As members of the body of Christ, we have been seated with Jesus in heavenly places, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and in this world, but also in the age and the world which are to come” (Ephesians 1:21 Amp). We are the only ones who have the authority and the responsibility to hold back the forces of Satan until Jesus comes again.
That thought is foreign to many Christians.
They think that governmental leaders have the greatest authority on the earth. They may even think that Satan and his group call the shots. But in reality, it is the Church that’s the highest authority on the face of the earth. It is the Church that operates in Jesus’ name—the name that is above every name. It is the Church—and only the Church!—that wields the authority of the one who said, “All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” (Matthew 28:18 Amp).
As believers, we need to realize that if Jesus has all authority, that means His kingdom, which is the kingdom of God, is the greatest kingdom of all. It’s greater and more powerful than the kingdoms of men. It’s greater than the governments of nations. It’s greater than the kingdom of darkness. So when you and I, as citizens of that kingdom, exert our authority by the leading of the Holy Spirit, what we say goes.
On the other hand, when we neglect to exert our authority, the kingdom of darkness advances. Satan is able to do things on the earth that are contrary to the will of God.
That’s why it’s so vital that we fulfill our responsibility and, by prayer, enforce the will and the Word of the Lord on earth. We’re the only ones here with power to do it.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:1 – 20
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”