Mike Bickle emphasizes the authority of believers in maintaining their healing and standing firm against the enemy's attacks. He explains that while God heals physically and emotionally, the enemy will attempt to reclaim that ground, necessitating a vigilant stance from believers. Bickle highlights the importance of using the armor of God, particularly the sword of the Spirit, to actively resist demonic influences and maintain the blessings received from God. He encourages believers to declare their authority in Christ and to engage in spiritual warfare against the schemes of the devil, asserting that many endure unnecessary struggles due to a lack of knowledge and action. Ultimately, he reassures that believers have the power to command the enemy to flee in the name of Jesus.

Father, we ask you in the name of Jesus to release the power of the Holy Spirit. Release the spirit of wisdom and revelation on the speaking and the hearing of your word. Holy Spirit, we acknowledge your presence right now in this room, in our need of you. We thank you in Jesus' name. One of the things that's on my heart tonight is to talk about how to keep the ground that we're taking from the Lord's healing people physically and He's healing people emotionally. But one of the principles that not everybody's in touch with, that we get healed physically or emotionally, doesn't mean the enemy's not coming back immediately to try to steal that healing. To keep the ground that we take in a special moment when the Lord touches us. Ephesians chapter 6 emphasizes that point. In six verses, four times, Paul the Apostle says we have to stand. We have to stand. And what he means by we have to stand, he means we have to keep the ground that we just took. Like in a military conflict, when the army wins the hill, so to speak, they have to stand to keep that hill, they have to keep that ground because the enemy doesn't just, they come back and they counterattack to take the ground back. And that's what the enemy does. And so when Paul says four times stand, he's emphasizing the need to hold the ground. You with a vigilant stand against the enemy. Ephesians verse 11, Paul says put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles or the new American standard says the schemes of the devil. The devil schemes. He has wiles. He has strategic plans. Demons have assignments to take you out. Take God's blessing from your life, to diminish the blessing of God. That's what these wiles are or these schemes. They are demonic assignments to diminish your life. And you know there's billions of demons that are assigned to come after you. But we have power over those demons but we have to use the power. And a lot of believers know they have power but they don't actually engage in the process of commanding the demonic powers to back away and to leave them alone. They just kind of endure the attack of the enemy and just kind of say well Lord I'm just trying to be faithful. Here I am. And God would say I would rather you drive the enemy out of your sphere and off your property so to speak. Verse 12, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Demonic principalities, demonic powers and Paul goes on to list other categories of demon powers. If you read the whole text in Ephesians 6. Now what he's saying is that though our conflict has a human dimension to it. I mean often in conflict there's a person that's involved or there's a situation involved. There's physical people and situations that contribute to the problem we have. But he's saying there is a power behind the physical human dynamics and we have to see the power behind the physical human dynamics not only the human dynamics themselves. He goes we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. Our conflict isn't mostly against the people who are resisting us. It's against the spirit that's inspired people who are coming against us in those situations. Now we do need to address the people and there's times for reconciliation meetings and talking and all of those sorts of things. But often there's a spirit operating behind the scenes. And that's what Paul's saying. These are powers and powers. Those are demonic. That describes the demonic hierarchy. There's like in the angelic or seraphim. Those are the highest rank of angels. Then there's cherubim. Those are second. Then there's archangels and so on. In the demonic hierarchy there's powers, principalities, etc. Paul says they are involved in our conflict but we don't naturally think about that when we try to solve conflicts. We naturally go right to the flesh and blood dimension and we leave it there. Paul says go behind the scenes. Verse 13. Take up the whole armor that you may to withstand in the evil day. Now the evil day is talking about that strategic time when the enemy comes to attack you. It's all the time but there are strategic moments where the onslaught of the enemy increases. Matter of fact, there's the evil day in the historical sense. The eschatological evil day. Those final years coming of the Lord. But there's the evil day in terms of our individual lives. It's when the onslaught increases in a dramatic way. Again, the enemy attacks us all the time. But there's those strategic moments it greatly increases. The point is we have the ability to stand even in that heightened onslaught of darkness. But we have to use the authority and we actually have to engage that spiritual authority and say no to the enemy. You won't leave because you want him to. The enemy leaves when you use the name of Jesus and command him to. But only if you do it persistently. Verse 13. Take up the whole armor that you may be able to withstand in the evil day. Having done all to stand. Verse 14. Stand therefore. I mean it's over and over. Verses. Keep the ground that you take in God. You have to keep it. A warring with vigilance. Verse 14. Stand. Having girded your waist with truth. Now truth is the essential issue in standing. We use the truth of our authority in Christ. And we use the truth of who we are in Christ. And we declare it against the enemy. It's very, very simple. It is so simple everyone can do it. We take the truth of our authority in Christ. And we exercise it by simply declaring it. That's how we exercise it. By declaring it. You might say that's so simple there must be some mysterious way. It's so simple everyone can do. So simple that most people really don't get around to it. They just endure the onslaught of the evil one. They kind of wait the storm out. Let that kind of intense season pass. You go wow that was