“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according
to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ” (Rom. 8:5, NKJV)
While we are discussing the verse in 1 Kings 18:30 concerning the altar, it is perhaps apt to briefly spend time looking at a matter that causes great confusion. In the previous teaching we pointed out that the Old Testament extensively refers to altars, whilst this is largely missing in the New Testament. Based on Heb. 13:10 we said that the only altar in the New Covenant is Jesus – since His blood was shed He became the only medium/way/place through which reconciliation can take place.
Despite this Christians often have the need for a concrete “holy space”, strongly reminiscent of an Old Testament altar. At times this desire is linked to places where certain events, good or bad, took place, which remind them of Godly intervention. Other times it is merely a space of particular ritual, like a church (the so-called “house of the Lord”). The podium in a church is thus likewise referred to as an altar, and a call for people to repent of their sins and convert an altar call.
The fact that the New Testament never mentions a geographic or physical altar is very important. Added to this is the fact that Jesus as Altar is obviously not physical in nature (2 Cor. 5:16). Believers who are constantly seeking a concrete Jesus in their activities and experiences, are foolish: “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:3). The believer’s “rational divine service” (Rom. 12:1, Rotherham) is always spiritual in nature and not part of concrete actions or practices. Rom. 8:5 makes it clear: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
The problem that then arises is that these believers perform certain physical actions they consider to be highly spiritual, and which, according to them, will bring forth spiritual results, but they are misleading themselves in this type of thinking. 2 Cor. 10:3-4a argues in no uncertain terms: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal.” In so-called spiritual warfare NOTHING that we do in the flesh can change anything in the spiritual realm. Period. The war was won (Col. 2:15) when Jesus died on the cross – therefore He could proclaim in Matt. 28:18: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.’” This is the refrain that runs throughout the New Testament:
- “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” (Matt. 11:27)
- “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand.” (John 3:35)
- “For “He has put all things under His feet.” (1 Cor. 15:27)
- “which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet …” (Eph. 1:20-22a)
- “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the ” (Phil. 2:9-11)
- “You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.” (Heb. 2:8).
The problem with most teachings and perspectives on spiritual warfare is that they consistently merge the Old and New Testaments, and then by not considering the truth about Jesus’s sovereign authority, undertake all kinds of carnal actions in their own authority when they go out to do spiritual warfare. There are endless lists of how one should pray, littered with all kinds of spiritual catch-phrases that sound very lofty, but are alas formulations in no way derived from the Bible, but reminds one of some type of secret, even mystical knowledge that these believers think they have access to. It is often as if these detailed mysteries about which/for which is prayed, is a privilege only meant for certain Christians who have received the revelation of these specific formulations.
To illustrate this, let’s look at a prayer used by a large ministry in South Africa as a so-called “sealing prayer”. Everything marked in red has NO Scriptural basis, and is founded on “what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Tim. 6:20): “Father, we come to stand against any lines of communication … between powers, world rulers, authorities, spiritual powers and demonic powers in the air, on the earth, in the heavenly spheres and beneath the earth. We close all entrances and exits, in the Name of Jesus Christ. We ask that all spiritual cameras and recorders be destroyed in the Name of Jesus. We stand against any witches, witch doctors, wizards and magicians in the Name of Jesus Christ. We cut any communication with Satan himself and close the doors in the Name of Jesus. We prohibit any spirit from outside to enter this place for whatever reason, and we prohibit any evil spirit or being sent to another place or person based on what happens here. We now prohibit any reinforcements sent by Satan, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Lord, we ask that You will create confusion in the camp of the enemy. Father, we ask that You will send Your warring angels in this room and arrest any human spirit, deceased human spirit, spiritual leader, or familiar spirit, and place them under the feet of Jesus Christ our Lord. We bind every evil spirit in this place and prohibit any violence, manifestations and torments, in the Name of Jesus Christ. We prohibit any meditation circles, and isolate the power of demonic forces from one another, in the Name of Jesus Christ. We prohibit and bind any hypnosis and self-hypnosis, meditation and psychic powers, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. We isolate the forces from one another, in Jesus Name. We cleanse the four elements, water, earth, air and fire, with the Blood of Jesus. We ask You, Lord, to cover all mirrors in Your Blood and to seal all entrances in the Name of Jesus. We stand against any curses, rituals, spells, sacrifices and altars that have been erected against us and the individual, in the name of Jesus. Thank you for now blowing out all candles that have been lit against us in rituals, in the Name of Jesus. Thank you for turning every curse into a blessing. Lord, we ask that You seal this room in Your precious Blood, and that You will hide us in the Spirit and we declare this room as Holy Ground. Lord, we ask that You will send Your ministering angels to minister to us in the Name of Jesus, according to Hebrews 1:14. We surrender to You, Holy Spirit of God, because we know that it does not need to happen through power or violence, but through Your Spirit. We ask that You cover our loved ones, and we place all circumstances under your control and protection (like finances, marriages, relationships, ministries). We now bind Satan’s kingdom here on earth, just as it is bound in Heaven. We ask, Father, to prepare your heavenly court and that all the demons and familiar spirits will come and take up their places. We ask You, Father, to be the Judge, Jesus the Attorney and the Holy Spirit the Witness … In the Name of Jesus, AMEN.”
