Possessing Territory & Expanding the Kingdom | Part 1 - A Call to Possess Territory
Possessing Territory & Expanding the Kingdom
Text: Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.”
Part 1: A Call to Possess Territory
Introduction.
Psalm 2:7-8, “I will declare the decree (the decree of the Lord), The Lord has said to Me, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8. Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.”
Called Into a Territory – Personal Testimony.
When we are called to a calling (a divine assignment), often times that calling is also linked to a certain place or jurisdiction.
Adam’s call/divine assignment was to tend (cultivate) & keep (guard) the jurisdiction God had placed him in – and that was called the Garden of Eden.
Abraham’s call was to be the Father of Many Nations – his jurisdiction or place where he would fulfill this call was not in Ur of the Chaldeans, but it would be in a land that the Lord would show him.
Moses’s call was to be a Deliverer for the nation of Israel – The discovery of this divine call was not while he lived in the comforts of Pharoah’s palace, but in the backside of a dusty desert when He encountered the Great I AM at the burning bush.
Our Savior Jesus Christ’s calling is to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, yet during His earthly ministry His place of calling was directed toward the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
30 Years Later
Just as Jesus, began His earthly ministry on His 30yr. of age, I truly believe, the ministry assignment God has placed on this house is just beginning!
I sense strongly that our Divine Kairos time is quickly approaching.
What does Kairos mean – GK. 3 things,
The Right Time.
The Appointed Season.
The Opportune Moment.
Apostle Duane Swilley Prophesied 91121, “God can do one event, one decision and everything changes.” This is the very definition of a Kairos moment.
“This is a divine appointment. I thank you God that they begin to think Territory! They begin to see like God sees, in the Name of Jesus!
“Don’t get caught up in the how, just know WHO YOU ARE!”
“He (the Lord) is taking this territory! He is taking it and He is making a spectacle of you for His kingdom. A positive spectacle. People will say, “Oh my goodness, there is something going on there. That man is doing something! That church is doing something! And they will be drawn by the spirit to see what’s going on.”
“It will be a spectacle. Come and see and come and taste and see that the Lord is good.”
“This whole territory will sense that God dwells here. They will know that you are here…”
There is a Divine Shift in the Mindset of this Ministry – There is a new paradigm etched by the finger of God upon our hearts.
We are beginning to think territory and see like God sees!
We are going to possess the gates of the enemy
Beginning a new Series “Possessing Territory & Expanding the Kingdom.
Series Text: Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.”
Part 1: A Call to Posses Territory!
A Call to Possess Territory!
Possessing Territory begins & is maintained on our knees!
Ephes. 3:20. “Now to Him (Elohim) who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.
Paul Billheimer, The Technique of Spiritual Warfare pg. 58 – “The church holds the balance of power in world affairs…Even now, in this present throbbing moment, by means of her prayer power and the extent to which she uses it, the praying church is actually deciding the course of human events.”
Questions regarding taking an offensive stance against the enemy.
Are we supposed to take an offensive stance against the enemy?
Should we not just wait for him to come find us?
The Divine Call From God to Claim our Territory.
Yet there is a deep call from God to pray for our jurisdiction and take back our territory, our city, county, state, nation and the World for Jesus Christ!
Psalm 2:8 is our rallying cry for those who are hearing this call” “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.”
High-level Spiritual Warfare
There are many different aspects of Spiritual Warfare.
I believe in this series, the Lord would have us focus on high-level warfare, which occurs on the battlefield in the heavenlies & contributes to capturing a city or nation for Christ.
2 Cor. 10:3-4, “For though we war in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.”
When we possess the land over our cities, we gain control of their political, physical and spiritual arenas.
This is because rulership and its influence of these 3 areas is really based in the heavenlies & not in earthly places.
Eph. 3:10, “To the intent that now the manifold (many faceted, varied colored expressions) wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.”
We, the Church, are to make known God’s manifold wisdom to the principalities & powers ruling over our cities, towns, & villages!
The Unseen Hierarchy.
Bible talks about 2 kingdoms in conflict with each other.
The Kingdom of God.
Satan’s evil Kingdom of Darkness.
One of the names being used for this hierarchy of evil spirit is territorial spirits.