intense. But the Lord would say you didn't have to go through that. There are many things that believers are enduring they don't have to endure if they would use their authority. There are things that we need to endure. But there's many things we can eliminate by using our authority in Christ. And as people are getting touched physically and emotionally a lot are rejoicing like no not exactly. Yes there's a breakthrough. But the enemy is coming back with force he came the first time to oppress you. He's coming back to oppress you again. Oh no, no don't go into the oh no mode. I'm not saying this to worry you. I'm saying this to alert you because you have all that is necessary to stand against that onslaught and to have victory. But you just have to declare it. And again you exercise the authority as simply hang to the enemy be gone in the name of Jesus. It's really that simple. But it needs to be done. And it needs to be done regularly. He says in verse 16 take up the shield of faith which you're able to use. I'm using the new American standard. The flaming missiles of the evil one. You can use them or extinguish. You can put out these darts. They come in with fire on them and they sting us. Or the new American standard says flaming missiles. They come and they hit us. They be these flaming missiles can the fire can be put out. The sting can be removed. They can be quenched. As the new King James English. As the new American standard. Or just put that fire out. That missile that strikes you. Now those flaming missiles they are the times where there's a heightened energy. Demonic energy that strikes you. Like emotionally. You know you're just kind of going along and suddenly you have this kind of heightened exaggerated sense. You think you know I don't know I just feel this sense of panic and fear it's not normal. That's a demonic spirit attacking you. And it's a season it's just for a temporary period of time. And most people just kind of you know endure the storm. But that missile can be extinguished. It can be driven away. Somebody gets in a really intense weird mood. And the picture that these demons are standing by you breathing like a dragon hot fire on your spirit. Exciting you in a negative sense with fears. Or exciting you up with a sense of rejection. Or a sense of just confusion. I'm just so disoriented I don't know what's going on. Or anger just I don't know I'm just so mad right now. Why are you mad I don't know. Maybe it's just a weird day I don't know. No I'll tell you what. What's going on. Yes there are human dimensions. There are hammocks involved. But go beyond the flesh and blood the human side. There's a spirit like breathing hot fire on your spirit. Stirring you up like a flaming missile. Those flaming missiles touch us emotionally and mentally. Those flaming missiles touch our relationships. You know in the context of a marriage. The guy says I don't know. It just airs up now. Now there are some human dynamics. Of communication and timing and all those kinds of things. But I guarantee you in every godly marriage there are demons assigned to bring that marriage into heightened conflict. In friendships. In ministry. Your finances. There's the you know the common thing that many people understand. Well I'm having a struggle in my finance. Across the earth many people. There's moments where that there is like an oppression coming against you. In the realm of finance. Or physically. It's every area of your life in which the blessing of God touches. There are demons assigned to diminish it and destroy it. And those demons come at strategic moments. That's called the wiles of the devil. The schemes of the devil. The flaming missiles to strike you. And what Paul says is you can extinguish those flaming missiles if you use the authority. Most believers just endure the storm. And it's a storm they don't have to endure. It's like the devil comes pounding on their door. They open up the door. And oh no. But the devil walks in. You open up the door to the devil and say oh no he's coming in I guarantee you. He doesn't say oh oh excuse me. I guarantee you that demon will come in. And then the believer kind of backs up and frets. Oh no. Oh no. And they'll email their friends and say this is bad. This is bad. Oh God. Oh God. Tell the devil to leave. And none of it works. The Lord says no I'm not going to do your part. I told you to resist the devil. I will not resist the devil for you. You don't ask God to drive the devil away. The Lord says it's not going to work that way. If I do your part you'll never mature in the relationship. You are partners with me in this. We resist the devil. We extinguish the flaming missiles. He gave us the authority. So when the devil comes pounding on your door and you open the door and say oh no. You say in the name of Jesus be gone. Then the devil just stands there. I'm not talking about the devil. The demon just kind of stands there and says I don't really buy it. He comes anyway. You say no in the name of Jesus. And to a believer that will proclaim the name of Jesus and command him to go, he has to leave. Now the counting on you not buying into that. But if you will hold the line on that, that flaming missile will be extinguished. It goes on to say, verse 17, take up the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. Now of the armor of God there are six components to the armor of God. You can read it in Ephesians 6 on your own. And those six components are really just the main and biblical principles. There's nothing tricky about them. Paul takes his normal biblical points. Obey God. Believe the truth of who Jesus is. Be in relationship with people. Read the Bible. Use the Bible. It's the things. So it's not some kind of mysterious list that you'll never understand. You really understand what they are. Even though you may not be able to trace every point to which part of the armor. That's not the big deal. The big deal is that we take a stand. But of the six components of the armor of God in Ephesians 6, only one of them is offensive. It's called the sword of the spirit. And the sword of the spirit means is it's the word of God in your lips. It's not just the word of God on your shelf. It's not the Bible on your shelf. It's not even the Bible memorized in your mind. It's the Bible on your lips. Actively declaring to me the truths that require him to back away from your life. He will back away. He'll come right back. But he'll back away for that time. He'll come back at an opportune time. It says in Luke 4. The devil comes at an opportune time again. And