Victory through Prayer
For the past several weeks now we’ve been teaching on the subject of “ABSOLUTE VICTORY.” In this past year or 2 the church, Word of Life, has really experienced some spiritual battles, and for the most part we have seen the victory over those things. But there are still going to be battles in the Spirit to be won. One of the battles that the enemy has launched against the church is a financial battle.
Just a few days ago someone mentioned that the Lord placed Word of life on their heart and they wanted to send some money to the church, but they said there was something hindering them from putting the check in the mail. It was like a spiritual battle.
This is an area where we need to pray and intercede. God always comes through so that the bills are paid, but the Lord wants us to do more for the kingdom of God.
I know why Satan comes against the church. He launches his attacks to stop the Word of God, and to stop the anointing of God. The anointing of God has increased in this church every year and especially in this last year. The Spirit of the Lord has been working mightily to bring about liberty, victory and freedom from bondages. We have seen more victory in this last year than ever before.
But Satan is not happy about it. That means were going to have to take hold of our bootstraps and do more battle in the Spirit. You and I as part of this church don’t have to wait until we see Satan’s attacks manifest in the natural realm, but we can do battle in the Spirit and gain the victory before Satan gets a foothold.
I) In the book of Joshua the children of Israel faced many battles, but they didn't wait for the enemy to attack them, they went in to defeat the enemy.
A) The church as a whole faces many battles, but you and I, as individuals also face many battles.
1) In the Word of God there is about a hundred different references to the Lord giving the Israelites the Promised Land.
a) In (Romans 15:4) it says, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.”
b) And in (Hebrews 10:1) it says, “For the law (that would be the Old Testament) having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things.”
(i) In other words, what’s written in the Old Testament is actually a type and shadow of what belongs to us in the New Testament.
c) The land that God promised to the Israelites is a type and shadow of what belongs to us in the New Testament.
(i) But for us that land is a type and shadow of the promises God made to us, which we call the promises of God.
B) Turn with me to Numbers 13:1-2.
1) In verse 2 God told Moses that he gave them the land. This was the promised land.
2) Turn to Joshua 1:1-3.
a) Here again we see that the Lord has given Israel the land, but even though it belonged to them they had to go in and take it.
3) Look at Joshua 8:1.
a) Here again God gave them the land, but just like we read in (Joshua 1) they had to go in and take the land.
b) But this verse also reveals to us that they had to take the land through battle.
(i) For us that battle is spiritual warfare.
C) Who do we do battle against?
1) Our battle is against the inhabitants of the land, those who are occupying the territory, which would be spiritual wickedness that would stop us from victory.
2) Turn to Ephesians 6:12.
a) That’s the realm of Satan’s kingdom and his demonic host. And that’s where the battle takes place.
b) It’s not a battle against flesh and blood, but it is a battle against spiritual wickedness.
3) Look at Ephesians 6:13.
a) When we see the Word “WHEREFORE” it connects the previous verse to the ones to follow.
(i) You can also interpret the word “WHEREFORE” to mean “BECAUSE OF THIS.”
b) We are in a spiritual warfare and because of this we need to take on the full armor of God.
4) Let’s go on reading here. Ephesians 6:13-17.
a) Paul is giving us a list here of the weapons of our warfare, but too often we stop reading here at (verse 17).
b) (Verse 18) reveals to us one of the most powerful weapons we have against the enemy.
5) Let’s read Ephesians 6:18.
a) Notice that he says, “IN THE SPIRIT.”
b) Praying in the Spirit and especially in other tongues is one of the most powerful weapons you have against the forces of darkness.
(i) One of the most powerful ways that we can drive out the inhabitants of the land is through intercession.
(ii) Remember the inhabitants of the land are the wicked spirits that are hindering us from walking in absolute victory.
II) Turn with me to Numbers 33:53, 55.
