PRAYING WITH AUTHORITY

Behold, I have given you authority…over all the power of the enemy – Luke 10:19, R.S.V.

“The missionary is engaged in a spiritual warfare against intangible and spiritual foes. For such a conflict only spiritual weapons are adequate, but they are “mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” Of these the most potent is the weapon of “all prayer” (Eph. 6:18), and it can be wielded by others on his behalf.

To His seventy eager disciples the Lord to whom “all authority in heaven and on earth” had been committed (Matt.28:18) said, “Behold, I hath given you authority…over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19, RSV). It should be noted that He linked with this affirmation, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” The unmistakable inference was that, through exercising their delegated authority, they too would see the overthrow of Satan in their sphere of responsibility. Nor were they disappointed. “Lord, even the demons are subject to us through thy name,” the radiant missionaries reported.

This promised authority was not withdrawn, but when they lost vital faith in Christ’s promise His disciples were powerless to deliver a demon-possessed boy (Matt.17:19). They were paralysed by their own unbelief. After His resurrection, the master once again affirmed their privilege. “Making use of My name” – My authority – “they shall expel demons” (Mark 16:17, Weymouth).

It is open to us today to exercise in the realm of prayer the spiritual authority over Satan’s power thus bestowed upon us. Christ, by His death and victorious resurrection, has “destroyed” – rendered powerless – the devil. As members of His body, united by a living faith, we may participate in His victory, not for ourselves alone, but on behalf of those in lands afar. His triumph becomes ours. Making use of Christ’s authority so clearly delegated to us, through our prayers we can be instrumental in binding “the strong man” in any given situation. The missionary can then “spoil his goods”.