you have to use your authority over and over and over. When he knocks on your door, don't go into fear and panic. Don't go into false humility mode and invite him in and say, God, whatever you want. God says, I don't really want that in your life. Whatever the Lord wants, he goes, well, good. Well, then kick him out. He's a foul spirit. He doesn't belong in my family. I won't do it for you. So some people, when the devil knocks on their door through the agency of his demons, they get in fear and they give up and give in. Or they get into false humility and they let the devil in. Say whatever you want to do or anything that you want. He says, I don't want you enduring this. I want you exercising your authority and driving it out of your life. The sword of the spirit, again, isn't the Bible on your shelf. It's not even the Bible memorized. It's the Bible in your hand against the enemy. That is the sword of the spirit. That's how Jesus warned the devil. When the devil came to him in Matthew 4 and tempted him in the wilderness on three temptations, on all three times, Jesus said, it is written. It is written. He quoted the word of God. That's the sword. It struck the devil. The devil had never met a man who used the sword of the spirit so precisely and so effectively. So if Jesus had to say, it is written, we need to say, it is written. And you can quote some of these verses right here. We are able to extinguish all the flaming missiles. It is written. I extinguish this flame. I cancel this assignment. I take authority. I rebuke this demonic resistance coming against my body or my finances or my relationships or my emotions. I resist and rebuke this demonic assignment. Scripture says if you resist the devil, he'll flee for a few moments in James 4, verse 7. You resist the devil, he will flee. He will. If you resist him. Paragraph C, Matthew 12, verse 43. Jesus is teaching about how demons attack. He's talking about, this is Jesus teaching in Matthew 12. He is describing the situation of a demon coming out of them. They talk. They strategize. They have personalities. A demon spirit is as real a spirit or a human spirit. They're not robots. They're intelligent beings who have been given an assignment and they use their initiative and their ability to carry out that demonic assignment. And those assignments can be canceled out by a believer who knows their authority in the Lord. Matthew 12. Jesus says when an unclean spirit goes out of a man. That means the man went to the renewal meeting and the demon got cast out. Verse 44. Jesus is talking. He says the demon says, because the demons talk, I'm going to return back to my house. In other words, I'm going to go to the place of dominance and oppression in the person's life. He even takes it up a notch. He goes, I'm going to go get other demon spirits to help me. And what Jesus is saying, or the testimony of the New Testament is saying, that what increases. You don't go, oh no, oh no, it's going to be even more difficult. No, we have the authority, the great power over the enemy. If we use it. Paragraph D. Now our problems are that we can see in the human arena. We can see them, I mean, in our physical relationships. There are several factors working together in our problems. Number one, they're psychological issues. They're related to our issues. Meaning what we, with our physical beings, our bodies, or what we put in our bodies, it matters. It could really wreck our health and hurt us. You can't rebuke a demon, then do wrong things with your body and expect health to happen. There are natural laws. There are social dynamics. Meaning, the guy over there has a free will and he really can do bad stuff to you. Stopping the demon doesn't stop the man's free will. Use our authority in Christ and create a better situation. But evil people in this world, under God's leadership, have freedom to do what's in their heart. But God honors the free will of the righteous and the wicked. He lets them say bad things and do bad things. So rebuking a demon doesn't make that go away every time. The demon's influence may be gone and the guy may still say wrong things about you because the guy's got a bad spirit. Then there's spiritual factors. There's demons involved. Now what happens, paragraph E. If we use our authority, we can reduce the demonic influence so we can solve the other problems far easier. You get the demon out of the equation far easier to solve the relationship. Over the years, we all have this experience. This isn't a particularly unique at all, unique testimony. I've had many conflicts of people coming against me, the things I'm saying, my ministry, those kind of situations. I'm talking about guys with the wrong spirit. And what I've done over the years is because of this passage in Ephesians 6, I'll take a few moments and I'll rebuke the spirit. Again, I picture this dragon-like demon figure breathing like hot fire on this guy stirring his spirit up. I take authority over that demon that's stirring up that guy. The guy still doesn't like me, still is against what I'm doing. But without a demonic energy energizing him, he's in a very, very different situation. And you can take authority over this demonic power in 90-second prayers, 2 or 3 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day. I mean, if it's really an intense situation. So a number of these guys, I talked to them, but I did the warfare, I did the exercising my authority. So now when the guy comes, he has a whole different spirit. He's a lot calmer, he still doesn't like me. His spirit is real different. He's like, well, you know, I guess I'm that, you know, I understand a little bit now. That makes a little more sense. I still think you're off the wall, but you know what, I'm going to let it go. You know, just a week or a month ago, he was stirred up at a major level. There was a demon moving on his spirit. Now what you do when you get in a conflict and someone's coming against you, don't, you know, get 10 or 20 people and tell them, Help me stand against the demon in that guy. The guy will hear it, and another problem. Stir up their flesh and some blood. You'll stir the flesh up. But when you're taking authority, you might, you know, confide in your spouse or that one friend. But be really careful, because the word getting out, you're binding the devil in that guy. That will just stir that guy up. Ask me how I know about that. Trust me, it's important that you don't use that. You don't call a bunch of people to bind the devil against the guy. Again, I didn't read that in the