Last Thursday as I opened to the Lord in the morning, He brought me to this verse:
As we overthrow reasonings and every high thing rising up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought unto the obedience of Christ.
-2 Corinthians 10:5
I began to pray over this verse, I prayed as I normally would, speaking prayers like, "Lord Jesus, overthrow any reasonings or concepts in my mind that would rise up against my knowing You." But then I stopped and realized something. My prayers were for the Lord to do the overthrowing, but I looked back at the verse and one word captured my attention: "we." The apostle Paul doesn't say that Jesus will overthrow these reasonings, but that we, the believers, must overthrow them. My prayers instantly took a bolder stance. "Lord, today I overthrow all reasonings that would rise up against knowing You. Enlighten me to discern these reasonings or thoughts that would be against you. Lord, I choose to not stand with any such reasonings!" Instantly I was refreshed and supplied.
As I considered this fresh revelation further, I was reminded of a well-known portion in Matthew:
Truly I say to you, Whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
-Matthew 18:18
So often we use these verses to pray, "Lord, bind the strong man! Lord, loose the vessels for Your house!" (also using Matthew 12:29) This is a wonderful prayer! However, it's actually a misquote. We are the ones who are to do the binding. We are the ones who are to do the loosing!
Why is this matter so important? What's wrong with praying for the Lord to bind and to loose?
First of all, there's nothing wrong with praying for the Lord to bind and to loose. Nevertheless, a prayer like that lacks boldness, it doesn't claim the power Jesus has given to us. In other words, a prayer like that is too passive.
I would ask you to try praying this way. In your personal times with the Lord, try praying, "Lord, I overthrow every reasoning that would rise up against knowing You." In corporate gatherings for prayer, try praying, "Lord, we bind Satan and we loose Your people." I believe you'll sense a noticeable upgrade in the boldness and strength of your prayer.
Why is this matter so important? What's wrong with praying for the Lord to bind and to loose?
First of all, there's nothing wrong with praying for the Lord to bind and to loose. Nevertheless, a prayer like that lacks boldness, it doesn't claim the power Jesus has given to us. In other words, a prayer like that is too passive.
I would ask you to try praying this way. In your personal times with the Lord, try praying, "Lord, I overthrow every reasoning that would rise up against knowing You." In corporate gatherings for prayer, try praying, "Lord, we bind Satan and we loose Your people." I believe you'll sense a noticeable upgrade in the boldness and strength of your prayer.
Now my intention is surely not that we would convert every prayer from, "Lord, do this" to "I do this." We pray based on God's word and we should only pray this way according to verses that say that we do or you do.
This invariably brings up a major quandary of the Christian life. Skeptics would even label this as a contradiction.
Is it I who am doing or is God the one doing?
Well, the answer is: both.
But there is a particular order. I believe the best verse to show this is:
This invariably brings up a major quandary of the Christian life. Skeptics would even label this as a contradiction.
Is it I who am doing or is God the one doing?
Well, the answer is: both.
But there is a particular order. I believe the best verse to show this is:
... if by the Spirit you put to death the practices of the body, you will live.
-Romans 8:13
Here Paul refers to the sinful actions caused by man's fallen nature. His admonition is for the believers to put such practices to death. Who is the one doing this? As you can see, Paul says, "you put to death." But a key phrase is inserted which speaks volumes: "by the Spirit."
A very delicate balance has been presented that applies to most everything in our Christian walk. I would describe it this way:
If you take away the Spirit, we can't do anything of God even if we try.
If we don't make the choice to do it, then the Spirit cannot come in to do it.
In short, it is the Spirit who does it, but the Spirit's activity is predicated upon our choice and cooperation. When we choose to overthrow reasonings that rise up against knowing God, then the Spirit can come in to overthrow. When we choose to bind Satan and loose the kingdom of God upon the earth, then the Spirit can come in to bind and to loose. When we choose to put to death the practices of the body, then the Spirit can come in to put to death these practices in us.
The key is the exercise of our will.
Our will is most activated when we pray to do something, while realizing it is entirely by the Spirit that such a thing could ever be done.
A very delicate balance has been presented that applies to most everything in our Christian walk. I would describe it this way:
If you take away the Spirit, we can't do anything of God even if we try.
If we don't make the choice to do it, then the Spirit cannot come in to do it.
In short, it is the Spirit who does it, but the Spirit's activity is predicated upon our choice and cooperation. When we choose to overthrow reasonings that rise up against knowing God, then the Spirit can come in to overthrow. When we choose to bind Satan and loose the kingdom of God upon the earth, then the Spirit can come in to bind and to loose. When we choose to put to death the practices of the body, then the Spirit can come in to put to death these practices in us.
The key is the exercise of our will.
Our will is most activated when we pray to do something, while realizing it is entirely by the Spirit that such a thing could ever be done.