Thoughts for Life: #130 Strategies in Prayer Warfare, Part 2

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: (6). Battle from the position of victory. On the cross Jesus defeated Satan in a total and final victory.

"And having disarmed the powers and authorities [terms for Satan's hierarchy of evil], he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Col. 2:15).

Christ's victory was not only a victory in depth, it was a victory with eternal consequences. (Google image, The cross of Christ).

Satan and his forces are defeated rebels, usurpers who have been stripped of all power. They have already been led like prisoners in disgrace by Christ in His triumphal procession. They have become "Christ's prize of war."

God in the mystery of His sovereign will is permitting them for a time to continue ranging about, within limits He has set. While awaiting their final expulsion and being cast into the lake of fire, they try to deceive humankind by bluffing as if they had not been defeated. But their doom is already settled.

At the cross Christ won and eternal cosmic victory over Satan. It was decisive and final and needs never be repeated. It can never be reversed. Satan's doom is already decided and announced. He and his demon princes of darkness are like wild beasts captured and chained. They can roar and thrash around, but they are to some extent chained.

They could not keep Christ from the throne, where He is now seated. God the Father has said to Him, 'Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet" (Matt. 22:44). "Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him" (Heb. 2:8).

You are already in a very real sense enthroned with Christ. You are already in spiritual fact a king and a priest, a royal priest (Rev. 1:6; 1 Peter 2:9).

"God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6). So while you battle Satan by prayer here, you are in spiritual reality also sitting with Christ on His throne.

Stuart Holden has said, "We go into battle not from the
perspective of our circumstance here on earth, but from our
position above in Christ." (Mathews, Born for Battle).This is the position of faith.

Your assignment is to wrest from Satan's control the territory he has no right to occupy. Your assignment is to rescue the souls and lives that Satan is holding in his bondage. You battle forward, routing Satan from one stronghold after another.

You pointing Satan back to the blood he shed—the blood that sealed his doom. He was eternity's fool to lay his hand on Jesus. He suffered eternity's greatest defeat, and it will prove to be his eternal defeat.

You would think Satan would give up. He knows he has been defeated. He knows his position is hopeless. He knows he is involving in his own eternal punishment all the people he deceives. He knows he is going to continue to be defeated again and again.

Every battle he fights increases his eternal punishment. But in his stubborn and inveterate hatred of God and humankind, he fights on. In the triumph of Christ you and I are to dislodge him, rout him, and drive him back in battle after battle.

Understand your position in Christ. Understand your sacred role. Here you war in His name in holy prayer warfare. You will be rewarded eternally with Him in His eternal reign. Understand and use all the authority Christ has delegated to you. Earn your eternal honors in the prayer battles of time.

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Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana, (with Jean's impressions added).

Mighty Prevailing Prayer
#130 Strategies in Prayer Warfare, Part 2
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp.245- 247) Zondervan

Prayer-

Prayers for Bible reading

Father, may we remember that Jesus totally defeated Satan on the cross, making it a final victory, and one that need not to be repeated.

As His born-again children and partakers of His salvation, we are already enthroned in heaven with Christ, and are spiritual kings and royal priests. We are beginning to understand our sacred role as such.
Through holy prayer warfare, in Christ's name, may we not neglect this duty as His believers, for He plans to reward us accordingly in His eternal reign.

Our assignment is to wrest from Satan's control the territory
he has occupied, and to rescue souls and lives he's holding in bondage. We're to battle forward, routing Satan from one stronghold after another.

Help us, Father, to be willing to stand in the gap for those who are struggling to be free from Satan's influence and control. We ask for strength and perseverance in our warfare praying.

We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Today's Bible verses-

1 Peter 5:5-11 (MSG) "Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does."

Today's question-

Why do we think and act as if some needs are too great for God to handle?

God's desires is for us to ask for His help, especially in handling the "big ones." These give Him opportunities to provide for ways to show us He's aware of our needs, and wants to bless with amazing answers that only He can get glory for.

Consider Ernie Miller's words:

greater is the Lord

greater than your sorrow

greater than your past

greater than your tomorrows

greater than your fears

greater than your sickness

greater than your sin

greater than darkness

greater than failed relationships

greater than your faith

greater than your bondage

greater than your addiction