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SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #185 ---- 7/30/01

#1 · July 29, 2001, 6:11 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on July 29, 2001, 6:11 pm
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

Standing Shoulder to Shoulder Together As We

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

TO SUBSCRIBE send a blank message to <[email protected]> .

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"SHOULDER TO SHOULDER" #185 ---- 7/30/01

TITLE: "The Missing Link"

My Dear Friend:

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore." (Gal 1:3-5)

That really seems to be an appropriate greeting that I wish to you, and Paul's words are certainly better than mine.

So . . . . how are you doing? Are you O.K.? Are you rejoicing (even by teeth-gritting faith?)?

I really pray that you are doing well. Wish we could just sit down together for awhile and talk. I'm so anxious to know what's been happening in your life. I know God is good, I just pray that you are seeing the good He is doing in your present circumstances.

Well, this is a long letter, so let's get at it.

GENUINE VIRUS ALERT!

I just received the following message from the brother who hosts some 150 Christian e-mail newsletters including mine. I had also received a warning a few days earlier from another source. Read, and heed!

"Please take note of the virus alert on the front page of welovegod.org about the virus that comes with subject "I send you this file in order to have your advice". Messages containing this and a few other sentences are viruses, and they are spreading very rapidly! Please alert your subscribers.

"Glen"
[email protected]

SPECIAL PRAYER INITIATIVE INVITATION:

It appears Jo Ann and I will be returning to Bosnia and Croatia this Fall, probably around late September and into October. We believe God wants us to take a team of prayer warriors to do some prayer walking and other prayer initiatives in the region while we're there.

If this interests you, please drop me a note and tell me.

THE REALITY OF THE WAR ZONE:

For some reason I cannot get away from the urgency of our being involved in strategic militant prayer initiatives that shake the powers of darkness loose over a given circumstance, territory, person, or group. As I have written these past weeks on this subject, I have been keenly aware that not everyone believes such steps are necessary. The readership of this letter covers a broad spectrum not only geographically, but also theologically and denominationally.

There are some who do not believe the devil and demons are real. They feel they are the outcrop of primitive understanding of religious, psychological and sociological understanding and patterns.

Still others, while believing in the dark side of the spirit world, do not believe the Christian has either the need, the right, or the authority to carry out any measures of warfare beyond their own salvation and subsequent godly Christian living. "It's all in the finished work of Christ; we simply live in grace." No matter that Jesus Himself, God in the flesh, announced such conquest to be the core of His own ministry (set free the captives, release the prisoner, bind up the broken, etc.) and then reminded us, His disciples, that "as the Father hath sent Me, so send I you."

Then there are also those who likewise believe in both, but are either unaware, unprepared, or afraid to do what needs to be done. Some just don't know, some are not equipped in knowledge and action, and some are just plain scared because the enemy has sold them a lie.

So, here I am, friend, to simply state my position without apology.

God created us to live in intimate fellowship with Him and to worship Him with our total being. When that plan was marred by man's choice to be independent from God, Satan took full advantage of the opportunity to wrest back the kingdom he had lost previously in his attempt to "make myself like the Most High" (Isa 14:14b), meaning I will be another god just like Jehovah God.

It is hard for us to grasp the magnitude of Satan's initial defeat, the dynamics of his lost grandeur, the hatred he has for God's most prized creation, and the total and complete victory that was accomplished in the Lord Jesus Christ, the "Last Adam", who restored to a lost human race the potential again for relationship, fellowship, and worship between Deity and humanity.

When innocent man, created like no other part of God's handiwork "in His image", and created "a little lower than the angels", was given dominion, rule, and authority over the rest of God's creation (something that before his rebellion Lucifer alone had enjoyed), the Devil was livid.

And, the battle began. Had it not been for the dynamic and eternal victory of Jesus Christ, our hope of overcoming the powers of darkness would have been zero. But, today, praise God, we can see the suffocating grip of Satan's hand ripped from any and every situation simply because of Jesus. "They overcame him by the power of the blood, the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Rev 12:11)

When Jesus went to the Cross and died, he delivered us from (as I have written before) sin, the flesh, the law, the world, and the power of Satan. When He rose again, He delivered us from death and gave us resurrection life and power for living, by the indwelling and controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit. When He ascended to the right hand of God, His Father and ours, He gave us access, authenticity, and authority.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:15-23 how that all happened. It's incredible. About half way through that passage He begins talking about the power and authority that has been exercised toward us and for us. " . . . and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

"These are in accordance with the [internal] working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion (military rank names), and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.

