PREACHING FOR JUNE 23, 2024:

Pastor Antonio Russo

CONQUERING THE CITY FOR GOD, Part 3

Let's continue our series dedicated to prayer and intercession, focusing on the theme of the Church conquering cities for God. We respond to the mission He has entrusted to us, not to be conquered but to be conquerors. In every territory, city, or country, there exists a spiritual reality where two things can happen: either the Church is influenced by this present evil age, or the Church influences the world and its city. Therefore, we are engaged in a spiritual warfare, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers of darkness. Having transitioned from the Kingdom of Darkness to the Kingdom of Light, we must realize that Satan is now against us and attacks us. You see, former Satanists testify that Satan's followers pray to destroy the lives of believers, but we have special protection from God that allows us to face spiritual warfare not passively, but aggressively. As Jesus said, "The violent will take the Kingdom of God by force." Our "violence" consists in not yielding to sin, not living in lies or envy, but in maintaining holiness and faithfulness to God. By resisting the devil and standing firm on God's promises, we prevent Satan, who comes to steal, kill, and destroy like a thief in the night, from gaining control in our lives. Therefore, we must watch and pray to prevent him from stealing God's promises, recognizing that losses in our lives are the work of the devil, not of God. To resist the devil means to submit to God and His Word, remaining steadfast in faith and declaring God's promises over our lives. In this regard, the Apostle James teaches us that when we submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee from our lives, terrified. God is leading us into a new territory and spiritual environment where there is a continuous process of maturation, both natural and spiritual, similar to noticing the growth of a child only when we see them after some time. The Holy Spirit guides us to new dimensions and levels, and as a Church, we are growing and maturing, preparing for the lasting fruits in God's plans for us. This process involves both the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness, following a natural and physiological path. You know, our spiritual journey can be compared to that of a soldier; in fact, Paul exhorts us to be ready for battle, so we must also be vigilant and prepared to face the spiritual challenges that lie ahead. With the entry into a new spiritual level, we can no longer use the same weapons as before; we must adapt our spiritual strategies and tools, and the Holy Spirit is revealing to us which weapons to use in this new phase. Therefore, it is crucial that we change and level up in our prayers and spiritual approaches, because God provides us with new spiritual weapons as we grow and mature. You see, our identity in Christ is a powerful spiritual weapon; being simple believers is different from being disciples, priests, or intercessors, as each role carries different spiritual weight, and our words in the spiritual world have significant power. Before we can conquer the world for Jesus, we must free ourselves from worldly influences. We must not be like Israel, which, having left Egypt, carried the Egyptian mindset with them; instead, we must expel the world from our hearts and minds, rejecting sin and all other negative influences. We need to eliminate unbelief, fear, and passivity from our lives, confront the works of the devil with spiritual aggression, and surrender daily to God's presence; only after doing this can we take possession of God's promises in our lives.

Matthew 8:28-34; 28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. 29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? 30 And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32 And he said unto them, Go.And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. 34 And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

The story of the two demon-possessed men teaches us that the demons already knew their end and begged Jesus to let them enter the pigs, fully aware of their fate. We must be conscious that Christ lives within us, and for this reason, the Word declares that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world; therefore, we must allow Christ to triumph in our lives. Jesus never negotiated with demons nor asked the Father to heal the sick or cast out demons; He knew He had authority and exercised it, and the disciples followed His example, using the authority they had received. Today, we too, as the Church and as individual believers, have authority in the name of Jesus and must use it to cast out demons and confront spiritual challenges. Our mission as a church is to make disciples, not just believers, and this requires a serious commitment to God and continuous growth in our faith. Being disciples means being in a spiritual school, where we learn to serve God, obey His Word, and fulfill His will. You know, we must pray and prepare in private to be able to manifest God's authority in public. Jesus taught us that some evil spirits can only be defeated through prayer and fasting; this means that we must be ready in advance, having already fasted and prayed, so that we are prepared to face any spiritual challenge when it arises. In the book of Acts, we see the disciples performing miracles, such as the healing of the lame man at the Temple gate; this teaches us that God wants us to perform miracles in His name as well. When we encounter people with spiritual problems, we must be ready to intervene, bringing them to God and praying with them for salvation. Salvation is not based on works but on faith in Jesus and the acceptance of His sacrifice. We must know how to guide a person to God, presenting the plan of salvation and helping them receive Jesus into their heart; for this, there is no need for a formal religious setting. We can pray and lead people to Christ wherever we are.

Acts 3:6; 6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

Like Jesus, who did not pray to the Father for healing, we must act using the authority we have in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. However, we often tend to wait for God to do something, while He exhorts us to take the initiative ourselves. Sometimes our prayers become merely formal and religious; in fact, many people, especially religious ones, think that quoting more words from the Bible has a greater effect, but this practice, besides being ineffective, tires the listener. This means that sometimes we complicate things, while all we need is to use the authority received in the name of Jesus, just as Peter did when healing the lame man at the Beautiful or Golden Gate.

Acts 14:8-10; 8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

Sometimes people approach the altar to receive prayer without showing visible faith or hungering for a miracle. You see, the book of Acts does not end with chapter 28; it continues with the Church, with us, and with all Christians in the world. This means that God has not ceased to operate; He has operated, operates, and will continue to operate, being the same yesterday, today, and forever, because that is in His nature. Some religious individuals claim that miracles ceased after the early Church and the apostles, but there is no biblical basis for this assertion. Instead, Jesus, on the contrary, said that we would do even greater works than His, in His name, although for us, it would be sufficient to do what He did.

Acts 16:18; 18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.

And he came out the same hour. In this episode, a possessed woman who was a sorceress followed Paul and Silas for many days, declaring that they were servants of the Most High God. Annoyed, Paul turned around and commanded the spirit to come out in the name of Jesus Christ, and the spirit immediately left. Knowing our identity in Christ and the authority God has given us is essential for us to act as disciples: we must pray in private and demonstrate God's power in public, without complicating matters or giving space to the devil in our lives. The Acts of the Apostles continue with us today, urging us to reject complaining and discouragement, to submit to God, and to resist the devil, using our spiritual authority to heal, deliver, and save as taught by Jesus. Our calling is to use the authority in the name of Jesus to perform miracles and testify to God's power in every aspect of our lives.

Mark 16:17; 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

These are the signs that will accompany those who have believed. Some time ago, we talked about what it means to be accompanied: these signs will always be with us, wherever we go. Have we ever wondered how many demons we have cast out today, or if the signs are accompanying us? We must live in such a way that we can say the signs follow us; therefore, when we see someone who is sick, we shouldn't postpone prayer until Sunday at church, but pray immediately, even simply by holding their hands and declaring healing in the name of Jesus. So let us declare that the signs accompany us, that in the name of Jesus, we have the authority to cast out demons, that no food or drink will harm us, and that we will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. Let us conclude by meditating on two biblical passages that remind us of the identity and power our Lord Jesus has given us.

Apocalypse 5:10; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Luke 10:19; 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

You know, a deep understanding of these verses reveals our privileged position and the authority conferred upon us by Christ. Indeed, as kings and priests, we are called to reign with Him on earth, while the power to tread on serpents and scorpions symbolizes our ability to resist and overcome all evil. These teachings invite us to live confidently in our spiritual identity and to exercise our power in Christ with wisdom and determination.