The Bible tells us that we are in a spiritual war, a spiritual battle.
But what does this mean?
How do we define spiritual warfare?
As Christians, are we meant to take up some new form of Jihad – of physical fighting and terrorism?
No – not at all.
Spiritual warfare is an understanding that there is a whole other dimension of living beings living parallel to the physical, that there is a cosmic battle being raged around us every second of every minute of every day.
Over the last six months, my life has been deeply impacted and permanently changed through a series of spiritual encounters that has made me look at this world in a totally new and different way.
How many of us have heard of the author Frank Peritti and the fictional books that he has written on spiritual warfare.
Basically, his books tell of two worlds living parallel with each other, the physical living alongside the spiritual.
I believe that this isn’t fictional, it’s reality, that right now, there are thousands, if not millions of spiritual beings – both good and evil - walking this world alongside human beings, and these spiritual beings influence our thoughts, our actions and our motives.
These spiritual entities can influence families, cities, nations and entire countries – both for good and for evil.
Revelation 12:7-12
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
I believe that when we are born again into the kingdom of God, we are automatically enlisted in a spiritual battle.
I also believe that as your pastor, and also the other leaders of this church, we are on the front line of the battle.
The spoils of war that we can bless you with are peace, joy, security, spiritual growth and maturity as we lead you in God’s plan for this church and our individual lives.
I believe with a passion that God is revealing His will for this church to win this community for Christ.
We are taking back this Peninsula for the Kingdom of God.
Last week I met with the ministers of the churches on this Peninsula, our goal is to rise up as the spiritual leaders of this community and win this peninsula for Christ, one life at a time!
Four weeks ago, I brought a challenge to this church to pray for this community, because I believed an onslaught of the enemy was about to hit.
One week later, one of our local ministers had taken his own life out of desperation.
This is real, this is happening, and we are each a part of what God is wanting to do in this community.
We must listen to the spirit of God, and we must stop the attack of the enemy in its tracts.
Next week, I am going to share with you the many ‘sign posts’ that God has given to me in order to fulfill God’s vision, God’s mission, God’s purposes for this church and community.
If there was ever a prophetic message, it is today and next week.
I will share with you the many personal encounters I have had over the last six months, with both the demonic realm and the angelic.
I will share with you a confrontation that I had with the territorial spirit of Te Atatu Peninsula.
I will also share with you several encounters I have had with the Spirit of God, a prophet of God and last but not least, the Word of God.
In preparation for this, I believe God would have me bring an update of a message I brought several months ago, on the power of the Name of Jesus.
I am going to share personal testimonies with you, testimonies that show how the Word of God can become flesh.
How the Word of God can become alive in our lives and impact our families, our church and community.
I have paid a deep personal price for being brave enough to bring this message to you today.
Trust me when I say that the enemy has tried to ‘take me out’ and stop God’s Word and will being outworked in this church and community.
The battles of the last six months have been the most vicious and damaging I have ever encountered.
As I was praying and preparing for these messages, and was pondering on the events of the last six months, God used Rob Holding to give me a book that contained a vision by a man called Rick Joyner.
Let me briefly share this vision with you, in an attempt to clarify this image of the spiritual realm in your minds and hearts.
The hordes of hell are marching
The demonic army was so large that it stretched as far as I could see. It was separated into divisions, with each carrying a different banner. The foremost divisions marched under the banners of Pride, Self-righteousness, Respectability, Selfish Ambition, Unrighteous Judgment, and Jealousy. There were many more of these evil divisions beyond my scope of vision, but those in the vanguard of this terrible horde from hell seemed to be the most powerful. The leader of this army was the Accuser of the Brethren himself
The weapons carried by this horde were also named. The swords were named Intimidation; the spears were named Treachery; and the arrows were named Accusation, Gossip, Slander and Faultfinding. Scouts and smaller companies of demons with such names as Rejection, Bitterness, Impatience, Unforgiveness and Lust were sent in advance of this army to prepare for the main attack.
These smaller companies and scouts were much fewer in number, but they were no less powerful than some of the larger divisions that followed. They were smaller only for strategic reasons
A single demon of Bitterness could sow his poison into multitudes of people, even entire races or cultures. A demon of Lust would hit and “desensitize” great masses of people. All of this was to prepare for the great horde of evil which followed.
This army was marching specifically against the church, but it was attacking everyone that it could. I knew that it was seeking to pre-empt a coming move of God which was destined to sweep masses of people into the church.
The primary strategy of this army was to cause division on every possible level of relationship—churches with each other, congregations with their pastors, husbands and wives, children and parents, and even children with each other.
The scouts were sent to locate the openings in churches, families or individuals that Rejection, Bitterness, Gossip, Lust, etc., could exploit and make larger. Then the following divisions would pour through the openings to completely overcome their victims.
