Binding the Strong Man
The book of Revelation records that in the end times there will be a greater increase in demonic activity and the church needs to be aware that we are in a spiritual battle for souls. Talk about cutting- demonic activity, but we want to send them to therapy and put them on pills instead of attacking the real enemy.
Mark 3:27
Matthew 16:15-19New King James Version (NKJV)
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed[a] in heaven.”
Explain about Peter’s confession, Peter (petros, small stone) Rock (petra, massive rock or rocky cliff)
Matthew 18:15-20New King James Version (NKJV)
15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’[a] 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say[b] to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
“bind and loose” was a common Hebrew phraseology meaning to declare something forbidden or to declare it allowed.
There is a general authority of “binding and loosing” by preaching the Word of God. This would be the means of opening the kingdom of heaven to all who believe and shutting it against unbelievers.
Peter was walking this out on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38
The complex Greek construction behind “shall be bound” and “shall be loosed” point to the complete adequacy of Jesus’ death on the cross.
This binding and loosing keys is the authority that has been given to those who are IN CHRIST in order to overcome the devil, to bind demons and disease and to loose the prisoners of sin, addictions and sickness from their bondage and captivity unto salvation. If it was JUST given to Peter, there would have been no need for Paul, who wrote most of the NT and on occasion rebuked Peter; or of John, who wrote several books as well, or any other NT apostle and author.
Matthew 16:18 “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”
This is does not mean that any particular believer, church or denomination will be immune to doctrinal error or otherwise be overcome by sin or Satan’s snares.
What is DOES mean is that in spite of Satan doing his worst, the church that Jesus is building cannot in the end be overcome by Satan.
God’s true church will rise up in faith, authority and the power of the Holy Spirit to righteously assault Satan’s kingdom and domain of darkness by delivering people from sin, disease, bondage and oppression.
Revelation 12:11 [Full Chapter]
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Jesus in heaven LOOSES the authority of His Word as it goes forth on earth for the fulfillment of its purpose. He then ratifies what is done in His name.
Ratify- a formal sanction, officially approve
The Word of our testimony goes back to Peter’s confession: Jesus is LORD and Christ
The binding and loosing is an ALREADY accomplished provision, because of Jesus work on the cross. Christ has already overcome our enemy
Mark 3:20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”
23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. 27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.
Jesus entered the strongman’s house (the world is Satan’s house) and HE plundered his house (set free those who are enslaved to Satan)
AND NOW, we are called to use this SAME authority of binding (declare something forbidden) and loosing (declare something allowed) to set the captives free by plundering the Strongman!
Spiritual Conflict involves three aspects:
- declare war against satan according to God’s purpose- you might as well declare war on him, he has already declared war on you!
Ephesians 6:12-13New King James Version (NKJV)
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[a] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
- enter Satan’s house (anywhere he as a stronghold) attacking and overpowering him by prayer and proclamation of the Word
If you are doing GOOD, but not proclaiming HIS WORD, you are just performing good works
Jesus went about doing GOOD, but the good that He did was the Father’s Will in tearing down Satan’s kingdom
Luke 11:20-23New King James Version (NKJV)
But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
- carry off his possessions; deliver those who have been held captive by Satan’s power and giving them over to God
Acts 26:17-18New King James Version (NKJV)
I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now[a] send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
Do you ever wonder why the early church and disciples had so much power?
BECAUSE THEY WALKED IN THIS AUTHORITY OF BINDING AND LOOSING
The church is lacking POWER because we are not walking in the AUTHORITY that Jesus gave us in order to bring down Satan’s kingdom.
WE are not binding (declaring something that is evil to be forbidden)
and we are not loosing (declaring something good to be allowed)
We are living in the time when THE CHURCH is calling evil, good and calling good, evil
We have been sold the lie of “we are just suppose to love”
Where is the deliverance from the devil?? When majority of the church is still holding to a doctrine of demons?
Where is the victory and deliverance over sin?
Where is the victory over sickness? demon possession? Yes, this still exists. We have just masked it and called it mental illness
There is NO POWER because the church is NOT TAKING DOWN SATAN’s KINGDOM!
The church is celebrating and rejoicing in the sin of others in the name of love.
