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Intention
We are expected to use our authority in Christ to block and remove the schemes of our enemy.

Scripture

“Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping.”—1 Peter 5:8

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”—2 Corinthians 10:4

Reflection
It should be no surprise that we have opponents in the kingdom work. I’ve always thought the romanticised utterance, “If God be for us who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) was something of daft question. Team Satan is against us—along with his ‘useful captives’.

In the beginning when God created the earth, he gave man dominion over it. Yes, God is ultimately in charge of all that exists, but man has sovereignty and control over the earth. When we pray to God and ask him to do things, we are effectively giving permission on a legal level. If our requests are in line with God’s will, then He will respond, and it will happen. Therefore, we are exhorted to pray as much as possible and in all matters (Ephesians 6:18), and to have faith that it will be done.

This act of speaking and ‘giving permission’ works the same for our witchcraft-based opponents. Their prayers enable demonic spirits to hinder and oppress. The atmosphere changes and every good thing becomes difficult and contentious. Even ridiculously bad things are proposed.

This isn’t just an overseas thing. Witches and warlocks are active in Australia, with a prayer discipline that puts most Christians to shame. The good news is you can still demolish their achievements as local praying churches have.

Don’t let yourself be afraid at the mention of witchcraft. Ignore all Hollywood has taught you. In Christ we have the straightforward authority to demolish their strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). All of us are commanded to deal with this by Paul, who himself felt its buffeting (1 Thessalonians 2:18) and learned to deal with it. This is what Paul referred to as the “good fight” of faith. (It’s always a good fun fight when winning is easier).

It is to my quiet shame that I never realised the biblical attributes of witchcraft, nor the instruction to actively block it. (Note to self: read Bible more). I had assumed a more spiritual person was handling it. Well, I can reveal to you from my long-term insider’s knowledge that the pro-life community in Australia has been suffering under a witchcraft attack for likely decades. Watching Ps Tim Sheet’s sermon on witchcraft, all the boxes were ticked. And to think we’d been putting up with our struggles as our unquestioned ‘normal’.

So for about the last four months I’ve been daily blocking the witchcraft attacks on the pro-life groups and asking for blessing that was otherwise denied.

Interesting things can happen when the atmosphere is cleared.

Cherish Life reported that One Nation in Queensland has released a comprehensive and detailed “right to life” policy. One Nation candidates later touted it at public forums as being “Cherish Life approved”! This is politically ground-breaking, and it gives others something to emulate.

Early this year, Melbourne’s March for the Babies organisers experienced a hard to describe “slowness” that was like quicksand. By comparison, in the last few months they’ve had an amazing run of chance encounters with the right people who in turn were pro-life and offered their services. There were still late issues that threatened to derail their livestream event, but these were always overcome with even better things.

Of course, in all this we give the glory to God as He is the one who answers our prayers. Also, it’s clearly well worth doing.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for providing us with the means to remove the enemy as part of what Jesus achieved. In the name of Jesus, I block all witchcraft attacks against pro-life groups in Australia. I ask for them to be blessed with more than enough resources and favour to do a comprehensively good job at defending life. Amen.

Prayer Points for October 2020
1. Pray for a Breakthrough for LIFE, specifically an end to abortion and euthanasia in our nation. Exodus 20:13
2. Pray for a Breakthrough for INDIGENOUS LIFE, specifically an end to high youth suicide and premature death due to ill health. 3 John 1:2
3. Pray for new POLITICIANS for LIFE, especially pray for the upcoming elections in Queensland (31st October), ACT (17th October) + USA (3 November) & New Zealand (17 October). Proverbs 29:2
4. Pray for the Revitalisation of SPIRITUAL LIFE, namely repentance, renewal & transformation, that our nation might return to God. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Andrew Smith is a multi-award winning pro-lifer and Australian correspondent for LifeSiteNews. Sprinkled as a Presbyterian, he escaped the Uniting Church and was later dunked as a Baptist. He now owns up to Glory Faith Family Church in Brisbane.

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