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Prayer is the conduit through which power from heaven is brought to earth.
*Ole Hallesbury. Prayer.
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Contemplative Prayer is a more passive, though powerful, Means of Grace. This Prayer forms a silent space to enact prayer practices.
Consider Prayer a ladder. There are higher and lower rungs of the ladder of Prayer. We climb the ladder of Prayer, lower to higher forms, from simple, audible prayer to mystical contemplation.
Still, the ladder remains the ladder. No mode of Prayer is left behind, only integrated in a more whole life of Prayer.
So, today, I write of Authoritative Prayer, a vital act within the contemplative Prayer. Richard Foster, in Prayer, writes of this "Authoritative Prayer," and he observes, "[In] Authoritative Prayer ... we are bringing the resources of heaven to bear upon a particular matter on earth. It is praying downward, if you will."
I will share a Scripture that bears upon Authoritative Prayer: Ephesians 1.19-22 (NLT).
19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.
The text speaks of "power." Verse 19 speaks of the "incredible greatness of God's power" present for us. In verse 20 we see the "same mighty power" that resurrected Christ (v. 20). Christ is in the "heavenly realms" (spiritual world) placed above all other powers, or authorities, in both the physical and spiritual worlds (vv. 20-22). God has put all things "under the authority of Christ." God has made Christ Jesus "head over all things" to benefit "the church" (v. 22).
But where does this leave us? Note Ephesians 2.6 (NLT).
6 For he [God] raised us from the [spiritually] dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with [one with] Christ Jesus.
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Foster offers a link between the authority of Christ and the authority of the in-Christ person and in-Christ community:
This leads logically into Paul's famous description of the spiritual warfare we wage and the spiritual resources we have available to us (Eph. 6.10-12). The flow of his argument runs like this: Christ's heavenly position of authority (Eph. 1) gives us our heavenly position of authority (Eph. 2), which results in the ability to wage the warfare of the Lamb against all principalities and powers (Eph. 6). We exercise Authoritative Prayer from this heavenly position of authority.
Two areas, among others, to use Authoritative Prayer is on the behalf of self or another person. But before I address this, there is a fundamental question you must respond to within yourself, before engaging in Authoritative Prayer. Do you believe in evil? If so, how, or in what ways, do you define evil?
In Authoritative Prayer I engage prayer on my behalf to break a power of evil over me. This power might be the influence of a person, a group, or a past habitual pattern that controls me.
Even more so, this power might be a spiritual force from the other side, to which Scripture often refers. Much of the ministry of Jesus was to confront and free persons from this evil power, however we name it.
I engage Authoritative Prayer for myself daily. As a spiritual leader, as are other spiritual persons, I am especially exposed to evil powers. My downfall could lead to the spiritual hurt of many other persons. My spiritual wellness and strength could be to the blessing of many persons. I must bathe myself in prayer daily, therefore, each morning in humble relinquishment to the Divine Loving-Power.
I feel especially vulnerable to spiritual oppression, from both this side and the other side, at present. Why? I, unlike many religious leaders, bring a spiritual message, one that many inside and outside the churches thirst for. I name the thirst and offer a way to the Well, and many other religious leaders are offering the same church and study diet that has left persons low on the ladder of spiritual satisfaction and maturity.
This may sound narcissistic of me, but it is simply a fact that applies to anyone, not just Brian. If you seek to set free persons from the prison of mediocre living and conventional religiosity, you can easily get on the hit list of the other side.
Continued... |
