MARK 3:27
27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
A former missionary to Japan said the reason church-growth in Japan has been small, compared to South Korea's, is because in Japan the 'strong-man' was not first bound.
The 'strong-man' over Japan, he said, was fear, a spirit of fear, fear of man.
Throughout the history of Christianity in Korea, Christians were more boldly willing to die than deny their faith; but In Japan, Christians tended to bend their commitment to Christianity, and accommodated it to fit their fear of the establishment, he said.
I don't know the history thoroughly enough to know how true that is. But assuming it's true, how would we deal with that - how would we 'bind the strong-man'?
Is it by speaking directly to the spirit of fear over Japan, once and for all? Is it by confessing the corporate sins of Japan on their behalf?
What if someone else, or some other group, has already done that? Do you need to repeat it?
Paul mentioned pulling down strongholds. But he said the strongholds were imaginations, thoughts. And he said the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strongholds.
So the main arena of the battle is the minds of men, not just the heavenlies. And one way to bring thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ is to preach and teach the Gospel.
Fear, specifically, is cast out by perfect love, John said. So ministering specifically about the love of God, would be strategic.
But Paul did also ask churches to help him in prayer too.
One time in our city of Ipswich, Queensland, we went through a time when there was a small crime wave: lots of break-ins and theft. Even our church-building was broken-into, and musical equipment was stolen.
So our Pastor asked one of our youth-leaders to pray a prayer of binding that particular strongman over the city. He did so, commanding directly.
In less than a week the church's stolen musical equipment was returned; and the crime-wave in the city seemed to stop.
Another time when I was a student at Bremer State High School, when I was praying, I imagined a strongman over the school, over the youth of our society. And I prayed about that.
Immediately I felt I started seeing more people saved more easily.
However, Daniel was able to effectively engage the unseen realm of angels and princes unknowingly and indirectly - simply by setting himself to pray and fast about a matter.
Kenneth E. Hagin said the Lord told him something like, "You deal with the demons on earth, and I'll deal with the demons in the heavenlies".
27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
A former missionary to Japan said the reason church-growth in Japan has been small, compared to South Korea's, is because in Japan the 'strong-man' was not first bound.
The 'strong-man' over Japan, he said, was fear, a spirit of fear, fear of man.
Throughout the history of Christianity in Korea, Christians were more boldly willing to die than deny their faith; but In Japan, Christians tended to bend their commitment to Christianity, and accommodated it to fit their fear of the establishment, he said.
I don't know the history thoroughly enough to know how true that is. But assuming it's true, how would we deal with that - how would we 'bind the strong-man'?
Is it by speaking directly to the spirit of fear over Japan, once and for all? Is it by confessing the corporate sins of Japan on their behalf?
What if someone else, or some other group, has already done that? Do you need to repeat it?
Paul mentioned pulling down strongholds. But he said the strongholds were imaginations, thoughts. And he said the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to pull down strongholds.
So the main arena of the battle is the minds of men, not just the heavenlies. And one way to bring thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ is to preach and teach the Gospel.
Fear, specifically, is cast out by perfect love, John said. So ministering specifically about the love of God, would be strategic.
But Paul did also ask churches to help him in prayer too.
One time in our city of Ipswich, Queensland, we went through a time when there was a small crime wave: lots of break-ins and theft. Even our church-building was broken-into, and musical equipment was stolen.
So our Pastor asked one of our youth-leaders to pray a prayer of binding that particular strongman over the city. He did so, commanding directly.
In less than a week the church's stolen musical equipment was returned; and the crime-wave in the city seemed to stop.
Another time when I was a student at Bremer State High School, when I was praying, I imagined a strongman over the school, over the youth of our society. And I prayed about that.
Immediately I felt I started seeing more people saved more easily.
However, Daniel was able to effectively engage the unseen realm of angels and princes unknowingly and indirectly - simply by setting himself to pray and fast about a matter.
Kenneth E. Hagin said the Lord told him something like, "You deal with the demons on earth, and I'll deal with the demons in the heavenlies".
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