KEYS OF THE KINGDOM

Jesus gave to believers the keys of the Kingdom.  Those keys include the power to bind and loose and they are the fifth part of our basic battle plan:

And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.  (Matthew 16:19)

Jesus taught the importance of binding evil spirits before casting them out, but the principle of binding and loosing is more than casting out demons.  You can bind the power of the enemy to work in your life, home, community, and church fellowship.  You can loose men and women from the bondage of sin, depression, and discouragement of the enemy.

The principle of binding and loosing is an important strategy to overcome the power of the enemy. It is a key to the Kingdom of God.  In every situation with which you are confronted...every problem, every challenge...there is a spiritual key.  That key is in exercising the principle of binding and loosing.  When you recognize what to bind and what to loose and act upon this discovery, the enemy will be defeated.

THE NAME OF JESUS

The final part of the basic battle plan is found in the name of Jesus.   The Word of God is to be applied in His name, we pray, fast, and use our delegated power and authority and the keys of the Kingdom in His name:

If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.  (John 14:14)

...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it you.  (John 16:23)

And these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  (Mark 16:17-18)

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;

Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo,  I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  (Matthew 28:18-20)

You are to teach, baptize, cast out demons, heal the sick, and overcome every power of the enemy through the name of Jesus.  It is more powerful than any other name:

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. (Ephesians 1:21)

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Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name;

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  (Philippians 2:9-11) A WINNING STRATEGY

Jesus faced every temptation of the enemy which we face, but He overcame these temptations without sin.  Because He entered the arena of spiritual warfare, He understands your battles and strengthens you:

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

Because He emerged victorious, you can also be a victor:

For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.  (Hebrews 2:18)

Read the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus in Matthew 26-28; Mark 14-16; Luke 22- 24; and John 18-21.  The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was the greatest confrontation that ever occurred between the power of Satan and the power of God.

Through the death of Jesus, Satan thought he had destroyed God's plan.  He had killed God's only Son.  He had destroyed the King who was to reign over God's Kingdom.  But Jesus said:

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and He shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?   (Matthew 26:53-54)

...My Kingdom is not of this world:  if my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews:  but now is my Kingdom not from hence.  (John 18:36)

 ...Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above...(John 19:11)

Jesus did not die because His power was less than that of the enemy.  His death did not end the plan for God's Kingdom. It was not time for His Kingdom to be visibly established in the world.

The death of Jesus actually fulfilled the plan of God. Men could now be saved from the bondage of sin and the penalty of the "second death" (eternal separation from God because of sin). 

Great though it was, salvation from sin was not the only victory gained by Jesus through His death on the cross.  Through His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated all the power of the enemy:

...When He ascended up on high (was resurrected) He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

(Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens, that He might fill all things.)   (Ephesians 4:8-10 )

And having spoiled principalities and powers. He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  (Colossians 2:15)

Jesus defeated every power of the enemy, including death.  He also passed judgment upon Satan:

Now is the judgment of this world:  now shall the prince of this world (Satan) be cast out.  (John 12:31)

Jesus made a way of salvation.  He defeated death and the principalities and powers of the enemy.  He restored to man dominion over all things.  He pronounced judgment on Satan which will be fulfilled in the future.

As you have learned, the present situation is similar to conditions which have existed in certain countries in the natural world.  The powers of rebel forces will be overthrown by the government.  The rebel leader will be under judgment, but still at large.  Resistance forces under his direction still war in the land.

Jesus has conquered Satan and set his judgment, but he is still at large and his forces of demonic powers, the flesh, and the world are still at war in the land.  They attempt to control territory that is rightfully that of the Conqueror.  They try to blind men to the fact Satan has been defeated and is under judgment.  They try to control homes, churches, and nations.

That is where the warfare of the believer comes into focus.  Jesus has defeated the enemy but Satan remains at large in the world. It is our task to open the eyes of men and women to his deception and regain control of territory that is rightfully ours.  Your personal battle will continue until judgment on Satan is executed or until you go to be with Jesus through death, which ever comes first:

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places

might be known  by the church the manifold wisdom of God.  (Ephesians 3:10)

VICTORS, NOT VICTIMS

Through Jesus, your are a victor over the enemy rather than a victim of the enemy:

And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church.

Which is His body, the fullness of Him that  filleth all in all.  (Ephesians 1:22-23)

All things are "under the feet" of Jesus.  This means He has conquered them.  He is the head of the Church, and we are the body.  It is stated that all things are under His feet, which means under His body, the Church. This means we are victors, not victims.  You can be kept from the power of Satan.  Jesus Himself prayed for us to be kept from the power of the enemy:

I pray not that thou shouldest take them  out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.  (John 17:15,20)

You are a conqueror, not through your own power, but through the powers of a greater One:

...In all these things  we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.  (Romans 8:37)

When the spiritual battle gets rough, just remember that the Bible assures that God's purposes will be accomplished:

The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed so shall it stand.  (Isaiah 15:24)

This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

For the Lord of hosts hath purposed and who shall disannul it?  and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?  (Isaiah 15:26-27)

The Lord of Hosts has a purpose, and no force of the world, flesh, demons, Hell, or Satan himself will disannul it.