"And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

In Ephesians 2:6 he says, ". . . . and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

One chapter later in Ephesians 3:9-12, He explains why such authority has been given to us. ". . . to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities (military rankings) in the heavenly places.

"This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him."

Then, after asking God to open our eyes to the truth of this incredible love relationship that was so intense that He would invest such giftings, power, and authority to us, Paul commands us . . . . yes, urges us . . . . to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called . . . ." (Eph 4:1) Then for the next two chapters of Ephesians, he spells it out in detail, culminating his instruction with the command to be constantly filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit as you live in intimate human relationships in your family, your church, and your work.

Coming near the end of this incredible discourse, He comes full circle back around to the reality of the battle by saying in Ephesians 6:10 and following, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."

So ---- based on God's intended purpose for us, Christ's liberating deliverance from the powers of darkness, and the life changing Great Commission given to us, we have no other choice than to go into territories, societies, and people groups, and announce the presiding presence of the King of all other kings, our Lord Jesus Christ, and declare "the kingdom of God is at hand! This land no longer belongs to the powers of darkness. We have come to announce the decree and occupy until He returns!"

It seems that Paul took advantage of almost every opportunity he had to drive home this great truth. In Colossians He again identifies the powerful acts of Jesus as " . . . He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, . . . (1:13). He reminds us that Jesus "is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything." (1:18).

In verse 19 he reminds us that " . . . it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross;" Then, after reminding us that the greatest mystery of all of life is that Christ actually lives in us and is our hoe of glory (1:27), he again urges us toward godliness.

Then in Colossians 2:8 and following, he urges, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

"For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority (terrestrial and celestial kingdom ranks); . . ."

After he rehearses the redemptive circumcision that brought us into eternal relationship with God, Paul continues by reminding us that He not only canceled out the certificate of debt which we owed, but also Jesus took it out of the way and nailed it to the Cross. In so doing, Jesus wrenched out of their grip the only weapon the world had against us. In other words, " . . . He . . . disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them . . . " (2:13-15).

THE MISSING LINK:

So, then . . . . what is there left to do? Jesus has won it all! Hallelujah to the Lamb!

Do you realize, my dear friend, that for all practical purposes, the only ones who know all this are those who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ??? The world doesn't know, and Satan will see to it that philosophy, psychology, governments, education, and even religion will never reveal that great truth of total and complete deliverance and liberation.

In spite of the fact that salvation, even the very word itself ("sozo") is a word that describes restoration, deliverance, freedom, wholeness, completeness, liberation, and a whole bunch more, millions in the world have never heard the message ---- and they never will because "the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving . . ." (II Cor 4:4).

Not only is that true, but there are enormous numbers of Christians who aren't even aware of the magnitude of their redemption, nor of the tragedy of the continued bondage of millions. They themselves are living either in ignorance or in rebellion.

Liberation of the captives will never get done unless you and I and thousands of other believers recognize that this type of bondage will never allow the truth of the message to be received and understood as long as the listeners are spiritually blind and bound.

So, then, . . . . what will it take?

Well, friend, it will take more than polished sermons from the pulpit, flashy ads in the paper, glittzy programs on television, enthusiastic campaigns of witnessing, and worldly sounding stage productions containing the name and message of Jesus.

Before the message can be heard, understood, and received, the bondage must be broken, and the reality of a conquering, healing Christ must be displayed.

And, that's where aggressive, authoritative, prevailing, inexhaustible prayer initiatives come in.

As I've said often in the past few weeks, we are living in a new era of time when the conscience of mankind is so seared, the mind of man is so dulled, the depravity of man is so rotten, and the powers of darkness so strong, that absolutely nothing in our arsenal of ideas, programs, and plans will make a dent in the fortresses of Satan's minions that have been planted all over this planet.

