Push Back Demonic Darkness With This Explosive Weapon
There are seven statements of Jesus on the cross. Perhaps the most important one of all is when He declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) Nothing else needed to be done because He had done it all. The work of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ is perfectly complete.
I am convinced that we need this revelation to be able to pray effective prayers that avail much. We must learn to pray from this posture—from this perspective. We are not defeated. He has already won the battle and as authentic disciples of Jesus we are called to enforce the victory of Calvary. Declaring or proclaiming what He has already accomplished is the eventual position we must come to in releasing prayers that strike the mark!
The Power of Proclamation
A clear word from the Holy Spirit came to me one morning stating, “It is time to make a worldwide impact by calling forth the watchmen to the prophetic power of proclamation.” That word rattled my mindset and shifted my prayer posture.
Definition of Proclamation
The meaning is to proclaim, announce, declare, ascribe, call out, cry, invite, preach, pronounce, publish, read and herald.
Primary Scripture Verses on Proclamation
1. From Deuteronomy 32:3-4: “For I will proclaim the name of the Lord: Ascribe greatness to our God! He is the Rock; His work is perfect; for all His ways are just. He is a God of faithfulness and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.”
2. From Isaiah 61:1-3: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to preserve those who mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.”
3. From Job 22:21-28: “Now acquaint yourself with Him and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. Receive, I pray, the teaching from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; you will put away iniquity far from your tents. Then you will lay up gold as dust,and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. Yes, the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver; for then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face unto God. You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. You will also declare a matter, and it will be established unto you; and the light will shine upon your ways.”
The counsel given to Job shows a pattern in God’s progressive purposes:
- Confession of sin: Removing obstacles that are in the way
- Establishing the word of God in your heart (vs. 22)
- Having a heart of submission
- Receiving instruction
- Repentance and returning to the Lord
- Revelation that God is to be your all (vs. 24)
- Removing, cleansing any other gods before you
- Then God will your delight (vs. 26)
- And then to pray to Him
- What you declare (proclaim) shall come to pass (vs. 28)
The Proclamation of Praise–One of the Highest Weapons of Spiritual Warfare
Praise: The Place of God’s Residence
Psalms 22:3 – “Yet Thou art Holy, O Thou who art enthroned upon the praises of Israel.”
Praise sanctifies the atmosphere around us. Why? Because God is enthroned on the praises of Israel. When God is lifted up and highly exalted, a throne is established in the heavenly places over that particular delegated sphere of authority. Blessing is released from heaven and pours into the earthly realm. He then extends His Kingdom rule in the midst of His people.
Praise: The Way into His Presence
Psalms 100:4 – “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (also Is. 60:18).
Praise establishes a highway that releases the visitation of His presence. Praise is a form of proclamation that is built from God’s throne to you. The purpose of praise is to release God’s blessing upon us as we praise the Lord. As we glorify Him, He turns it back upon us in blessing.
Praise: A Garment of the Spirit
Isaiah 61:3 – “To preserve those who mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.”
Praise is a mantle or type of clothing we put on. We cast off heaviness by entering into the sacrifice of praise. You will look different, act differently and talk differently when you put on the garment of praise!
Praise: A Weapon of Spiritual War
Psalm 50:23: “Whoever sacrifices a thank offering glorifies Me and makes a way; I will show him the salvation of God.”
Praise is a spiritual warfare weapon, a means of deliverance from the strongholds of darkness. Some times you simply need to praise your way out of the entrapment of the enemy by releasing the high praises of God from your heart vocally. Store up the Word of God in your heart so that a naturally supernatural overflow results!
We proclaim the favorable year of the Lord has come! We thank Him for what He has done and we praise Him for who He is. We declare that the work of the cross is perfect and complete. We pronounce that something good is just about to happen. Darkness does not have the final say. Jesus has already overcome. We establish a throne over our lives, families and the spheres of authority within which He has given us delegated rule.
We do not pray towards victory. We must pray, praise and proclaim from the position of victory. This is a radical shift that must come to the Global Prayer Movement. We must learn to pray from a victorious mindset!
A Personal Prayer of Consecration With Proclamation: Cleanse ourselves with the blood of Jesus
“Father, we cleanse our hands with the blood of Jesus.
We apply the blood of Jesus to our eyes, Lord, so that we might see into the spirit realm with clarity.
We apply the blood of Jesus to our ears, to cleanse them from any defilement, wickedness, garbage, gossip or slander that has been poured into them so that we might hear clearly what You are speaking to us.
We apply the blood of Jesus to our lips and to our tongue, so that You would cleanse us of all the things we have spoken that really have not been of You at all.
Father, we apply the blood of Jesus to our hearts and our minds. Father, we ask You to put the Blood of Jesus on our hearts, our thoughts and our emotions and to cleanse our minds from dead works so that we might serve the living God.
Father, we apply the blood of Jesus to our feet. Cleanse us from the corruption in this world and from the dust of the world. Father, cleanse us of the places in which we’ve walked that really haven’t been ordered by You.
Lord, we receive the words of the Bible that say, the steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord. We will have holy steps walking on the highway of holiness. We praise You, Lord, and we ask that You cleanse us from the tops of our heads to the souls of our feet. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
Finally – Declare a Proclamation of Blessing
1. A proclamation from the leaders to the people – Numbers 6:24-26
2. A proclamation from the people to the leaders – Ephesians 6:10-18
3. A proclamation over your family – Joshua 24:15
4. A proclamation over your city– Psalms 24:1-2; Isaiah 25:3
5. A proclamation over Israel – Jeremiah 16:14; 30:3
Let’s Hit the Mark and Release His Glory on Earth
Let’s add this tool to our tool belt as we learn more lessons from the Holy Spirit on praying from a victorious mindset. Let’s rise up in faith and declare what Jesus has already accomplished on the cross.
Declare that there is no lack in heaven and call forth “heaven on earth.” After all, it is the model that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples on how to pray. “Your Kingdom Come! Your Will be done! On Earth as it is in Heaven!”
Yes, in earthen vessels as it is in heaven. Right here, right now. Amen and Amen.
(This teaching is a portion of the final session in James Goll’s class and study guide Prayers that Strike that Mark. For more on this subject, you may order the Study Guide or enroll in the course at www.GETeSchool.com.)