Under the title “Dangerous Prayers”, the following is prayed: “In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I now stand against and bind all demons that work against prayer, in the sky, on the earth, under the earth, in the sea, in all the waters above and beneath the earth, in rivers, dams and water sources. I destroy all obstacles placed before my prayers in the Name of Jesus. I resist and bind all demons that work against deliverance, progress, prosperity and miracles, in the Name of Jesus. With the Fire of the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Jesus Christ I now destroy every spiritual web and cellophane covering in the sky. I destroy all spiritual coverings that Satan has built or formed around me, in the Name of Jesus. I destroy every cage, chain, cable or rope and every bag of witches used against me, in the Name of Jesus. I prophesy to the Easterly wind to blow away every smoke screen the enemy has set up against my prayers, in the Name of Jesus. I destroy the web Satan has spun against me. I loosen myself from all the powers of darkness against me, in the Name of Jesus. I break free from all the powers of witches, wizards, spiritual spouse(s), spiritual children, spiritual property, familiar spirits, water spirits and deceased human spirits. I break every spiritual screen Satan uses to monitor me and my movements. I destroy every spiritual mirror, spiritual recording, spiritual camera, spiritual satellite and all spiritual properties that Satan has erected against me. I resist, bind and reject from my life any evil spirits and heavenly spirits that work against me, in the Name of Jesus. I stand on the Word of God and curse all evidence and weapons used against me, in the Name of Jesus. I bind all powers and witches, wizards, demi-gods, familiar spirits, water spirits, all evil high spirits, spirits of weakness and every other evil spirit that works against my life and my progress, in the Name of Jesus. Satan and all your agents, I now destroy every form of protection you have erected to protect yourself from the Fire of the Holy Spirit, whatever your level, rank, position or area of operation in the spiritual realm. In the Almighty Name of Jesus Christ, I now destroy evidence against me in the spiritual realm: any place where an image of myself, my propert(ies), my photos, my clothing, my money, my name or any part of my physical body is kept in the air, on the earth, below the earth, in the waters above or below the earth, in rivers, the ocean, before gods, in witches’s meetings or temples of Satan – I ask the Fire of the Holy Spirit to destroy all items and evidence that Satan uses to work against me, in the Name of Jesus. In the victorious and powerful Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I now ask You, Lord, to loosen my heart, soul and mind in the Spirit. I destroy every cage, chain, bag or prison cell where Satan tied my heart, soul or mind. I ask You, Holy Spirit, to destroy all demonic powers that guard over my heart, soul or mind … I destroy all curses that are hidden against me … I resist and bind all demons who have been appointed to guard over these curses … I bind and chain all evil guards at the gate that need to guard over these curses, covenants, insinuations and spells over my life. I destroy the contract of agreement in the Name of Jesus. I destroy any covenant of salt made by any meal. THANK YOU JESUS!!”
Rev. 2:24 warns the believer to not know “the depths of Satan”; the Message calls it “this playing around with the Devil that gets paraded as profundity”. This esoteric knowledge is misleading and in reality opens up the one who prays to the spirit of error (1 John 4:6). More on this in the next teaching.
- Selah: Have some of these formulations become part of your Christian way of speaking and praying?
- Read: 2-5; Matt. 24-26; Ps. 41
- Memorise: 24:4 (what would this then mean in this context?).
