“But even if our Gospel (the glad tidings) also be hidden (obscured and covered up with a veil that hinders the knowledge of God), it is hidden [only] to those who are perishing and obscured [only] to those who are spiritually dying and veiled [only] to those who are lost. For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds [that they should not discern the truth] preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God” 2 Cor 4:3-4 (Amplified)
An event took place in South America several decades ago, which proved a karios (enlightened) moment for the body of Christ. A group of evangelists had gone out to preach in a town straddling the Paraguay-Brazil border. In fact, the border ran right through the town’s high street. So, while one part was in Paraguay, the other was in Brazil. This group of evangelists soon noticed a curious thing – Whilst ministering on the Paraguayan side of the border, people were more receptive and willing to receive their Gospel tracts and listen to them. However, on crossing over to the Brazilian side of the same street, they met with hostilities as people were unwilling to receive their message of Christ. Of course, this set bells ringing in their heads and the conclusion they ultimately reached was that at that point in time the principalities and spiritual powers ruling over Paraguay had been curtailed and their powers handicapped while the opposite was the case with their Brazilian counterparts. This event unearthed a long forgotten spiritual principle that has since become the basis of the strategic intercession that is the bedrock of successful and successive evangelical endeavours.
The reality of life is that while the earth is the Lord’s and in extension ours, it is ruled by Satan and his demons; hence the mess that we see around us. Another reality is that as Christians, Jesus Christ has won back and wrested from the devil the power to rule over the world and has delegated that same authority to His body the Church. So, while Satan still rules, he no longer has the legitimacy to do so because the title deed is now in our custody, thanks to Jesus’ victory on the cross. What this boils down to is the fact that we will have to fight to curtail the demonic influences that pervade our lives in order to replace them with God’s holy influence and thus establish His rule in our world. It we are to free Satan’s captives, we must necessarily captivate the captor and render his power to blind his captives to the liberating message of the gospel useless. Our principal weapon is the word of God as we exercise the authority Jesus Christ has delegated to us to bind and loose and bring everything into subjection to Christ. Luke 10:19. Therefore, to be an effective witness for Christ in your sphere of human endeavour, the starting point is to actively nullify the negative influence of Satan and his demonic goons. You must bind the strongman so as to free up the opportunities to plunder his goods and enrich the kingdom of God with saved souls. This is the task before you. So, when will you start bombarding the heavens so that God might have the opportunity He seeks to do His will in our world?
Prayer:
Lord, your word says that our warfare is not with flesh and blood but against evil principalities and powers. In your name I come against these powers that are actively preventing people from receiving the Gospel and bind their power to deceive. I decree salvation to the dying and deliverance to the captive in Jesus name. Amen.