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The Supremacy of Christ

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”He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy” (Colossians 1:15-18).

If we want a powerful prayer life, we must believe that Christ is supreme and above all. This needs to go much deeper than head knowledge. This needs to be heart revelation. We need to abide in this truth. It is important to have a high view of Christ because He is our representative, advocate, intercessor, King and Savior. Jesus is supreme in our prayer life. We pray in His powerful name, we glorify and worship Him throughout the day, and we intercede to the supreme Christ who is Head over all, the majestic Savior of the world.

This knowledge of the supremacy of Christ should affect us as believers in every way. It should radically affect our prayer life. We live in a world that tries to minimize the supremacy of Christ. Satan knows that his time is short. The antichrist spirit is permeating society in every area. If we are bringing the Kingdom of God and Christ into this world through our prayers, we must know and proclaim the power of this truth, the reality of the supremacy of Christ over every area of darkness encountered on earth.

The truth is found in Colossians 3:11b, “but Christ is all, and is in all.” Let the reality of the supremacy of Christ touch you deeply. Let this staggering reality change your life completely. May it touch all who are growing in intercession as Christ’s disciples just as it did the Apostles Peter, Paul and John.

“But the reality of God is staggering! Peter did not succumb under the convicting power of ‘religious knowledge’ – he met the reality of Jesus Christ! On the road to Damascus, Paul was not blinded and devastated by a ‘new doctrine’ – he met the reality of Jesus Christ! When John beheld our glorified Lord on Patmos, it was not a ‘new spiritual insight’ that left him slain as a dead man – he beheld Jesus Christ!” Francis Frangipane

What does His supremacy mean in His name? It means that His Name is divine.

  • Lord – (kurios) – He is Lord, master and owner.
  • Jesus – (Iesous)  – He is Yahweh. Yahweh is help and salvation.
  • Christ- (Kristos) – He is the Anointed One, a title for Messiah.
  • The Lord Jesus Christ – He is our master, owner, the God who brings us salvation, the Anointed one.

The Scripture leaves no question about the incarnation of Christ. God became human, “infinity compressed to a span beyond our comprehension.” When Jesus Christ walked on earth He had all the limitation of a real human being: He ate, got tired, wept, suffered and was tempted. It appears that as a real man He used none of His Godhead powers directly for the entire duration of His earthly ministry. He did all that a true trusting son of a father would do. Jesus demonstrated all the characteristics of true humanity without sinning.

How the Scriptures Present His Supremacy

“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:8-11).

I encourage you to take time to meditate on the following verses and worship Jesus in His supremacy, glory and greatness. As you worship Him and pray over these verses, He will become bigger in your eyes.

  • He is the image of the invisible God, He is the representation of the reality of God
    The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 1:3).
  • He is the firstborn over all creation
    Firstborn means His lordship, dignity, excellence, and leadership of all creation – “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15).
  • He is the Creator and sustainer of all things
    “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).
  • He is the Head of the Church
    “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy” (Colossians 1:18).
  • He is seated in the place of absolute authority
    “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 1:3).
  • He is called God by God
    “But about the Son he says, ‘Your throne, O God, will last forever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy” (Hebrews 1:8-9).

As intercessors, we need to lift our view of Christ higher and higher. See His greatness in your life situation, see His ability to answer your prayers, see His solution to every problem you face. The devil is doing all he can to destroy the reality of Christ’s supremacy. He is trying to convince the world that he has won. But the truth of the matter is this – the greatest battle has already been won at the cross. Jesus Christ is the answer to the world, He is the reason for our existence, and He is our help in every circumstance. He is the living Christ, the head of the Church.

As we abide in Him and in the reality of His glorious supremacy, we become partakers of His resurrection life, His victorious life. As we pray in His name, we pray in His authority. We begin to see His power over sin and over every spiritual battle we face. We begin to rise up to our destiny in Christ because we are seated with Him in heavenly places and we know it! (See Colossians 3:1, Ephesians 2:6)

“He who abides in Christ the Risen and Glorified One, becomes in the same way partaker of His resurrection life and of the glory with which He has now been crowned in heaven. Unspeakable are the blessings that flow to the soul from the union with Jesus in His glorified life. This life is a life of perfect victory and rest… Abiding in Jesus, in whom he has been raised and set in the heavenly places, he receives of that glorious life streaming from the Head through every member of the body.” Andrew Murray

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Choosing to Reign with Christ

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12373256_1069628439766929_8331322635533185901_n“We now walk in authority by faith, but when Christ returns, our authority and position will be evident to all. It is easy to become passive and lax in our present lives, because there seems to be no real accountability or certainty of our authority. That is, unless we choose to be accountable and to live with conviction.” Angie Weaver 

Choosing to walk in truth is extremely important in our Christian walk every single day. Understanding truth in our head is not enough! It is so important to stand strong in the end times. We must not only understand the authority we have in Christ, but we must choose to walk in it. Most of us are living far below our potential. But one day we will judge the whole earth. We are heirs with Christ and are called to rule the earth with Him (Revelation 1:6). We must not be apathetic but must activate our authority and live with conviction as God’s Kingdom people.