We might as well face it . . . . . unless we are willing to go back to God's drawing board and do it the way He told us centuries ago it would have to be done, we will never win. Never.

The missing link is simple ---- prevailing, travailing, stand-in-the-gap praying that won't let go until two things have happened. First, the announcement of demonic defeat has been announced with anointed power, and second, the Name of our God has been declared, praised, and worshipped.

So, dear friend, no matter what else you're doing in the name of Jesus, and no matter how genuine and sincere your efforts may be, I'm convinced you're fighting with one hand tied behind your back if you do not have some prayer warriors with you in the battle, ministering before the Throne of God in behalf of the people, the families, the church, your community, a nation.

Just take time to search the scriptures. It is there. It is true. Why are we so blind to the obvious???

FINALLY:

Three days ago I received the following from my good friend, Jeff Floyd, founder and president of Jubilee Ministries. Jeff and I, as you probably remember, have walked the same path for nearly 35 years. It was with great interest that I read his letter from last Thursday. Further, it was clear confirmation of what God wanted me to write to you about today.

I trust you have already been encouraged, and you will be further so as you read Jeff's remarks.

-------------------------------

Today

Overcoming the Power of the Enemy

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revelation 12:11).

The fall of man produced huge consequences on earth. Man was to have had dominion over all the earth but as a consequence of his sin and because he yielded up his rights to the enemy, with all of creation suffering under Satanic domination (See Luke 4:6).

The battle between heaven and earth is a power struggle for supremacy. The Father is omnipotent and lacks no ability to instantly squash the enemy. He has chosen, however, to impose certain restraints on Himself, limiting Himself to that which He does through man. He constantly and consistently advances His heavenly purposes on earth through us as His instruments. As His
servants, we have the unique privilege of translating God's Heavenly design into earthly fabric. Whatever He plans, He uses us to accomplish.

The work we do inevitably involves spiritual warfare since His purposes include our being equipped for the work of the Kingdom and dispossessing the entrenched enemy.

When Satan initiated the Edenic failure, he seized control of the world and maintained that control until his defeat was accomplished by the death, burial, resurrection, and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was then that Satan lost his total domination of the earth becoming only a usurper, roaming the earth seeking whom he may destroy, employing his legions of
demons as instruments of his destructive ire.

His greatest strategy is to pit men against men in power struggles, i. e. political, social, racial, cultural, geographical, economical. These power struggles are products of demonic initiation and intervention.

The primary targets of demons are individuals, the home, the church, and the community/state. They form power cells that encompass the various segments of society that they seek to control or to destroy, viciously asserting their malicious power in that setting.

Infiltrating the fiber of the societal structure that they seek to dominate, they insinuate their particular form of evil or malicious intent into that structure like a fast spreading cancer. Here they express themselves in such things as violence, perversion, greed, various kinds of addictions, or multitude of other self-generated and fleshly ills.

Power cells can maintain domination over a structure, entity, or geographic region for centuries imposing their corruption into that setting continually until their devices are discovered and annulled. A power cell is often called a stronghold and may be likened to a canopy hovering over the segment of society it dominates. Through domination it integrates the values and practices it fosters into a particular social structure causing it to assume the values of that cell. For example, a particular city may be noted for its
violence. A family lineage may be addicted to alcohol. A church may be marked by a history of struggle and conflict. Etc.

A power cell infiltrates, impregnates, and saturates a society with its values and practices. It is always characterized by its domination providing a barrier to the gospel. It expresses its control through humanistic reasoning, satanic deception, religious traditionalism, and/or worldly values and pursuits.

The destruction of a power cell cannot be achieved by human means. It is supernatural in nature and can only be destroyed through supernatural means. However, God unleashes His sovereign power through the devices of man to dismantle a stronghold when those devices are designed, fostered, and enabled by Him.

Realizing a stronghold is of human origin and occupied by the powers of darkness causes us to realize that to address the stronghold requires two lines of attack:

1. Confronting the powers of darkness through all of the means that are at our disposal. John, in revelation, gives a simplistic strategy for dealing with the devil, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revelation 12:11). Beyond that we are given the power and authority to cast out demons.

