their place of influence in the heavenly realm prior to preaching in a certain city. He just went and preached the all sufficient good news of the Kingdom – nothing added, nothing taken away – just pure good news. Like Jesus, the disciples only dealt with demons in connection with individual people. We are commissioned to cast out demons in individual people (Matthew 10:1).
(Mark 16:17 LITV) “And miraculous signs will follow to those believing these things: they will cast out demons in My name…”
The words ‘cast out’ is translated from the Greek word ekballo. It is a combination of the words ek and ballo. Ek means out and ballo means to throw. Combined it means to throw out, to evict, to drive out or to expel. We are licensed to cast demons out as our master did.
(Matthew 8:16 LITV) “…He cast out the spirits by a word…” The word ekballo is used here. It means forcibly throw out. This phrase is used a number of times and shows that Jesus literally tossed out demons out of people’s lives.
The New Testament seldom uses words like ‘war’ and ‘warfare’ and even when it does it is never once used in connection with the word ‘devil’ or ‘satan.’ We are never instructed to go in search of devils and attack them.
(2 Corinthians 10:3 KJV) “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh”
The word ‘walk’ here originates from the Greek word peripateo. It means to walk around or to habitually live and carry on in one general territory. The picture painted is one of a person who has been on that path for so long that they know it inside out and could walk that path blindfolded.
This verse refers to our expertise of walking in our humanity and doing everything according to the flesh. However, when it comes to dealing with spiritual enemies they must be dealt with using spiritual weapons and not fleshy concepts and methods. Much of what takes place in the spiritual warfare movement is the work of the flesh.
Some in the spiritual warfare movement have gone to ludicrous extremes to practice their nonsensical doctrines. These have included from flying in helicopters pouring oil over cities to taking 20,000 Christians to the historic City where the false goddess Diana was worship, as mentioned in the Book of Acts, to dethrone that demon spirit so that Muslim in the 10/40 window could be saved. One preacher actually requested to be taken to the tallest building in the city in which he was preaching so that he could dethrone the demons over that city before he preaches. Others do prayer walks. Prayer walking is an invention that originates from the stupidity and shallowness of peoples understanding of prayer. If I was to mention the preachers that did these things you would be surprised to know that they are well known. I am sure the demons responded by laughing because they have the recollection of being totally whipped by Jesus still branded in their memory. These fanciful and comical practices are ridiculous and not taught in scripture.
It is a fact that demonic spirits are still in this world.
(Eph 6:12 KJV) “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
The word ‘against’ here is a translated from the word pros in Greek. It means towards, a sense of closeness, face to face and close contact. There are spirits close to us in out towns and cities. However, they are defeated enemies. We are in ‘warfare’ but not in the way some understand us to be.
(2 Corinthians 10:4 LITV) “For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful to God to the demolishing of strongholds”
The word ‘warfare’ is from the Greek word stratos. It is from this verse that the word strategy originates. The word in II Corinthians 10:4 then refers to the tools of our strategy are not fleshly. This verse refers to our strategy not a ‘war against demons’. God’s strategy to demolish strongholds in the minds of people is the use of the Word in various forms.
It is unbiblical to pray, “Lord rend the heavens” (Isaiah 64) and “Lord, pour out your Spirit.” He has already done this in AD33 on the day of Pentecost.
Jesus never prayed ‘warfare’ prayers against demons over cities. When He did encounter demons they froze in fear before Him. Do they freeze in fear before you? Most in the spiritual warfare movement have never cast out a demon, nor could they. Yet they supposedly battle against demons in prayer. Many, if they were confronted by a demonised person, would freeze in fear to the point that had they been wearing a nappy (diaper) it would have needed to be changed.
Smith Wigglesworth once woke in the middle of the night to find satan himself sitting on the edge of His bed. He responded by saying, “Oh, it’s only you!” turned over and went back to sleep. How would you have responded? The common, but mistaken, response would be to start binding demons and aggressively speaking in tongues.
Scripture verses are stretched and misconstrued to teach false ideologies within the ‘spiritual warfare movement.’ A common verse that is use is Ephesians 6:12.
(Ephesians 6:12 KJV) “For we WRESTLE not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
A better translation for the word wrestle would be ‘struggle.’ The ISV version actually uses this word. The original Greek implies the meaning, ‘endure for a while.’ W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words states that the word, ‘wrestle’ means ‘sway.’ The word ‘wrestle’ come from the Greek word pale. It refers to struggling, wrestling or hand-to-hand combat. Situated in the centre of most large ancient cities there was usually a huge palace for combat sports. It was know as the Palastra. Three kinds of combat athletes took part in the Palastra – boxers, wrestlers and pankratists. These were extremely violent sports. Let take a brief look at these three ‘sports’ in order to understand the word ‘wrestle’
Boxing - This was not like boxing as we know it today. The fighter had to wear helmets. Few boxers ever lived to retire from boxing. The majority died in the ring. The boxer wore heavy gloves ribbed with steel and spiked nails. Occasionally the steel wrapped around the gloves would be serrated, like the blade of a hunting knife, so that it made deep gashes in the other fighters skin. Most fights resulted in faces, noses and ears being totally deformed. There were no rules, except one and no rounds. They fought until one died or surrendered.