book. Okay. Paragraph E. When we take this authority, demonic element out of the problem, the consequences of our wrong anger or in lust or in rejection, and you act and you speak, and the devil's even stirring you up, and you already want to say, Wait, no, I'm not yielding to this. I want peace. But you've already acted. The demonic element can be out of the equation, minimized or gone for that season. But there are consequences for wrong actions. So don't think that taking authority over the devil makes everything that we did suddenly okay. It does make it a lot easier to solve the problem. Paragraph F. The principle of the kingdom. Very simple principle. This is the using the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. But again, it's the word of God. That's the sword of the spirit. It's not just the word of God on the shelf. It's not the word of God memorized. It's in you speaking it with confidence. That's what the word of God, that's the sword of the spirit. The principle of the kingdom is this. Well, there's many principles. I don't want to call it the. It's a principle of the kingdom. There's many kingdom principles. That the demonstration or the power of the spirit. The power of the spirit being demonstrated follows the declaration. Meaning the spirit has power and the spirits willing to release the power. But the spirit is waiting on a declaration or a test of you to speak the word. Let me explain it this way. The analogy I've used for years. I use the same one. You go back to Genesis 1. And here the earth is formless and void. The earth is existent, but it's formless and void. There's darkness everywhere. But it says the spirit is hovering. The other translation says it's brooding. So the world is full of darkness, but the spirit who has the full power of God. Because the Holy Spirit is as much God as the. The Holy Spirit has the total power of God. So here he is brooding, hovering. Another translation says. Or you could say he's in the midst of the darkness. So you think spirits there with power. Why does the darkness continue? And if the spirits there, why shouldn't the dark here? I mean, it's the father's plan to create light and the spirits there in power. But the darkness is still there. But suddenly Jesus, the second person of the Trinity speaks. Let there be light. And when the word is spoken, the word of God is spoken. Then the spirit moves in power. The spirit could release the light anyway. But a way. The divine order is within the Godhead. The father, son and Holy Spirit. The spirit does not release power to the word spoken. So the spirits waiting, waiting. Jesus says, let there be light. Boom, the spirit moves in power. Well, it's the same principle. The spirit is in our midst all the time. Wherever two or three people gather, the spirit is there to move. But he waits. The spirit waits on a believer to give a declaration. And when I mean a declaration, I don't mean they got to get on a microphone and shout it. That's not what I mean. They have to give a statement. They have to speak the word of God. It could be a whisper. It could be a shout. Own personal life. The enemy is attacking. The enemy is attacking. The spirit says, I'm here. I have power over the darkness that's hitting you. You have to speak the word or I'm not going to release power. The guy's going, oh, the darkness is hitting me. My emotions are so stirred up, it's hitting me. And the Holy Spirit says, you still haven't spoken the word of God. Oh, help God. Well, that's a prayer. You haven't declared the word yet. Tell your friend, oh, it's a miserable week. The spirit says, I have power over that darkness. You have to speak the word. In the name of Jesus, release light and drive the darkness away. The Holy Spirit goes, thank you. I want to help you, but I want the divine order. Now the Holy Spirit is God, so there are exceptions. But the rule of the kingdom is he waits on a declaration before he has power. The analogy I've used recently several times. You get a thousand believers in a room. They all love Jesus. A thousand believers who are all sick. Nobody ever says, healing in the name of Jesus. Probably a thousand will leave still sick. But if one guy got up and said, release healing. Some of them are going to get healed. I don't know how many, maybe a lot, maybe a few. Somebody's going to get healed if there's an utterance. If somebody says it, chances are, most likely, they will all come sick and leave sick. It's not even on their mind. But if somebody will give a declaration. Like next to say, hey, can I pray for you? Lay hands on you. Somebody's going to get healed in their midst. And maybe a lot. Same if a thousand unbelievers are in a room. Nobody gives a testimony of Jesus. They will come as an unbeliever, they will leave as an unbeliever. Of course, there's that exception where the Lord just encounters somebody in a most unusual way. But if somebody gives a testimony of Jesus, there's going to get people who are going to get saved in that room. The Spirit says, I would have healed and led people to... Many times, if somebody would have given a declaration of my word. The Spirit waits on the word to be spoken. One of the reasons so many people are getting... In this awakening, in these renewal meetings. It's simply, we have... There's a thousand people plus every night. That are laying hands and saying, touch them Lord, more Lord, more Lord. You get a lot of people doing that. Guess what's going to happen? More people are going to get touched. Now the Spirit breaks in and stirs up things. Really, He's stirring our faith up. Because He said, I would have touched people before. Well, He has touched plenty of people before. But I would have touched many more. If you get your hands out of your pocket and laid them on people. So a few people cry and laugh. Then a thousand people take their hand out of their pocket. And says, well in that case, people are crying and laughing. I'll start praying for people. The Holy Spirit says, well that's what it is. I'll use it. So He's moving in a obvious demonstration of people's... Tears and joy and laughter. And really what that becomes. I mean, there's many things He does in that to the individuals. But in the overall sense, it's like a token of faith that stirs up everybody. The Lord's in our midst. The Lord would say, but I'm in your midst. Because the Word is real no matter what. And so the Lord visits like He's been visiting. He's graciously stirring our faith up. He's graciously stirring us up so we get activated in our faith. And it's so precious. And