How do we Bind the Strongman?
- Recognize that we are not in a flesh and blood battle, but a spiritual battle
Ephesians 2:2
2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience
WE must have compassion and mercy for those still living in sin because they are blinded and held captive by Satan
Demons are real and they know you like they knew Paul! It’s a spiritual battle. “Mahaney!”
- Live before God, fervently committed to His truth and righteousness
Sin is the strongest armor wherein the Strongman trusts.
Luke 11:21New King James Version (NKJV)
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.
Jesus said “How can Satan cast out Satan?” Therefore, if Satan has any hold on you, you CANNOT deliver others from his power
We must not let sin reign in our body; to tamper with sin of any kind will quench the power of the Holy Spirit by which is our ONLY POWER in which to bind the strongman
Make an ENTIRE cleavage with sin on the ground at Calvary and set your choice to serve God at any cost
I could not overcome the spirit of fear because I was disobedient in my drinking
- Have faith that GREATER is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. Realize there is NOTING that the power of Jesus cannot overcome. There is no sin, no addiction, no disease; NO WEAPON of the ENEMY that Jesus cannot destroy and overcome!
Satan is NOT stronger than Jesus, NEVER. You do not need to fear the enemy. NEVER
Some people have this belief system that satan is God’s exact opposite. He is not. He is still a created being. He is not all knowing, all seeing and everywhere at once. he cannot read your thoughts or your heart. ONLY GOD CAN.
- Proclaim the gospel of the kingdom in the fullness of the Holy Spirit by knowing and using:
the authority of Jesus name:
Acts 3:6New King James Version (NKJV) Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
But make sure you know Jesus! not “the Jesus whom Paul preaches”
There is POWER in the name of Jesus. He has given you the authority that His name carries.
EX: I am a rule follower, so in school I didn’t break the rules. If I got caught doing something I shouldn’t, it was only because I had authority to do it from a teacher or principal and I would make sure they knew I was under the authority of someone greater than them. Have you ever been caught in the hall between classes running an errand for the principal? how about running an errand for your boss and a coworker tells on you?
His name carries AUTHORITY
God’s Word:
Jeremiah 1:11-12Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what do you see? And I said, I see a branch or shoot of an almond tree [the emblem of alertness and activity, blossoming in late winter].
12 Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.
Isaiah 55:11Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
God’s WORD is 100% true and accurate and everything written in it will be performed.
IT will come to pass. Just because you don’t understand it, does not make it untrue
See, some of y’all cannot come against Satan because you don’t even know what God says about something.
You can’t bind or loose anything- declare it to be forbidden because you don’t even know what it forbidden or what is allowed.
Stop listening to the world and a well thought out meme, KNOW YOUR WORD.
The church in Philadelphia was 1 of the 2 churches out of 7 that received only COMMENDATIONS, the other 5 received harsh CONDEMNATION
“YOU have kept my WORD and not denied my name” Rev 3:8
They endured opposition from the world and resisted conforming to the evil trends of other churches they persevered in loyalty to Jesus and HIS WORD
the power of the cross and the effectiveness of Jesus’ blood:
“We overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony”
Romans 3:25Whom God put forward [[a]before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.
His blood was a sacrifice, an offering
It was vicarious, He died not for His own sake, but for the sake of others
It was substitutionary, He suffered death as a penalty for our sins
It was propitiatory, His death for sinners satisfied God’s righteous nature, therefore removing His wrath
It was expiatory, a sacrifice to atone for sin directed at annulling the guilt of the sinner, the guilt and power of sin that separated us as been annulled
It was efficacious, His atoning death has within itself the power to produce the full desired effect of redemption
It was victorious, on the cross Christ fought against and was triumphant over the power of sin and Satan
It was redemptive, He liberated us from the enemies that hold the human race in bondage
Prayer:
Pray at all times
Pray without ceasing
Pray in the Spirit, Pray with understanding
Intercede like Daniel
Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict the lost concerning sin, righteousness and the coming judgment
John 16:7-11
However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].
8 And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness and about judgment:
9 About sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 About righteousness, because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no longer;
11 About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him.
Pray and Fast
Matthew 17:15-21
“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic[a] and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
17 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief;[b] for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”[c]