Wrestlers - Most wrestler fought till death rather than surrender. The common way to get someone to surrender was to strangle them. It was also acceptable to choke your opponent, break fingers and ribs, gouge out eyes and whatever else you could think off.
Pankratists –This word meant all powerful. In this event you were permitted to do anything imaginable to your opponent including breaking legs.
This is what the apostle Paul had in mind when he used the word pale. The readers of his epistle would have been familiar with this word and knew what it referred to.
The resisting against demonic opponents is can be brutal. However, the battle is in our minds not in the skies over our towns and cities.
(Eph 6:12 ISV) “For our struggle is not against a human opponent, but against rulers, against authorities, against cosmic powers in the darkness around us, against evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm.”
A vast difference exists between ‘wrestling’ demonic forces in the ‘air’ and wrestling them in our minds. There is a struggleas the defeated kingdom of darkness makes weak attempts to sway us in our mind and from demonstrating the totally victory we have through the redemptive work of Jesus the Christ. The spiritual warfare movement attempts to refocus our attention onto defeated demonic forces rather than on the lost world in need of salvation. It causes many to attempt to do what Christ Jesus has already done, namely defeat satan and his kingdom.
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to STAND against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withSTAND in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND. STAND therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:11-14 KJV)
In four verses the Apostle Paul mentions the word stand four times. Our response to wicked spirits is to STAND and not be swayed by darts of the enemy, every wind of doctrine or the spiritual climate of the world. We are not told to attackbut to stand.
Some Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare (SLSW) proponents have stated that Daniel wrestled a demonic spirit known as the prince of Persia. Daniel had no authority over demons like a new covenant believer has. We have a higher spiritual position than he had.
SLSW teachers refuse to admit that their teaching focuses on the devil more than God. This is just a verbal claim. The truth is that we need not go around looking for him nor hardly mention the devil because he has been so defeated.
(Col 2:15 KJV) “And having SPOLIED principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”
The word spoiled here would better be translated ‘disarmed.’ The ISV version reads:
(Col 2:15 ISV) “And when He had DISARMED the rulers and the authorities…”
Jesus totally destroyed the power of satan and openly declared this throughout the universe to every angel and fallen angel. His triumph was total and complete.
The original meaning means ‘to bring to nought.’ Satan has been brought to nought! Six is the number of man, seven the number of Jesus, eight the number of God and zero is the number of satan!
The LITV reads,
(Col 2:15 LITV) “having STRIPPED the rulers and the authorities …”
In ancient times when one king defeated another king he would bind the defeated king and parade him naked through his own kingdom so that everyone can see that there is a new king reigning. This is what Jesus did with satan.
The entire universe recognises that satan is defeated. However, most of the church has not yet read the email about this defeat.
If satan has been disarmed, stripped and brought to zero then what are people attempting to do to him through so called ‘militant prayer’? What else could you do to him that Jesus has not already done in your name as if you had personally whipped the devil?
(Col 2:15 ISV) “And when He had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross.”
(Col 2:15 LITV) “having stripped the rulers and the authorities, He made a show of them in public, triumphing over them in it”
(Col 2:15 CEV) “There Christ defeated all powers and forces. He let the whole world see them being led away as prisoners when He celebrated His victory.”
After the defeat of satan there was a celebration in the Kingdom of God. Paul was not there in person, but through revelation He was in attendance, with front row seats, at the celebration. Have you attended by revelation knowledge and seen satan led away in humiliation or do you still view him as powerful and undefeated?
(Heb 2:14 KJV) “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that HAD the power of death, that is, the devil.”
Notice the word ‘had’, it is past tense. The loser does not have it anymore! We now have the victory.
The ultimate loser, satan, has been growing weaker and weaker ever since he was thrown out of heaven. This loser can not add to himself, he cannot create. All he can do is con someone into assisting him. All we have to do is preach to one person and when they receive salvation satan loses that person. We have already been given the victory through our Master Jesus the anointed one. There is no need to ‘replay’ the game if we have the victory.
© Copyright 2006 Harmit Jandu
All rights reserved. This lesson may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged.
The name satan and related names are not capitalised. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules.
Dominion Bible School
PO Box 34
Bedford, MK42 9ZF
England
www.like-jesus.org
Email: admin@like-jesus.org