A Call to Take Authority

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” – Luke 10:19

his morning when I woke up, I was greeted by intense fear, which is not the norm for me.  I had this overwhelming feeling that I could not do any of the things that the Lord was calling me to do at this place in my journey with Him, and I didn’t understand why I woke up like this.  As I began to walk downstairs to my prayer room to begin my morning prayer, I was hit again with feelings of anxiety and inadequacy, to the point where I began to panic.  At first I didn’t understand where all of this was coming from.  Yes, God is doing some pretty powerful things in my life and He is completely moving me out of my comfort zone; however, I didn’t understand why I was feeling this way since I’ve decided not to rely on myself, but instead rely on God and His power. 

t took me a little while to realize that I was under demonic attack, as the enemy was trying to resurrect old issues that once had me bound with fear to the point of being paralyzed.  I began to bind up the spirit of fear, the spirit of anxiety and the spirit worthlessness, and proceeded to go into morning prayer and devotion.  While I was praying, the enemy kept launching his attacks against me, and the frequency of my having to bind up these demonic spirits was comparable to the frequency of having to swat flies while sitting on the porch on a hot summer day.  Though it was becoming pretty annoying, I kept binding these evil spirits and pleading the blood of Jesus, which worked; however, 5 minutes later they were back again.  While binding them up, in the back of my mind I was wondering what was going on; and then I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Take authority.”  I did just that, I began to take authority over the enemy and over the atmosphere, and this was far more effective than what I was doing previously.  After taking authority, I was finally able to pray, and I felt it wise to spiritually cover my children and grandchild under the blood of Jesus; for if the enemy was unsuccessful in his attacks against me, I knew he would try to attack my babies.  I spiritually covered them in the blood of Jesus, and reminded the enemy that he was indeed a defeated foe and I had the power of Christ working on my behalf.  Halleluyah! 

ater on in the morning, I received a call from my oldest and very pregnant daughter.  Since she is around 38 weeks pregnant and calling from the hospital, my initial thought was “THIS IS IT”; for my first grandchild was about to be born.  We I received the phone from my son and heard my daughter’s voice, I knew the calmness in her voice meant she was not in labor.  I asked her why she was in the hospital and she stated that she didn’t feel the baby move all day yesterday and none this morning, plus she was having some pretty intense back pains.  Since this is her first pregnancy, she was scared.  I told her that I would be right there.  I didn’t think that she was going to have the baby, but she was scared and wanted her mom.  I jumped in the shower, and while in there, I heard the words again, “Take authority.”  I voiced to the enemy that he was exposed and I began to take authority over spirit realm in the Name of Jesus.  Once I was out of the shower and was dressed, my oldest son and I jumped in the car and went to the hospital.  My son let me out while he parked the car.  I went up to labor and delivery, which is where she was.  At the time I arrived, the doctors were checking her so I had to wait outside.  While waiting, I began to pray to God and release my faith in believing for a good report, and that’s exactly what we received.  Both my daughter and grandbaby were doing fine and the doctors gave them both a very good report.

nce she was discharged, my son went to go get the car so we could all go home.  We waited for about 15 minutes before my daughter decided to call my son to find out how much longer he would be.  I did not expect to hear what she relayed to me.  My son, who is a very cautious individual, had lost my car – which is really an SUV, Lincoln Navigator.  At first I felt my eyes widen and jaw drop, but then a second later I breathed and said he’ll find it (that was the fruit of the Spirit).  We decided it would be best if we waited inside the hospital since it was pretty humid outside, so we went back inside and sat in the lobby.  While there, we began chatting, and then she tried calling him again (another 10-15 minutes had past).  My son still didn’t find the car.  She and I both found this rather alarming, as this has never happened before.  By the end of the 2^nd call, it was if a light bulb went on to let me see this was yet another attack the enemy was launching.  In a low-volume yet high-authoritative voice, I told the enemy he was exposed and that I take authority over his spirits of distraction and confusion, and I put him and his spirits under subjection of the Holy Ghost.  Immediately following, I said a quick little prayer, and before I was able to say “Amen”, my son called saying he found the car.   

ere all of these events coincidences?  I leave that to you to decide for yourself.  As for me, what do I believe?  Well, I learned some years ago that NOTHING IS BY COINCIDENCE.  Additionally, Jesus tells us in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice,” and I know, heard and hear my Master’s voice.  A part of me believes that Jesus let me experience this today because He wanted me to fight in a different way than what I’m accustomed to, which is obviously more effective.  I am usually binding up evil spirits and pleading the blood of Jesus against them, but I really don’t TAKE AUTHORITY.  I fight much harder than I need to, and I’ve been praying to be more like Jesus in all things including spiritual warfare.  In the Bible, when Jesus casted out a demon, He didn’t fight hard or yell and scream, but rather simply tell the demon to get out and they were out!  I’m sure some critics are like, “Well, that was Jesus”, and you’re right; however, did He not give us the same power?  In John 14:12, Jesus tells us, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do:”   If that doesn’t convince you, read the Gospels (Matthew – Acts) and you’ll see where these men of God commanded the demon to leave once, and the next line would read something like this, “and it/they came out”. 

he authority over ALL the power of the enemy is given to ALL Christian believers; however, it’s up to us to actually use it.  By definition, authority is the power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior, and this can only be granted by one in authority.  Well, the Almighty One has granted us authority and He wants and expects us to use it!  Today, there are too many Christians living defeated lives, and that is NOT the will of God; for God wants us to rise up and TAKE the AUTHORITY that His precious Son, Jesus Christ, has given to us!

Precious Lord, I ask that You stir us up in our hearts, right now, to take full authority over ALL the power of the enemy.  Stir up the desire within us to effectively use the spiritual weapons You’ve given us; for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.  Help us to hunger and thirst after Your Word; for Your Word is truth and it is indeed the Sword of the Spirit.  Teach us how to be aggressive against the enemy just as he is against us, and show us how to take EVERYTHING back that he’s stolen from us beginning with our joy, our peace and our victory.  All of these things, Father, we ask in Jesus’ name; and we release our faith right now and receive all that we’ve asked for, in Jesus’ name.  Thank You Lord.  AMEN.

© 2009, Naima Williams. All rights reserved.