2. The stronghold, itself, is of human origin howbeit that is occupied by demons who encouraged its construction that they might occupy it. Paul taught that strongholds should be demolished ("For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the [demolishing of fortresses;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). To address the stronghold
requires us to address our ways of thinking. I spoke earlier of the humanistic reasoning, satanic deception, religious traditionalism, and/or worldly values and pursuit that constitute a personal way of thinking as well as that of a society. To address a stronghold requires us to take action regarding our way of thinking, dismantling the old and bringing it newly in line with the Word of God.

These methods, actions, and means enable us to do hand to hand combat with the enemy. However, there is a larger arena of warfare that requires a different strategy that requires the action of many in terms of social structures. Centrally involved in the action are the churches of any community or principality. Divine action always flows into and through the unified and determinate activity of the churches within that community. When churches rise above their self-centered activities and arrogant self-assurance and prostrate themselves together before a great and omnipotent God, His power will flow out over the community bringing further
unity and making them a channel of His presence.

When our communities and their agencies and activities are confronted with the domination of the enemy as we are today, it is time to realize his devices and rise up against them.

We have already been given the victory if we will only realize that fact, get together in a mighty outpouring of prayer and a great stand of faithful obedience. God will meet us there.

Jeff

Jefferson H. and Norma R. Floyd, CO-directors
Jubilee International, Inc.
P. O. Box 3202
Carmel, IN 46082
Visit our Web Site at <>
Copyright July 2001 by Jefferson H. Floyd. All rights reserved.

------------------------

Well, friend, it's been another long one. But, as I close, I wish a mixed bag. First, I pray that God will lift you up, encourage you, bless you, enrich you. On the other hand, I also pray He'll stir you until the ministry of prevailing "territory-taking" prayer becomes part of your life and ministry, whether personal or corporate. Once you join that unique "special forces" unit, you'll never be the same . . . . and neither will be those you came to liberate.

Let me hear from you sometime.

In His Bond,

Bob Tolliver, Exec. Dir ---- Romans 1:11-12

Life Unlimited Ministries

Copyright July, 2001

Do You Get "Shoulder To Shoulder"?

If you know of someone who might be encouraged by this letter, please pass it on in its entirety and with credits. Our desire is to "lift up hands that hang down", especially those laboring in the work of our Lord's Kingdom.

Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

Standing Shoulder to Shoulder Together As We

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

TO SUBSCRIBE send a blank message to <[email protected]> .

TO UNSUBSCRIBE send a blank message to <[email protected]> .

IN EACH CASE you will receive an automated request for confirmation which you must answer.

"SHOULDER TO SHOULDER" #185 ---- 7/30/01

TITLE: "The Missing Link"

My Dear Friend:

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore." (Gal 1:3-5)

That really seems to be an appropriate greeting that I wish to you, and Paul's words are certainly better than mine.

So . . . . how are you doing? Are you O.K.? Are you rejoicing (even by teeth-gritting faith?)?

I really pray that you are doing well. Wish we could just sit down together for awhile and talk. I'm so anxious to know what's been happening in your life. I know God is good, I just pray that you are seeing the good He is doing in your present circumstances.

Well, this is a long letter, so let's get at it.

GENUINE VIRUS ALERT!

I just received the following message from the brother who hosts some 150 Christian e-mail newsletters including mine. I had also received a warning a few days earlier from another source. Read, and heed!

"Please take note of the virus alert on the front page of welovegod.org about the virus that comes with subject "I send you this file in order to have your advice". Messages containing this and a few other sentences are viruses, and they are spreading very rapidly! Please alert your subscribers.

"Glen"
[email protected]

SPECIAL PRAYER INITIATIVE INVITATION:

It appears Jo Ann and I will be returning to Bosnia and Croatia this Fall, probably around late September and into October. We believe God wants us to take a team of prayer warriors to do some prayer walking and other prayer initiatives in the region while we're there.

If this interests you, please drop me a note and tell me.

THE REALITY OF THE WAR ZONE:

For some reason I cannot get away from the urgency of our being involved in strategic militant prayer initiatives that shake the powers of darkness loose over a given circumstance, territory, person, or group. As I have written these past weeks on this subject, I have been keenly aware that not everyone believes such steps are necessary. The readership of this letter covers a broad spectrum not only geographically, but also theologically and denominationally.

