When a thief enters your home, you do not simply put up with it. You don’t allow him to move in and make himself at home. You call someone that will forcibly remove the intruder from your home: the police. The police do your bidding because as the owner of the home, you have authority that the thief does not have. You do not nicely or timidly ask a thief to leave your house. You take firm, decisive action. You command the thief to go with complete authority, knowing that it’s your house and they are trespassing. Regardless of how you feel in the moment, you know you have the full force of the law behind you and backup is on the way. You know that you are in the right, and the thief is in the wrong.
It’s the same way with the corona virus. It is a thief that has come to steal, kill, and destroy. But Jesus came so that we might have life, and have it to the full. Jesus’ coming purchased life for us. Therefore, as believers, we don’t have to settle for anything less. He already paid the price for our abundant life. We call on One who is greater and we know He will back us up, because He is good and He is able.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10 NIV
This is why Jesus came. To give us LIFE. Not death. To show his authority and victory over every power, every authority, every principality, everything that hell had to offer. That’s exactly what he did at the cross; he defeated and disarmed every power and authority, then made a public spectacle of them. He embarrassed them with the size of his victory!
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Colossians 2:15 NIV
This virus has already been defeated. But we will see the manifestation of its defeat only when believers rise up with righteous indignation, full of faith and not fear, and take authority over it.
What’s burning on my heart in this season of pandemic is to encourage the body of Christ to RISE UP by getting on our knees. The Father not only loves the intimacy He has with us when we pray, but He’s set things up so that our prayers move mountains (Mark 11:23, Mark 17:20)! He says we can have whatever we ask for in faith (Mark 11:24). He’s given us the authority to bind and loose things here on earth, and He’s given us the keys to the kingdom (Matt. 16:19). We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. When we pray in faith, it will heal the sick (James 5:15). He is the great healer (Ps. 103:2-3, Ps. 107:20, Isaiah 53:5).
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (NIV)
This virus is straight from hell. But we do not need to fear, because no weapon formed against us shall prosper. It is so important that we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Jesus Christ. He’s given you and I weapons that have the power to demolish strongholds. The weapons are not of this world. This virus is also not originated by this world. Therefore we, as believers, have the power to tear it down if we will but pray. The Father values every prayer ever prayed, but the faith-filled ones are His favorites. The ones who know their identity and know their authority. The ones who take authority over the schemes of the devil.
This is a time for worship and for prayer. It’s a time for praising and thanking God for who He is and all He has done and has yet to do. It’s a time for taking authority over the schemes of the devil. Resist him, and he will flee from you!
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 NIV
Every one of our voices matters. The devil has deceived so many into thinking their prayers do not make a difference. Actually, all of heaven is waiting to hear the voices of His children. Angels rush to do our bidding because of our great authority in the kingdom. The one in His kingdom who is considered the “least”? Their prayers matter more than they could imagine.
So, the Father is calling His children to rise up in faith and partner with my Spirit to usher in the kingdom of heaven on earth! He is calling us to use the weapons He’s given us, the weapons that are not of this world but have the power to demolish strongholds. He is calling you and I to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Jesus Christ. He is calling us to resist the devil’s efforts to control and manipulate our thoughts and emotions through this virus.
He is calling us to WAR for PEACE. He is calling us to BE AT PEACE so we can GIVE His peace, His shalom, to the world around us. Now is the time for the church to RISE UP together (even if it’s behind closed doors or in prayer closets) and declare peace and healing over the land. He wants His bride to usher in the atmosphere of heaven here on earth. In heaven there is no fear, no sickness, no death, and no isolation. He wants us to partner with Him in prayer, in worship, and in taking every thought captive. We must not allow hell to gain one more inch on this planet.
Beloved, let’s RISE UP and FALL to our knees.
Let’s GOooooooooooo!
COURTNEY GOODWIN 