His Spirit... But the remarkable thing is that so many believers are moving in faith. And they're laying hands on people. And when you do it, a whole lot more happens. Turn to the top of page 2. Ephesians 1, verse 19 to 23. Verse 19, Paul talks about the exceeding greatness towards us. The subject matter is how the power of God works towards us. Or in us. You could put the word... The exceeding greatness of the power of God working in us. In our lives. The power of God that touches us. And the power of God that operates through us when we pray for other people. So one of the main points that Paul... He's all but saying this. I'll tell you how the power of God operates towards you. Or how the power of God operates in you. Then verse 20 to 23. And you could read it on... The point he makes. He goes, the reason the power of God is operating in your life is because... Man. Jesus. As a man. He's fully God. But as a man, He rose from the dead. The first man ever to break the power of death and darkness. A man. He steps out of the realm of death. The resurrected body. That man ascended to the right hand of the Father. He's seated at the Father's right hand. But it's more than that. That man really likes you. The man that broke through likes you. And it's more. He's connected to you by the Spirit. So Paul's saying, let me tell you, verse 19. How the power of God works towards you. Or in you. Or through you. It's based on this. There's a man. Who 2,000 years ago. Broke through. And triumphed over death. Now the good news is. That man likes you. And that man's connected to you. So what is true of him. Is now true of you. By virtue of your connection to him by the new birth. That the man Jesus has. You can operate in it. It's not based on if you're in a good mood that day. It's not based on if you've had a good. It's based on the fact. There's a man that broke through. He likes you. And you're connected to him. It's based on that. Now the reason I say a lot of times. It's time to pray for people. And the guy goes, you know. I just feel so oppressed today. As they feel good. The power flows better. I'm not going to pray. I don't feel like it. Again. The logic is. When I feel good. That's what makes the power flow. Beloved. You feel good. Not what makes the power flow. What makes the power flow. Is there's a man that broke through. He likes you. And you're connected to him. That's what makes the power flow. Other guy goes, I'm tired. Or I've had a really bad week. I don't want to go into details. Just a really bad week. As though you're bad week. Or your good power happened. What makes power work through you. Is a man that broke through. He likes you. And you're connected to him. That's why it works. It's based on the fact. Of the resurrection of Jesus. And his ascension to the right hand of the Father. It isn't related to our mood. It's not related to how good we're doing. It's not related to our human fervency. Meaning. It's not about. Pray hard. If I just. In the name of Jesus. We stir up. That's not what makes it work. What makes it work is. There's a man who broke through. He likes you. And you're connected. That's what makes it work. Bad mood. Good mood. Good week. Strong voice. Weak voice. That's not the point. Man breaks through. Likes you. You're connected. Power works. That's how it works. So we don't have to. Look at. Guys with real strong personalities. And say. I wish I had that personality. That's not the point. The power works anyway. You don't have to shake the devil out of the person. You don't scream the devil out of the person. Authority of Jesus. Well if you're really serious. That's not what makes it work. You can win mood. And have a bad week. And the authority still works. I'm in a bad mood. But I'm afraid in the name of Jesus. Lord just help that guy. Jesus breaks you. You're connected to him. That's the basis of authority. Really is. A five year old prays. Wow they're so young. What? Old makes power work? Young makes power weird? I mean strange? No. It's the authority of Jesus that makes. It's not old or young. It's not trained or not trained. A guy that knows the Bible. He's brand new. A brand new believer. If he dares to lay hands. It works. Loud. Soft. Good week. Bad week. Good mood. Bad mood. Those aren't even the issues at all. I've seen just. I mean powerful things happen through the years. When I was just in the worst way. I go Lord. How did that happen? And the Lord's answer is. It was never about you when it. When did it happen? But it's not if you feel good. It makes. It helps me. No. Makes you feel better. But it doesn't help my power. Paragraph B. Ephesians 2. Now this is only a couple of verses later. After Ephesians 1. I mean it's just. It's in the same. It's in the same teaching that Paul's giving. This one I. As born again believers. Have been raised up. And we see. We are seated with Jesus in heavenly places. Now when I was a new believer. I read this just on my own. And I thought. I just read Ephesians. I go. How am I seated in heavenly seat? Am I sitting in my chair down here? I thought of physically. And I thought. How am I supposed to pretend I'm up there? How does this work? And that kind of. Tripped me up. I didn't know how to make sense of that. What that means is. There's no time or distance in the spirit realm. Is that your prayer heard. At the throne of God. You have access to the throne. Being seated in heavenly places. This is not talking about your physical proximity. It talks about where your prayers are heard. And received. So the fact that your prayers are accepted. And received at the throne. It means you have a seat of authority. Right there by virtue of your relationship to Jesus. When you have a resurrected body. And you're face to face with the Lord. You will not have more authority. Than the day you were born again. The very first day you were born again. You had access to the throne. The authority was yours. From that day. For billions of years. It's the same authority. The same access. Now we're face to face. Our faith is. I mean there's no element of faith. It's. There's other factors. And so a whole lot more happens. The authority. Your access to the throne of grace. Only there. The day. The moment you're born again. It's like the moment you're born again. You receive the full righteousness of Jesus. You have the same righteousness of Jesus. The day you're born again. Is a million years later. In the resurrection. In the new Jerusalem. You will not have more of the gift of righteousness. Than the moment you were born again. It's fully there. It's