There are some who do not believe the devil and demons are real. They feel they are the outcrop of primitive understanding of religious, psychological and sociological understanding and patterns.

Still others, while believing in the dark side of the spirit world, do not believe the Christian has either the need, the right, or the authority to carry out any measures of warfare beyond their own salvation and subsequent godly Christian living. "It's all in the finished work of Christ; we simply live in grace." No matter that Jesus Himself, God in the flesh, announced such conquest to be the core of His own ministry (set free the captives, release the prisoner, bind up the broken, etc.) and then reminded us, His disciples, that "as the Father hath sent Me, so send I you."

Then there are also those who likewise believe in both, but are either unaware, unprepared, or afraid to do what needs to be done. Some just don't know, some are not equipped in knowledge and action, and some are just plain scared because the enemy has sold them a lie.

So, here I am, friend, to simply state my position without apology.

God created us to live in intimate fellowship with Him and to worship Him with our total being. When that plan was marred by man's choice to be independent from God, Satan took full advantage of the opportunity to wrest back the kingdom he had lost previously in his attempt to "make myself like the Most High" (Isa 14:14b), meaning I will be another god just like Jehovah God.

It is hard for us to grasp the magnitude of Satan's initial defeat, the dynamics of his lost grandeur, the hatred he has for God's most prized creation, and the total and complete victory that was accomplished in the Lord Jesus Christ, the "Last Adam", who restored to a lost human race the potential again for relationship, fellowship, and worship between Deity and humanity.

When innocent man, created like no other part of God's handiwork "in His image", and created "a little lower than the angels", was given dominion, rule, and authority over the rest of God's creation (something that before his rebellion Lucifer alone had enjoyed), the Devil was livid.

And, the battle began. Had it not been for the dynamic and eternal victory of Jesus Christ, our hope of overcoming the powers of darkness would have been zero. But, today, praise God, we can see the suffocating grip of Satan's hand ripped from any and every situation simply because of Jesus. "They overcame him by the power of the blood, the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Rev 12:11)

When Jesus went to the Cross and died, he delivered us from (as I have written before) sin, the flesh, the law, the world, and the power of Satan. When He rose again, He delivered us from death and gave us resurrection life and power for living, by the indwelling and controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit. When He ascended to the right hand of God, His Father and ours, He gave us access, authenticity, and authority.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:15-23 how that all happened. It's incredible. About half way through that passage He begins talking about the power and authority that has been exercised toward us and for us. " . . . and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

"These are in accordance with the [internal] working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion (military rank names), and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.

"And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

In Ephesians 2:6 he says, ". . . . and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

One chapter later in Ephesians 3:9-12, He explains why such authority has been given to us. ". . . to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities (military rankings) in the heavenly places.

"This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him."

Then, after asking God to open our eyes to the truth of this incredible love relationship that was so intense that He would invest such giftings, power, and authority to us, Paul commands us . . . . yes, urges us . . . . to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called . . . ." (Eph 4:1) Then for the next two chapters of Ephesians, he spells it out in detail, culminating his instruction with the command to be constantly filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit as you live in intimate human relationships in your family, your church, and your work.

Coming near the end of this incredible discourse, He comes full circle back around to the reality of the battle by saying in Ephesians 6:10 and following, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."

So ---- based on God's intended purpose for us, Christ's liberating deliverance from the powers of darkness, and the life changing Great Commission given to us, we have no other choice than to go into territories, societies, and people groups, and announce the presiding presence of the King of all other kings, our Lord Jesus Christ, and declare "the kingdom of God is at hand! This land no longer belongs to the powers of darkness. We have come to announce the decree and occupy until He returns!"

It seems that Paul took advantage of almost every opportunity he had to drive home this great truth. In Colossians He again identifies the powerful acts of Jesus as " . . . He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, . . . (1:13). He reminds us that Jesus "is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything." (1:18).

In verse 19 he reminds us that " . . . it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross;" Then, after reminding us that the greatest mystery of all of life is that Christ actually lives in us and is our hoe of glory (1:27), he again urges us toward godliness.

