Blog 33 / Our High Calling

Our Authority in Prayer

God the Father has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places. (Eph 2:6-7)

Imagine two nations at war. One nation emerges victorious; the other is forced to surrender. But the defeated nation is still holding captive in its POW camps many soldiers of the victorious army. Those prisoners may not even know the war is over. It is only when the victorious army exercises its battle-won authority that it can liberate the camps and set the POWs free.

In the age-long war between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness, the decisive victory was won by our Lord Jesus at Calvary. Through His death and resurrection, He disarmed and dethroned principalities and powers and “made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col 2: 15 NIV).

Although Satan is a defeated foe, he still holds captives. But he is operating without valid authority and is in effect conducting an illegal warfare against the peoples of the earth. He has multitudes under his control by using deception and lies to keep them in bondage to false belief systems and godless philosophies.

As a victorious army liberates its POWs, so our Lord has given His Church the authority to “proclaim freedom for the captives” (Isa 61:1). We need to use that authority in prayer and in preaching if we are to see people free in Christ and experiencing the wonderful love of God.

For the Church of the Living God to stand triumphant when all the forces of evil are united against her, every believer must recognize the spiritual authority they have in Christ. Our victorious, risen Lord now sits in the heavenly realm enthroned at God’s right hand, far above all powers and authorities. Through our identification with Christ, we too are seated with Him in the heavenly realm, far above those powers and authorities.

It is from our vantage point with Christ in the heavenly realm that we carry out our ministry of intercession and proclaiming freedom for captives. Our fight is not against flesh and blood. It is against the rulers and powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil (Eph 6:12).

God calls us, with the full support of Heaven, to enter into this battle through intercessory prayer; praying for the salvation of souls who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4: 23-24).

 

Colin Stott
GRN Global Prayer Coordinator

read colin’s previous blogs:
why ask for what we already have? – blog 32
is anyone praying for them? – blog 31
delays are part of answered prayer – blog 30
weapons of our warfare – blog 29
Keeping our spiritual fervor – blog 28
days of great harvest – blog 27
not i but christ – blog 26
what if – Blog 25
praying scripture – Blog 24
Prayer and obedience -Blog 23
the Prayer warrior – Blog 22
time alone with god – Blog 21
last resort – Blog 20
Prayer with rejoicing faith – Blog 19
travel the world through Prayer – Blog 18
lord, break me – Blog 17
ye have not because ye ask not – Blog 16
our Prayers reveal our heart – Blog 15
church of the living god – Blog 14
when we Pray for the lost – Blog 13
more than meets the eye – Blog 12
sugar cubes and  Prayer – Blog 11
it’s a wonderful life – Blog 10
the longings of god – Blog 9
praising god before he answers – Blog 8
no place like home – Blog 7
praying for god’s glory – Blog 6
are we known as formidable opponents – Blog 5
sugar cubes and Prayer – Blog 4
rejocing over god with singing – Blog 3
the indispensable Prayers of the church – Blog 2
the glorious end – Blog 1