yours. I don't feel. Like I have access. That doesn't change the fact. You don't have access. You still have it. Even if you don't. The devil's counting on you. Not feeling like you have access. Because if you don't feel like it. You won't use it. And that's what he's counting on. Paragraph D. Jesus is describing the thief. He comes to steal. Kill and destroy. Where God is in your life. Physically. Spiritually. Financially. Relationally. Wherever. In your ministry. In any way. The blessing of God touch you. The devil and his host of demons. Are meant to steal. That from you. They're not going to come honestly. Come with craft. And deception. To trick. With trickery. To steal the blessing. To minimize it. To diminish it. They won't get all the blessing. Their goal is to take part of it. They'll take 10 percent of it. 30. Whatever you will give them. Whatever you will not stop them. Whatever degree. They will come and steal it. They will. They will diminish it. They want to ruin your relationships. They want to ruin your finances. They want to afflict your body. They want your soul. Your mind, emotion, will. Filled with fear. And anxiety. They want peace from you. If you'll let them. Now we use authority. We use delegated authority. Or let me say it this way. Authority is the power of God that's been delegated to us. There's a difference between authority. And the technical sense. Sometimes the scripture uses them interchangeably. For instance. The policeman. The code. The policeman. Puts his badge up and says stop. The policeman stops the car by the use of authority. Meaning. The whole. Resource of the U.S. government. And all the money behind that badge. If necessary. So. You're driving down the road. The police puts his hand up. The entire military force of the U.S. government is behind that badge. So you see the policeman. The uniform. The badge. Stop. You go. I better stop. There's a whole lot more backing that guy. Than that badge. And that one man. That's called authority. Now if the policeman was going to stop your car with power. That means your car's coming down the road. Ram it with himself. Say come on. I'll do more pushups. I'll take that one on one. Boom. I can stop the car. That would be stopping it with power. We don't stop the devil with our power. We stop the devil by the badge. The authority. Because we have the whole government of heaven behind us. Now it's. Just a ridiculous analogy. You know the cars are passing by. And they need to stop. Because. Going on. And the policeman's thinking. I wish those cars would stop. And the other policeman says. Well the badge. He goes. Well no. I don't want to use my badge. I just. I just wish the cars would stop. It's kind of creating a big mess here. The other policeman says. Well use your badge. I mean. Blow the whistle. Lift your hand up. Well no. I don't want to do that. I mean about it. I'm going to email my friends about it. I'm going to talk about it. But I'm never going to use my badge. I'm never going to use the authority I have. With the whole U.S. government. That's how a lot of people are. With the devil. They just let chaos. They can stop a significant amount of the chaos. In their life. If they use their authority. Paragraph E. James 4. Verse 7. Submit to God. Resist the devil. He will flee. What a full promise. This needs to be like. One of your top verses. You use all the time. In your life. In God. Submit to God. In other words. Set the intention of your heart. To obey him. That's submit to God. It doesn't mean. Wait till you mature. To submit to God. Means you've set the intention of your heart. To obey in every area. Yes. There's a few areas. You haven't. You don't have to break through. But. It matters to you. You really repent. And you declare war on that area. But. That is still. Considered submitting to God. You've set the intention of your heart. To obey him. And you're in the process of. Working that out. You've got that covered. You've submitted to God. The next point is. You resist the devil. You have to say no to the devil. You have. With your mouth. Not think no. Not pray to God. To say no. Not tell your friends. You wish the devil would say no. You actually have to show your badge. And say no. Show your badge. I mean. You speak the name of. And here's what. James said. The devil will flee. He will flee. He will. That's one of the main promises. Of the Bible. The devil will leave. In other words. That flaming missile. That heightened energy. Will be diminished. He'll come back again. But you resist him again. He'll come back again. But. But there will be. Seasons of peace. And just victory. Where he backs away. He'll come back at an opportune time. You resist him again. Say no. When you beat on my door. You can't come in. The answer is no. I'm not gonna. With false humility. Come in and tell God. Whatever I will endure. God says. I didn't send the devil. He came on his own. But I gave you authority. To do something about it. But you're not doing anything about it. It doesn't say. Submit to. Accept the devil. It says. Submit to God. And resist him. If we resist. The devil will flee. If we do not resist him. Or challenge him. I tell you. He will continue. And he will continue. To bring more. And more oppression. In areas of your life. He will take all the ground. Hosea. Chapter four. Verse six. I don't have it on the notes. But it says. People. Are destroyed by lack of knowledge. There are many godly people. Who don't know this truth. And their lives are destroyed. In part. I mean they're still saved. They're born again. They love God. They go to heaven forever. But they endure. Some necessary oppression. There's a destruction. Operating in their life. Because they lack knowledge. And there's other people. Who know these truths. But they don't actually use them. To speak these truths. Against the enemy. Next passage. Second Timothy. Chapter one. Verse seven. God has not given us a spirit of fear. He's given us power. A spirit of love. And a sound mind. So the devil comes. With a heightened fear. Now fear is one of the most normal. Natural things we have. In our fallenness. We have fear. We have rejection. But the devil comes. You know I've talked to people through the years. They have nightmares. Or they have these panic attacks. In the dark. I mean it's common. Millions of people do. They want to take medicine. They need to rebuke the spirit of fear. Fear is a spirit. I mean it's an emotional mindset. But it's more than that. It's that. But there's another dimension. There's a spirit of demonic power. Spirit