A) The word “VEX” in (verse 55) means, “DISTRESS, BIND, AFFLICTED, BESIEGE, TROUBLE, BOUND,” it also means, “TO SUFFER DISTRESS, TO SHOW HOSTILITY TOWARD, AND TO HARASS.”
1) If you don’t drive out the enemy from the land that belongs to you, you’re going to continue to have trouble in the land because the enemy will still be there to HARASS you.
a) If you want victory and if you want to receive the promises of God you’re going to have to drive out the spiritual forces that are there to hinder.
B) Now turn with me to Daniel 10:2-3.
1) In these Vs. here we see something about intercession that if we grasp it fully it will change our prayer lives.
a) In (V 2) Daniel said that he was mourning 3 full days. The word “mourning” comes from the Hebrew word “ABAL” {aw-bal’} which means “to mourn or to weep” this has to do with intercession.
C) LUKE 6:21.
1) Why is it that those who weep now will laugh?
a) This weeping also has to do with intercession, and through intercession we’ll see the answer to our prayers.
2) Look at JOHN 16:20.
a) This is saying almost the same thing, but look at V 21.
b) In this V, travail is also likened to intercession, but even a deeper intercession.
c) In travail there is still the weeping or sorrow, but this verse says that there is also anguish, which means a heavy burden, or a deep troubling in your spirit.
d) But soon the joy comes. Why?
(i) Because the thing that you’ve been praying for is birthed into existence or into this realm.
D) ROM 8:22-23.
1) In (V 23) it tells us that all of us who have the Spirit can enter into groanings, intercession and travailing.
2) Let’s go down to V 26-27. (This is still talking about the same thing, intercession.)
a) 1st we see that the H.S. helps us to pray for the things that we know not, and he also helps us to pray when we run out of words in English.
b) The word “Helpeth” in (V 26) does not do justice to what the Greek says.
(i) The Greek says it means, “To take hold together with against.”
(ii) The H.S. takes hold with us against the powers of darkness.
III) Turn back with me to DAN 10:10‑13.
A) Notice that the angel was not sent from heaven to Daniel with the message until Daniel prayed.
1) God sent the message on the 1st day. But the answer was 21 days in getting there.
a) Sometimes when we pray, the answer doesn’t get through instantly.
b) That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t hear us or hasn’t sent the answer.
(i) Keep your finger there in Daniel and turn with me to 1JOHN 5:14‑15.
c) When we pray God does hear us and He does send the answer, but many times it doesn’t get through.
2) Daniel 10:13 explains why, so let’s read it.
a) This is not talking about a physical person.
b) It’s talking about an angel of God and the evil spirit that he had to do battle against.
3) In the story this evil spirit, called the prince of Persia, didn’t want the angel to get through with the answer to Daniel’s prayers.
a) When the prince of Persia withstood the angel, God sent another angel, and finally, on the 21st day, he got through to Daniel with the message.
4) 2COR 10:4‑5. We do have weapons, but our weapons are not carnal, but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
a) What are our weapons?
b) 1st we have the Word of God. We can use that weapon against the evil forces that we come in contact with.
c) 2nd we have prayer and intercession. This weapon of prayer needs to be used to drive out the wicked spirits from the land.
(i) Remember the land is the promises of God. We need to use prayer to drive out the enemy that hinder us from walking in victory.
B) Now how are we supposed to pray?
1) That all depends on the situation, what the problem is.
2) It’s been said many times that God cannot do anything on this earth, unless a man asks.
a) We need to start asking.
b) Pray that the Will of the Father would be done here on earth as it is in heaven.
c) Pray that God would begin to move and manifest himself.
d) Pray for rain of the HS, the latter and former rain.
3) When God comes on the seen and begins to manifest himself, darkness flees.
a) When the light comes on the darkness goes.
b) As you begin to pray and intercede you’re going to see Satan’s kingdom begin to be defeated in your life and victory will begin to manifest, but we're going to have to pray. Your the key.
WOLCC SUN 6/28/92 and Sunday, June 14, 1998 this message was taken from a sermon called Intercede.Doc.