CONQUERING IN PRAYER | 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

SCRIPTURE:  2 Corinthians 10:3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is

fulfilled."

OBJECTIVES:

1. Realizing that everything begins in the spiritual dimension, we need take hold of the first and most powerful weapon of conquest available in spiritual battle, that is PRAYER.

INTRODUCTION:

➢    The Biblical truth is spirit over matters and not otherwise.  This means, everything should begin to take place first in the spiritual dimension before manifesting in the physical dimension.  This is the very essence of praying, we need to take our desires to God thru prayers before taking action. Some people might say, "though I do not pray, I get what I desire".  It may be true, but that is through your acts of self-righteousness and not through God's grace.  Proverbs 3:5-6 say, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." 

➢    In Genesis 1, the Spirit of God hovers over the waters before God spoke the Word and all things we see and enjoy today came into being.  (Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.")

THIS WORLD LIES IN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.

➢    We must come to a realization and understanding that this present world is currently being ruled by

"the prince of this world", which is referred to as satan himself.  (John 14:30 "I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,").

➢    There is a hierarchy of spiritual host of darkness running the show in this world causing crimes, quarrels, coveting, stealing, lying, violence, deception and many more.   These spiritual host of darkness are disembodied spirits all around us, influencing, oppressing, obsessing even possessing people's soul and body.  (Ephesians 6:12 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.").

➢    This is the reason why a child of God need to dwell in His presence by putting on the Armor of God everyday and declaring our Faith Declarations of shield of protection and the Power of the Blood of

Jesus,  praising the name of Jesus and invoking the help and protection of the Holy Angels of God.

➢    We do not need to do this daily gestures and declaration if there is no enemy who are always seeking our destruction.  But since the enemy is real, we need vigilance.  (1Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.")

➢    We do not need to shine as the light of the world if this world is full of spiritual light.  (Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.").  This is the sobering reality of the spiritual condition we are living in this present time.

PULLED OUT OF DARKNESS

➢    Thanks be to God, Jesus Christ came and rescued us out of darkness and translated us into His Kingdom of light!  (1Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;")

➢    Now we are to shine the light that Jesus has given us.  (Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.")

The reality is: people are living in this dark world, their minds are cast with veils of darkness, deceived and needed to be liberated from the blinding works of darkness, so that the light of Jesus Christ could shine upon their lives and escape darkness to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

THE NEED TO CONQUER FIRST IN OUR PRAYERS

1.    TO PULL DOWN STRONG HOLDS

➢    2Corinthians 10:3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

➢    The demon spirits of principalities and powers build strongholds in the minds and bodies of people. They are given access by the host or the very person who have been deceived by erroneous teachings, indoctrinations and bad habits from childhood up to the growing stage of the person.  The role of media in every form (TV, radio, newspaper, books, internet) is a very powerful invader of our homes, robbing people of precious time and allowing their minds to be influenced by the spirit of error and exposing their bodies to enslaving influence of sin. (Deceiving spirits, Doctrine of error, addiction to substances, bad habits)

➢    In prayer, all identified strongholds must be pulled down and cast away in the name of Jesus Christ in the area of the soul (mind, emotion, will) of the person or in the area of the physical body (vices, addiction to unhealthy habits).

2.    TO CAST DOWN EVERY FORM OF ARGUMENTS.

➢    2Corinthians 10:3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ..... 5a casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,"

➢    Arguments, accusations and negative words spoken against a person bear consequences in the person's life and circumstances to whom those were spoken against, including belief in superstitions.

Whatever false belief a person is adhering to, takes a toll against that person's life. 

➢    We need to pray for people by casting down all forms of arguments and everything contrary against the Word of God.  We need to speak the promised Word to erase all those false pretensions and set free those who have been captivated by those spirits.

3.    TO CAPTIVATE EVERY THOUGHT INTO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST.

➢    2Corinthians 10:3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ..... 5b bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."

➢    We need to pray for God to open people's minds to be open for the Gospel and the Word of God as a whole.  We need to pray for God to create hunger for Him and prepare their hearts to be ready to listen and obey God's Word.  Release the promised Words in the lives of people we are praying for. 

➢    As conquerors, we need to soak ourselves in God's Word daily, meditating, internalizing, personalizing God's promises in order for us to minister those in the people we pray for.

CONCLUSION:

➢    Today, as we heard God's Word, we need to develop the Culture of Conquering in Prayer.  This is a very important step we need to take for compassion for other people to develop in our lives and pursue conquest.

1Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

2Co 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,