of fear is a spirit. There's a demon. That brings fear. I've prayed for people. I say do you ever. When that happens. Do you feel that way? Do you ever like rebuke the devil? You go no. I just kind of hang on and turn the lights on. Did you know that that demon of fear will leave if you come. I'm kidding. Where's that in the Bible? Well there's a lot of places. God has given us a spirit of power. And a spirit. The ability to feel loved by God. We've been given a spirit of love. Because the spirit of fear. The spirit of rejection. God has rejected us. Everyone's rejected us. And there's a natural kind of mindset of rejection. But the spirit that brings it to a whole nother level. Just that one day. You're just so much pain of rejection. You've never taken authority over that demon. That's stirring you up. That hot breath of a dragon. That's breathing on your spirit. That's just a word picture. No. I just kind of take my natural mindset of rejection. Demon stirs it up. I endure it. For three days. And I suffer in pain for three days. Why don't you say be gone? Well, I don't know. It never occurs to me. Be gone. I've had times. Maybe in 30 years. I've had about 10 times. Where I've had a demon come to me. At night. I mean a full on demonic presence. And I say in the name of Jesus. Be gone. Go. Now. Okay. I turned the lights on too. I can read the word better. Of course. But I do. I say in the name of Jesus. Be gone. Now. And it will. And sometimes you'll get in a. You'll have like a spirit of confusion. And you're just so disoriented. Beloved. That's a spirit attacking you. Last week. I don't know. I just had a fog. No. That's a demon. That's a spirit. Bringing a confusion to you. Rebuke that spirit. God has given you a power of a sound mind. He's given you ability to have clarity. That's a sound mind. The ability. To have love. To feel love. He's given you the spirit of power and love. To feel love. That's within your inheritance. Use it. In the name of Jesus. Next passage. Hebrews 6. Verse 12. Says don't become sluggish. But imitate. Those who through faith and patience inherit. Some people. Use faith. But they don't have patience. Meaning. They use faith. And there's not an instant breakthrough. So they give up and give in. Beloved. Sometimes the breakthrough is instant. Sometimes it's in one or two stages. Sometimes the breakthrough comes over a season. I'm talking about the breakthrough that's oppressing you. Or maybe the breakthrough of others. Maybe you've come up to the prayer lines. You lay hands on someone. Ah. Nothing's happened. I'm just going to forget it. One of those guys where God uses. No. Use faith and patience. Stay with it. Don't become sluggish. Don't become passive. Don't give up and give in. Say no. I'm going to. I'm going to walk heritage. I'm going to be used by the power of God to touch others. Number one. And I'm going to be free of oppression. Number two. In my own life. I'm going to use faith and patience. And then when I pray for others. I'm not giving up. If I don't see instant results. I'm sticking with it. Last point. Our authority. I've already said it. But I want to. Take about two minutes on this. And so. Our authority is not based. A man broke through. You send it to the right hand. The father. He likes you. He's connected to you. That's why you have authority. Because what's true of him. The true of him. Is you can use it. Zacharias said. The prophet. It's not by might. Not by power. He means not by human might. By human personality. It's not by. It's not by a fervent personality. It's not by. Having more information. Everybody else. We do have to have the fundamental information. But you don't have to be. A Bible. He just used it. Speak the name of Jesus. Now I. Learned a lot from a man named John Wimber. Some of you know John Wimber. You've received from his ministry. He went to be at the Lord in 1997. But in the 80s and 90s. He had one of the most powerful. He's in the Western world. Just had thousands of people being touched. And I had an opportunity to travel with him for three years. It was a tremendous opportunity. 1988 and 89. Not one of those years. Long time ago. And the first thing that John Wimber. Used to. He used to insist on. He said this often publicly. I mean. And he would say it to me when I first began to. He invited me to travel with him for a season. He said. First of all. I want you to dial down. Emotionally. And I. He used to always say dial down. I go down. He goes. I want you when you pray for people. I'm talking about the people in the prayer lines. When you pray. Just. Take a breath. And be calm. Don't go into rapid fire prayer. The guy's going. Well that ought to make the devil go. That's not what makes the devil go. That's not bad to do that. But that doesn't help anything. John Wimber. I mean. It's not like it cancels out anything. But it doesn't help anything. John Wimber would tell the. You know. Thousands of people would come for training. He would host these four day conference world. And have thousands of pastors come for four days. And he would teach them. He goes. Dial down. You will receive motions of the Holy Spirit. You'll receive more prophetic impressions. If you take a deep breath. And calm down and pause. And wait and listen. Listen more than you speak. When you're praying for someone. He says. In the height of human fervor. I mean just. He goes. You won't feel as much. Or you won't hear as much from the Holy Spirit. Settle down. And you will hear more. And feel more. It's really true. Now. So I went on. I traveled with him. And he put me on the stage with him. You know. It's okay. You're getting. I'm real nervous. You know. Thousands of people out there. And I've never done this before. And I go. Like tonight. Like I'll. Lead ministry. Always tomorrow. Never tonight. He goes. No. Tonight. I go. Ah. How about the next conference. You know. I've just. You know. I've just really since. He goes. Stop all that. You're doing it tonight. So I'd get up there. And. In the name of Jesus. And I'd pause. One. Two. Three. In the name of Jesus. So I would burst. And pause. I go. I dialed down. He goes. No. No. No. No. No. You didn't. You took a longer breath than normal. In between your bursts. I go. Isn't that dialing down? He goes. No. No. That was just a longer breath. He goes. I'm talking about you. Your spirit. Coming down. And I find. When I pray in private. Or. Pray on the microphone. Or pray in ministry. But he said this. Over and over to people. He says. It's also easier on the people. We're seeing. If you're in