I guess this sounds like some sort of a fairytale.
I guess it would to me also, until I experienced it first hand.
Let me share my first encounter of the spiritual with you, that opened my eyes to the spiritual realm.
Several years ago, Debbie’s brother Michael, who was an avid non-Christian, met and married a beautiful young solo mum who happened to be a believer.
After several months of intense payer and witnessing to him, Michael found himself, as a non-believer, with his new wife, on a plane destined for China, smuggling Bibles into the country for the underground churches.
Michael was always one for an adventure.
Debbie and I were looking after their young special needs child, little Benny.
Late that night, I was woken up with an intense pressure on my chest, as if something was trying to suffocate me.
Immediately I sensed the presence of an evil spirit, a demon in the room.
I was petrified, frozen in fear as in my spirit I could sense this demonic force moving from room to room, searching for something.
I looked at the clock and it said 11pm
The Spirit of God told me that this spirit of darkness was searching for Benny, Michael’s special needs son, wanting to hurt him.
Suddenly Debbie sat bolt upright and shouted out “What is it – what’s going on - there’s something in the house – what is it Roger?’
I quietly comforted her and encouraged her to go back to sleep, not wanting to alarm her at the unfolding battle.
The Holy Spirit continued to speak to me.
‘This spirit is out for revenge – speak the Name of Jesus!’
I was shaking with fear, and could only manage a whisper.
In a voice that was barely audible, I mouthed these words.
‘In Jesus Name I command you evil spirit to leave this house and never return again’.
The next thing I knew, it was morning time.
I said nothing to Debbie about the incident, until she phoned me later that day, very excited.
‘Guess what’ she said – ‘Michael became a Christian last night on the plane over the ocean.’
‘Wow – I replied, what time was that?’
I sensed I already knew her reply.
‘11pm our time!’
Satan was angry that Michael had left his kingdom and become a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and he was out to seek some revenge, out to hurt a small innocent little special needs child!
I used the most powerful tool available to Christians, I used the power of the Name of Jesus!
Keep this experience on your mind as we take a slightly different angle on this topic to help you understand the power of the Name of Jesus.
So, do we have any lawyers here this morning?
Has anyone done any legal studies?
There is a legal concept that is probably familiar to many of us here this morning.
It the concept of having the ‘Power of Attorney’.
It is a legal right to have total control over another person’s life and or possessions.
You become their representative and can literally act in their name, as if you were that person.
You can access their bank accounts, write out cheques, and sell their possessions if you desire.
You literally take on their identity and can act as if you were that person!
You can use their name as if it was your own!
Okay – hold that thought in the back of your mind.
By giving a child a name, you often assigned them an identity that was inherent in that name.
Just as we saw this morning with the baptisms of Esther and Naomi.
When you spoke the name of someone, you spoke of all that person represents.
Just as it is today.
If I told you the name Adolph Hitler, you would immediately remember all that that name stands for.
Also, if I spoke the name Mother Teresa, you would remember all that she was and stood for.
Different people have different authority that is bestowed upon them and is invested in a name that is given to them.
I have the authority to perform marriages. I am called a marriage celebrant, that is the title, the name I use when performing a marriage.
But imagine if I stood in the middle of the motor way and shouted. ‘Stop in the name of Roger stop!– I want to perform a marriage here!’
I wouldn’t last very long.
But imagine if a police man stood up and said ‘Stop – in the name of the law!’
You see, the police man has been given authority and power to act in the name of the law.
Just as I have been given authority to perform marriages in the name of the law.
The name is backed up with authority to do certain things.
When we use or speak the Name of Jesus, we are calling upon all that Jesus was and is, all the power and redemption that is in Jesus, is in His Name.
The Name stands for the person.
We are going to discover this morning that Jesus Christ has given us the Power of Attorney to use His Name.
All that Jesus was and did when He was upon this earth, the power and authority that He had and used, all of this is accessible through the power of the Name of Jesus, and that Name has been given to you and to me.
We have been given the Power of Attorney over the Name of Jesus.
Please turn to: Mark 16:17-18 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
In whose power are we to do these things?
In whose Name?
Verse 17 – in My Name – in the Name of Jesus!
Jesus has given all believers the right to use His Name – that’s the Power of Attorney!
Power to break strongholds, power to release captives, power to heal and power to deliver.
Power in the Name of Jesus.
For all that Jesus is, His power and authority - all this is inherent in His Name, and He has given us His Name to use in prayer.
When we use the Name of Jesus, it’s as if Jesus Himself is doing the praying.
So, how then are we to use the Name of Jesus.
We are to use the Name of Jesus in combat, in spiritual warfare.
