Years ago, I was wondering why some things that I knew the Lord had spoken to me, in times past haven’t come to pass? I kept sensing the Holy Spirit urging me to pray to find out the answer. These things I wondered about had even been confirmed by prophesy to me by Dad Hagin, Sister Billye Brim, Sister Rachael Teafatiller, Pastor Stan Moore, and several other anointed men and women of God. We all know we are not led by prophesy. Prophesy only confirms what the Lord has put in our own spirit. We are to be led by the Word of God and the Spirit of God. The Lord knows the future better than we know the past.
PRAYER FINDS THE HINDRANCES
I went to the Lord in prayer to find out why these things had not come to pass. The first thing He said to me was, “demons have been assigned against you by Satan to stop you from accomplishing the plans I have for you.” He told me that I had to exercise the authority He had given me over them or they would continue to hinder me and harass me. Jesus reminded me of Ephesians 6:12, “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.” He also reminded me of how he had to confront the devil in Matthew chapter four and take authority over them. He reminded me, that Paul was harassed by the devil, for the revelation knowledge he was preaching and recording for the church (see 2 Corinthians chapter 12). He let me know He had already done all he was going to do about the devil. It was left up to me to take the authority He had given me and bind the works of darkness in Jesus’ name.
JESUS TEACHES ME
The Lord reminded me that He had appeared to Kenneth E. Hagin and taught him this same revelation in 1952. While Dad Hagin was praying, the Lord appeared to him and taught him how demons control people, even Christians if they don’t resist him. In the vision, a little demon ran between Jesus and Dad Hagin, while Jesus was teaching him. The little demon put out a smoke screen so he could not see Jesus. The little demon started making a loud noise so he could not hear what Jesus was saying. Dad Hagin, thought to himself, “don’t Jesus know I can’t hear him or see him! Why doesn’t Jesus do something about this demon?” Finally, in desperation, Dad Hagin said to the demon, “In Jesus’ name I command you to shut up and stop right now!”
He said, “the demon fell to the floor and lay there whimpering.” He then commanded the demon to leave, in the name of Jesus, and he got up and ran off. Jesus said, “if you had not done something about that demon, I couldn’t have done anything about him.” Jesus pointed out that no where in the New Testament is the believer told to pray to God or Jesus to do something about the devil for them. The believer is always instructed to do something about the devil with the authority Jesus delegated to them. The Lord gave Dad Hagin scriptures to prove this truth to him.
In Matthew 28:18-19, Jesus told us He had the authority and in verse 19 he delegated the authority He had on earth to those who were born again. Mark 16:17 tells us the first sign that will follow the believer is they will cast out demons in the name of Jesus. James 4:7, tells us to submit to God and resist the devil and he will flee from you. 1 Peter 5:8-9, tells us the devil is going about as a roaring lion and we are to resist him in the faith. Jesus pointed out to Dad Hagin again, that nowhere does the Bible tell you to pray for Jesus or God the Father to do something about the devil. It tells you to take authority over him, in the name of Jesus.
The devil will try and set a ceiling on your life and church or ministry if you will let him. He will let you prosper only so much and enjoy peace and health for only so long. He will then say that is enough and that is when you will have to take authority over him and push on through.
If you will speak God’s Word continually about your life, the devil cannot stop you. You will take off in every area like a jumbo jet! It takes effort on your part to do this. It is easier, in the natural, to eat donuts, Twinkies and watch TV and play games. The flesh doesn’t want to pray and confess the Word; it wants to play! The devil will eat your lunch and take your lunch money for your next lunch – if you do not resist him. The devil is a bully.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8). Bullies only pick on people who won’t stand up to them. The devil does the same thing. Take charge of your life today! Stand up to the devil and use your authority to stop the hindrances of the devil.