the. Culture. Where everybody. Is real. Intense. In their style. That. You're used to. You grew up in it. But if you're a new guy in it. Some guy takes a hold of you. And the guy's going. What? Like. What just happened? Well. If you grow up in it. It's normal. But if you don't grow up in it. It's weird. On sterile. I mean. People don't know. Anything. How to relate to. Well. They feel the power of God at work. But you know what? It still works. If you dial down. Supernaturally. Natural. That's what he would talk about. The Lord. If you pray for somebody. For five minutes. You might say. A sentence or two. You may take. First. Be open. So. You might pray. A sentence. Be quiet. For ten. Fifteen. Twenty seconds. A sentence or two. And when we say. More Lord. We're saying. More of your manifest presence. I mean. The Lord's already here. But when we're saying. More of. We're saying. More of your manifest presence. And he'll give more. If we stay with it. Now. John used to point out. That. The Pentecostal movement. We're so. He would talk about. How grateful he is. That the. The ones that were. The stewards. That kept alive. The vision. For the gifts of the spirit. You know. At the. Nineteen hundreds. When the Pentecostal movement. Broke out. The last hundred years. It's the Pentecostal. Movement. There's many Pentecostal denominations. The ones that held the line. For the gifts of the spirit. For the spirit of prophecy. And we have. A great debt to him. But. Jump in the Pentecostal context. He grew up in the evangelical. Mainstream context. And he talked about. Let's take the benefit. Of the truth. The Pentecostals. Have had. Have given us. But we don't have to have a. Pentecostal. Ministry. Culture. And the Pentecostal. Ministry. Culture. Pit. Typically. Is the one guy on the stage. Ten thousand. And the crowd. The TV cameras there. And he's in. Red hot fur. Wants to do what he does. But they want to do it. On their friend. One on one. Because the. Equation is. The human intensity. Of the man of God. That's what makes the power happen. And that's the proof. That the power is there. You know. What makes the power happen. And it's not proof of power. It's a. Ministry style. He would call it. The minute. The Pentecostal. Ministry. Culture. He goes. We don't need that culture. We can be supernaturally natural. We can dial down. Everybody can do it. It's easier on the person. Receive it. Because you'll be able to sustain. Hours of ministry. You think you have to rev up. To the kind of the. Launching mode. But we just wait. Listen. You could pray for hours that way. But if it. If the idea is. I have to kick into that mode. Of the. Man of God on the platform. You can. You can stay in that for a half hour. It will wear you out. But the Lord wants. To have times where you go for hours. And hours. And hours. And you hear more. You'll do more. If you ask the question. All the way through the process. What are you saying Lord? When I go. And even pray on the microphone. In the intercessory meetings. I touch of the Lord. As I'm going. Whether I'm an individual. Whether I'm preparing. To even. Minister. Even before I come up here. I'm asking Lord. What are you saying? What are you doing? I want to feel. I want to get quiet. I want to be quiet. In my spirit. John called that. Being supernaturally natural. The point being. You don't have to be in a good mood. You don't have to have the energy. To rev up. It works. Because of Jesus. Even if you're weak. Was bad. Energy's low. Your mood is wrong. It still works. Because it's. It's not that. Pentecostal culture paradigm. It's confidence. In the resurrected Christ. That's the confidence. That we lay. Amen. Amen. Let's stand. Now having said that. I love the Pentecostals. I really do. So I'm. In a minute. I'm going to go. But that's not because. It's going to bring more power. Because at home. It's going to ask my wife. You sit over there. When I pass the salt. You know. That's how I do everything. Sweetheart. Raise your hand. Is that true? Wave your hand. But that's not about power. That's just about. But. Some will see that. They go. I got to do that. In order to get the demon out. Oh man. I don't have the energy for that. No. No. No. It's way better. Be you. Let's pray. Father. We just come and ask you. Right now. To touch us. Supernatural. Natural. We ask you to touch us. Right now. We have to be. Don't worry. In a hurry. It's not my business. Or your business. To make sure something happens. It's our business. It's just a way to ask the question. To be open. We don't have to make anything happen. Ever. It takes all the pressure off. Lord. Come and renew. And touch. And stir. Come and release your fire. Your wind. Your wine. Come and release your hand. Your hand. Right. More, Lord. Release your fire. Release the wine of your spirit. Release your wind. Even now. More, Lord. I was in meetings with John Wimber. And there'd be five of us. Ten thousand people. And he would wait five minutes. I mean. Remember. When I was young and new. They're like. What are you doing up there? He goes. I'm waiting on the Lord to say something. He hadn't said nothing yet. He goes. So what? It's not my problem. I just went like. Wow. That's cool. Never. I never. Ever saw a guy wait longer on the Lord. In a big meeting. Than he would wait. He had confidence. The Lord would stir. And move. I'm just. Here in the opposite. In this kind of situation. You have a paradigm. That waiting is good. That's really the way forward. Lord. Release your power. Right now. New hearts. Touch bodies. Right now. I don't have any. It's not my business. To get direction. And my business. Is to wait. To be open to it. It's his business. To give direction. Release your fire. Release your fire. More. The Lord's resting on you. In any way. Or. You just want prayer. I invite you to come up to the ministry lines. When you come up to the lines. Lines up first. Just so the folks behind you. Can have room. Need to wait a few more minutes. Let your power come. Release your joy Lord. More. It's okay. Just release it. The Lord's touching you. With a wine of it. More Lord. I don't know. If it's. You're making me laugh. For the spirit is remote. This is hilarious. Release your presence. Right now. All over this room Lord. Increase your ministry. Right now. We ask. All over the room Lord. Touch. All over the auditorium. Those that are in the chairs. Just to stay open. Release your presence Lord. More of your presence. We ask. People that want to pray. For folks. I need about a hundred. Come on up. Release your presence Lord. More.