Then in Colossians 2:8 and following, he urges, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

"For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority (terrestrial and celestial kingdom ranks); . . ."

After he rehearses the redemptive circumcision that brought us into eternal relationship with God, Paul continues by reminding us that He not only canceled out the certificate of debt which we owed, but also Jesus took it out of the way and nailed it to the Cross. In so doing, Jesus wrenched out of their grip the only weapon the world had against us. In other words, " . . . He . . . disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them . . . " (2:13-15).

THE MISSING LINK:

So, then . . . . what is there left to do? Jesus has won it all! Hallelujah to the Lamb!

Do you realize, my dear friend, that for all practical purposes, the only ones who know all this are those who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ??? The world doesn't know, and Satan will see to it that philosophy, psychology, governments, education, and even religion will never reveal that great truth of total and complete deliverance and liberation.

In spite of the fact that salvation, even the very word itself ("sozo") is a word that describes restoration, deliverance, freedom, wholeness, completeness, liberation, and a whole bunch more, millions in the world have never heard the message ---- and they never will because "the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving . . ." (II Cor 4:4).

Not only is that true, but there are enormous numbers of Christians who aren't even aware of the magnitude of their redemption, nor of the tragedy of the continued bondage of millions. They themselves are living either in ignorance or in rebellion.

Liberation of the captives will never get done unless you and I and thousands of other believers recognize that this type of bondage will never allow the truth of the message to be received and understood as long as the listeners are spiritually blind and bound.

So, then, . . . . what will it take?

Well, friend, it will take more than polished sermons from the pulpit, flashy ads in the paper, glittzy programs on television, enthusiastic campaigns of witnessing, and worldly sounding stage productions containing the name and message of Jesus.

Before the message can be heard, understood, and received, the bondage must be broken, and the reality of a conquering, healing Christ must be displayed.

And, that's where aggressive, authoritative, prevailing, inexhaustible prayer initiatives come in.

As I've said often in the past few weeks, we are living in a new era of time when the conscience of mankind is so seared, the mind of man is so dulled, the depravity of man is so rotten, and the powers of darkness so strong, that absolutely nothing in our arsenal of ideas, programs, and plans will make a dent in the fortresses of Satan's minions that have been planted all over this planet.

We might as well face it . . . . . unless we are willing to go back to God's drawing board and do it the way He told us centuries ago it would have to be done, we will never win. Never.

The missing link is simple ---- prevailing, travailing, stand-in-the-gap praying that won't let go until two things have happened. First, the announcement of demonic defeat has been announced with anointed power, and second, the Name of our God has been declared, praised, and worshipped.

So, dear friend, no matter what else you're doing in the name of Jesus, and no matter how genuine and sincere your efforts may be, I'm convinced you're fighting with one hand tied behind your back if you do not have some prayer warriors with you in the battle, ministering before the Throne of God in behalf of the people, the families, the church, your community, a nation.

Just take time to search the scriptures. It is there. It is true. Why are we so blind to the obvious???

FINALLY:

Three days ago I received the following from my good friend, Jeff Floyd, founder and president of Jubilee Ministries. Jeff and I, as you probably remember, have walked the same path for nearly 35 years. It was with great interest that I read his letter from last Thursday. Further, it was clear confirmation of what God wanted me to write to you about today.

I trust you have already been encouraged, and you will be further so as you read Jeff's remarks.

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Today

Overcoming the Power of the Enemy

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revelation 12:11).

The fall of man produced huge consequences on earth. Man was to have had dominion over all the earth but as a consequence of his sin and because he yielded up his rights to the enemy, with all of creation suffering under Satanic domination (See Luke 4:6).

The battle between heaven and earth is a power struggle for supremacy. The Father is omnipotent and lacks no ability to instantly squash the enemy. He has chosen, however, to impose certain restraints on Himself, limiting Himself to that which He does through man. He constantly and consistently advances His heavenly purposes on earth through us as His instruments. As His
servants, we have the unique privilege of translating God's Heavenly design into earthly fabric. Whatever He plans, He uses us to accomplish.

The work we do inevitably involves spiritual warfare since His purposes include our being equipped for the work of the Kingdom and dispossessing the entrenched enemy.