Just as I did that cold winter night against the powers of darkness that were trying to hurt a poor defenseless specials needs child.
There are three forces that are impacting our lives each and ever moment of the day:
ü The Spirit of God
ü The Spirits of darkness, and lastly, one that we often fail to recognize:
ü Our own human spirit
We have the power of the Name of Jesus to change the events of our life, to break down strongholds and remove mountains, to part the seas that threaten to engulf us!
Matthew 28:18-20, the other place we read of what is called the Great Commission, Jesus said these words:
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
The word ‘authority’ is better translated ‘power’. `
The Greek word is Exousia, it means the authority, the power, the ability to do anything!
Jesus has both the ‘right and the might’ to do anything He wants, because He is God and He proved it by raising from the dead!
All authority, all power!
There is not one little bit of this universe that Jesus hasn’t the power and authority to change and control!
Colossians 1:15 Tells us that God holds all things together by the power of His Name.
As the song we sometimes sing, ‘The universe is in the hands of the Lord’
If God can hold this universe together, then there is not one little bit of your life this morning that Jesus can’t control by the power of His Name.
All this power is given to Jesus.
Isn’t that wonderful. Our Saviour holds the power of all the heavens and earth.
Nothing is too hard for Him.
But there is something far more wonderful than that!
Jesus continues to His disciples.
Go ye therefore into all the world – In My Name cast out demons, heal the sick and baptize all people.
He has the power and now He gives it to us and tells us to go and minister in His Name!
Luke 10:19 I have given you authority in My Name to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
Let me give you a word of caution to help you control this new found power.
As a young believer, over twenty years ago, I was asked to pray for a young man who was suffering some oppression in his life.
I used the Name of Jesus to bind all the demonic powers and influences that I could think of, and then left the poor man to fend for himself.
In hindsight, they weren’t just demonic problems, but a combination of the demonic and emotional.
Later that day, Peter threw himself into a power transformer and was severely burnt!
Fortunately he survived and I met him several years ago and he is going on strong for the Lord.
I believe that there are good and evil forces constantly speaking into our minds and trying to direct our lives.
Sort of like the comic of a demon on one shoulder and an angel on the other.
Don’t blame everything on the devil.
I remember the comic of a demon sulking on the side of the road, and the caption reads “I’m getting blamed for things I haven’t even done!’.
But we must also understand the providence of God.
As believers – satan can do nothing to us that God does not allow – remember the story of Job.
Satan had to get permission from God before he could lay a finger on Job.
A wonderful man of God once told me that there are many storms in life, some we must rebuke in the Name of Jesus, others we must flee from, and others we must simply stand strong and persevere.
Don’t rebuke something that God is in fact allowing for our growth and development.
But also, don’t accept something that the enemy has laid upon us to kill and destroy us.
Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, used to say to his people, ‘Gang, there is no magic formula for victory in Christ, and if you think there is, you’ve just lost it.’
So, in closing, how do we use the Name of Jesus?
How does it really work?
How do we use the Name of Jesus?
It is important that we understand that the Name of Jesus is not a magic charm or an incantation that works like a magic formula.
We have learnt that we are Christ’s ambassadors upon this earth, and He has given us the power of attorney to use His Name.
But how does this actually work?
How can you use the power of the Name of Jesus this morning, tomorrow and in the years to come?
This sermon must have legs on, it needs to be able to follow you home and work with you in the real world of life.
How do we then use the power of the Name of Jesus?
Matthew chapter 18 verse 19 and 20 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
When we are gathered in His Name and join together in prayer, when we use His Name, it is as if Jesus Himself were there praying in our midst and granting to us the very things we are praying for!
We have power in the Name of Jesus.
We have the Power of Attorney.
The key is how to know when to reject situations or when to receive them as God shaping our lives.
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 2:11 that: we are not ignorant of the devices of satan.
The key this morning, is to develop a relationship with God through the Word and the Spirit of God, that we may know what is an attack to rebuke, or is from the hand of God that we must receive.
Either way, God is wanting us to be strong and take a stand as Christians.
If you believe that you are under the oppression of the enemy, take up your authority as a child of God, in prayer - speak out the Name of Jesus against whatever the situation my be, and allow God to deliver you from that oppression.
You might be sitting here this morning and all this sounds a little scary, something out of a horror movie.
Believe me, it is real.
Sometimes God gives us a wake up call, and in doing so, calls out our name and asks us to surrender our lives afresh to Him.
To become a child of God.
You see, the Bible tells us that there are two kingdoms in this world, and only two.
The kingdom of light, and the kingdom of darkness.
The kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Satan.
I believe God would gently ask us this morning:
Which kingdom are you living in at this moment?
We are going to lift up the Name of Jesus in a moment by celebrating communion.