While this is not a biblical name it is descriptive of the Eph. 6:12 list of ruling spirits.
Eph. 6:12, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
What is actually meant by the term territorial spirit?
A territorial spirit is one that rules over a certain geographical region.
Daniel 10:13, “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. For I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.”
They rule illegally & have a direct effect on the people living in their assigned areas.
Example 1: First started working in Rochester at a DT Hotel connected to the clinic as soon as I would walk into the hotel I will sense this oppressive intellectual prideful spirit
Example 2: Cherokee, IA – State Mental Health Hospital – depressed and oppressed spirit that hovered over the area.
Example 3: Candasota, NY – Very cold, loveless, curt, spirit.
The New Testament Pattern for Warring Against Principalities & Powers (Territorial Spirits).
Is there any NT pattern for warring against principalities & powers?
Yes, one of the best examples comes from Matt. Chapter 4 example about the temptation of Christ.
The first ministry act that Jesus performed after He was baptized was a power encounter with Satan himself in the wilderness.
As Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, He warred against the spirit who claimed dominion over the earth.
Satan’s Battle Plan – His 3 main areas of warfare (Matt. 4)
The Physical – Provision – Question God’s Ability to Provide.
Matt. 4:3, “Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
Matt. 4:5, “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
The Spiritual – Protection – Question God’s ability to protect.
Matt. 4:5-6 – Satan’s question.
Matt 4:7 – Jesus’ Response.
The Political – PromotionPosition – Question God’s ability to promoteposition us.
Matt. 4:8-9 – Satan’s question
Matt. 4:10 – Jesus’s Response.
It is interesting to note that once Jesus spoiled Satan’s plan in the wilderness His ministry grew quickly.
I believe that Jesus used spiritual warfare tactics in the wilderness to give a model for tearing down strongholds in our jurisdiction
The Five Keys to Battle Strategy that Jesus Used.
Humility.
In Christ’s preparation in battle, He humbled Himself before God in water baptism.
Jesus said to John, “Permit to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” (Matt. 3:15)
Phil. 2:5-7, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6. Who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7. But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Yes, Jesus humbled Himself before God by submitting to baptism.
James 4:6-7, “But He gives more grace. Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
Fasting.
Matt. 4:2, “And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights…”
Fasting is a vital element in tearing down strongholds over cities.
In his Revivals of Religion, Charles Finney quoted Jonatan Edwards
“If we are not to expect that the devil should go out of a particular person under bodily possession, without extraordinary prayer, &fasting, how much less should we expect to have him cast out of the land and the world without it?”
The Word of God Written on the Tablet of Your Heart.
Jesus used the highest authority of the universe the Word of God. Saying, “It is written, it is written, it is said.”
The Word that became flesh and dwelt amount us could do that because He had the Word written upon the tablet of His Heart.
Before we go into spiritual warfare, we must become one with the Word of God. Being intimately acquainted with it and able to wield it as a sharp sword against the enemy of our souls.
Perseverance.
This battle was not won in one day. Jesus spent 40 days praying and fasting.
Addressing Territorial Spirits & Commanding Them to Leave.
Ending the battle, Jesus said with great authority “Away with, Satan!” Matt. 4:10
Then Angels came and ministered unto Him.
Jesus won the victory through the keys given in Matt. 3 & 4.
Humility, fasting, His knowledge of the Word, perseverance and command of authority.
Conclusion.
Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.”
This promise from Father God declares, that all the nations of the world are intended to come under the Lordship of His Son’s rule – We will see this during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ.
In John 17, through Jesus’ High Priestly prayer, Jesus does exactly that.
Read John 17:1-26 -
Note, Jesus’ request, requires our response.
Our Response: John 17:21, “that they (the church, you & me) may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in US, that the World may believe that You sent Me.”
Our Response: The World/nations will never believe that God sent Jesus (Gospel) personally for them until they first hear, see and feel the touch of Jesus through a church that has first become One with Him and each other.
Our Response in one word is Unity!
When we become one with Him then we will become one with others who have also denied themselves, taken up their cross and have followed Him.
In His Name, we pray, and by His Glory conferred upon us, we triumph – receiving the inheritance of nations as God has promised.