When Satan initiated the Edenic failure, he seized control of the world and maintained that control until his defeat was accomplished by the death, burial, resurrection, and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was then that Satan lost his total domination of the earth becoming only a usurper, roaming the earth seeking whom he may destroy, employing his legions of
demons as instruments of his destructive ire.

His greatest strategy is to pit men against men in power struggles, i. e. political, social, racial, cultural, geographical, economical. These power struggles are products of demonic initiation and intervention.

The primary targets of demons are individuals, the home, the church, and the community/state. They form power cells that encompass the various segments of society that they seek to control or to destroy, viciously asserting their malicious power in that setting.

Infiltrating the fiber of the societal structure that they seek to dominate, they insinuate their particular form of evil or malicious intent into that structure like a fast spreading cancer. Here they express themselves in such things as violence, perversion, greed, various kinds of addictions, or multitude of other self-generated and fleshly ills.

Power cells can maintain domination over a structure, entity, or geographic region for centuries imposing their corruption into that setting continually until their devices are discovered and annulled. A power cell is often called a stronghold and may be likened to a canopy hovering over the segment of society it dominates. Through domination it integrates the values and practices it fosters into a particular social structure causing it to assume the values of that cell. For example, a particular city may be noted for its
violence. A family lineage may be addicted to alcohol. A church may be marked by a history of struggle and conflict. Etc.

A power cell infiltrates, impregnates, and saturates a society with its values and practices. It is always characterized by its domination providing a barrier to the gospel. It expresses its control through humanistic reasoning, satanic deception, religious traditionalism, and/or worldly values and pursuits.

The destruction of a power cell cannot be achieved by human means. It is supernatural in nature and can only be destroyed through supernatural means. However, God unleashes His sovereign power through the devices of man to dismantle a stronghold when those devices are designed, fostered, and enabled by Him.

Realizing a stronghold is of human origin and occupied by the powers of darkness causes us to realize that to address the stronghold requires two lines of attack:

1. Confronting the powers of darkness through all of the means that are at our disposal. John, in revelation, gives a simplistic strategy for dealing with the devil, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revelation 12:11). Beyond that we are given the power and authority to cast out demons.

2. The stronghold, itself, is of human origin howbeit that is occupied by demons who encouraged its construction that they might occupy it. Paul taught that strongholds should be demolished ("For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the [demolishing of fortresses;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). To address the stronghold
requires us to address our ways of thinking. I spoke earlier of the humanistic reasoning, satanic deception, religious traditionalism, and/or worldly values and pursuit that constitute a personal way of thinking as well as that of a society. To address a stronghold requires us to take action regarding our way of thinking, dismantling the old and bringing it newly in line with the Word of God.

These methods, actions, and means enable us to do hand to hand combat with the enemy. However, there is a larger arena of warfare that requires a different strategy that requires the action of many in terms of social structures. Centrally involved in the action are the churches of any community or principality. Divine action always flows into and through the unified and determinate activity of the churches within that community. When churches rise above their self-centered activities and arrogant self-assurance and prostrate themselves together before a great and omnipotent God, His power will flow out over the community bringing further
unity and making them a channel of His presence.

When our communities and their agencies and activities are confronted with the domination of the enemy as we are today, it is time to realize his devices and rise up against them.

We have already been given the victory if we will only realize that fact, get together in a mighty outpouring of prayer and a great stand of faithful obedience. God will meet us there.

Jeff

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Well, friend, it's been another long one. But, as I close, I wish a mixed bag. First, I pray that God will lift you up, encourage you, bless you, enrich you. On the other hand, I also pray He'll stir you until the ministry of prevailing "territory-taking" prayer becomes part of your life and ministry, whether personal or corporate. Once you join that unique "special forces" unit, you'll never be the same . . . . and neither will be those you came to liberate.

Let me hear from you sometime.

In His Bond,

Bob Tolliver, Exec. Dir ---- Romans 1:11-12

Life Unlimited Ministries

Do You Get "Shoulder To Shoulder"?

If you know of someone who might be encouraged by this letter, please pass it on in its entirety and with credits. Our desire is to "lift up hands that hang down", especially those laboring in the work of our Lord's Kingdom.