We should assert our authority to attack. When administering healing or deliverance to people, we are attacking the enemy’s grip on them. It’s about confronting the enemy and aligning ourselves with Jesus to strip away his rights. Simply put, since Satan is “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30), we attack him whenever we affirm the authority given to us to hinder his schemes.

Thus, prevention and protection are also forms of attack. Our task in using this authority is to capture as much as possible of what the enemy has claimed authority over. Even testifying for Jesus is a form of attack.

I believe the outcome depends on the willingness of the person we are assisting. However, people have reported radical changes when they claimed Jesus’ authority to break the blindness mentioned in 2 Corinthians 4:4, where it is written that “the god of this world” keeps minds darkened from responding to the gospel.

Believers are particularly capable of asserting our spiritual authority to bring about change in those over whom we have human authority (e.g., our children, other family members, students, our church). As members of Christ, we have the right to claim our authority and use it in God’s light. I am often asked if our authority to attack works remotely.

If we look at the account of Jesus healing the Roman officer’s “dear servant” (Luke 7:1-10; Matthew 8:5-13), I must answer yes, there is no limit for the Holy Spirit of God. But certain conditions must be met for authority to be effectively exercised remotely, starting with faith. The first thing to note: Jesus had learned from the Father that he had to heal the servant because he was already on the way to his ministry.

Second, a Roman officer exercised great faith, probably accompanied by strong will and faith from his servant. Third, the officer showed a deep understanding of the spirit world and Jesus’ position in it. Therefore, we could deduce that when we find the will and faith from the recipient, as well as the Father’s green light, the enemy can be successfully attacked, even remotely.

I don’t know if serving over the phone counts as a remote attack, but I’ve had many situations effectively changed just through phone prayer, for deep healing, demon expulsion, and other circumstances.

If we can judge by Jesus’ post-resurrection behavior (John 20:19,26), he regularly blessed people when he came into their presence, using the lovely Hebrew greeting Shalom, “peace.” He commanded his disciples to bless people’s homes in the same way when sending them out for ministry (Luke 10:5). Luke 10 teaches us that we should freely bless before even knowing how our recipients will react. But not everyone will accept us (verses 6, 10-11). When that happens, we are entitled to withdraw our blessing (verse 6), as the one declaring a blessing “owns” that blessing.

The power to bless and curse is an incredible endowment. God empowers our words, so we must watch and use them only according to His directives.

I doubt He wants us to use them indiscriminately to bless everyone. We should listen to Him, only blessing those He tells us to bless. In listening, may we also discern what we should withhold from them.

This text is an excerpt from the book “You hold authority in Heaven and Earth” written by Benson Idahosa.

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