Are we willing to choose to take up this incredible call?

God will not do our work for us. He has provided everything we need. We have the authority. We can bring the message of restoration to mankind and break the dominion of Satan over society. God is not the one that is allowing the evil to continue on earth. We are when we do not recognize and use the authority he has given us. We are not to passively wait but to take action in prayer. He is waiting (Hebrews 10:12-13). We have to enforce his victory on earth (Romans 16:20, Colossians 2:13-15).

Our inheritance is the nations but we must fight for it (Psalm 2:7).

“This authority is invested in Jesus Christ, and we initially access it through the simplest, weakest way that man could ever imagine – prayer. We sit with God, and sitting in His Son, we ask God to move by His Spirit. Whatever we ask, while abiding in God, He will do for us (John 15:7-8)… Prayer is not the only work, but it is the first work of the church. Until we have prayed, there is nothing more we can do. After we have prayed and our intercession is accomplished, we must move forth into obedience, doing what God has shown us to do.” Steve Thompson

We wield our authority as we abide in Christ. We have the keys of the Kingdom of heaven. We need to begin to exercise a sense of ownership for our cities. We are called to bring into subjection demonic powers and disciple the nations. We are called to subdue the earth spiritually, affecting change through Christ’s authority. As we seek to have a deep relationship with God, we are able to stand strong in His peace and authority.

There was a submarine that was being tested and had to remain submerged, deep underwater for many hours through the night. A ferocious storm hit the area during the night. The next day the submarine resurfaced and returned to harbor. A man asked the captain, “How did the terrible storm last night affect you?” The officer looked at him with surprise on his face and exclaimed, “Storm? We didn’t realize there was a storm!” The submarine was so far below the surface of the water that the storm wasn’t even felt by those down below. To sailors, this area is known as the “cushion of the sea.” The ocean had huge waves and high winds on the surface, but the water deep below was very still.

The Christian life should be like that submarine. We should be so close to God, so deep in seeking and knowing Him and His authority, that even the storms of everyday life on earth won’t shake our confidence and trust in Him. We can rest completely in His care and His Kingdom purposes even in the midst of spiritual warfare and the turbulent days we live in.

We are taking ground in heavenly places when we pray, even if we do not see it. 

We must choose to reign with Christ. We must not relax our vigilance.  We are not frantic, nervous and anxious.  No, we are like that submarine. We walk in that supernatural perfect peace and faith that is possible as we abide in Christ (John 15). We are living a life that is not in our own strength. We are depending on God as we stand firmly on His Word, pray fervently, and walk in His authority. Jesus already won the battle at the cross and we are here to enforce it.

We must pray for God’s Kingdom to come to earth. Jesus taught His disciples to pray for the Kingdom in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. We need to pray His will on earth. We need to bombard heaven for earth’s needed resources. God wants to give us the Kingdom (Luke 12:32). Jesus preached that the Kingdom of heaven was at hand. It was presently available (Matthew 4:17).

Jesus’ success on earth came from living from heaven’s viewpoint. He knew how to live a heavenly life while facing demonic warfare on earth. Perhaps you have heard people say that some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. But could it not be said that some people are so earthly minded that they are no heavenly good? I believe so. Jesus knew how to function in both spheres at once.

Is it not true that we can function on earth through the power of heaven? Jesus instructed the disciples to preach the Kingdom of heaven and to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons (Matthew 10:7-8). He believed in the release of divine power in response to Kingdom oriented prayer. Proclaiming the Kingdom of heaven should lead to demonstrations of power such as the healing of the sick and casting out demons. We are seeing this to some extent in the world, but we haven’t seen anything in comparison to what God will do in the future. We must believe that this miraculous power is available to us. We must walk in a new level of Kingdom faith.

“In no uncertain terms the apostle Paul describes our limitless wealth in Christ Jesus. Everything we will ever need has already been created for us and is stored in heaven, waiting for us to exercise faith to receive it or activate it for others. If we can but learn to live out of that place, we will consistently access the wealth of heaven.” Robin McMillan

This is our God-given privilege and responsibility. We must be strong in our authority and learn to abide and stand on God’s promises. It takes faith to choose to reign with Christ. We can’t trust in the flesh to accomplish only what the Spirit can do. We must look to Jesus as our example. He knew how to tap into the resources of heaven, and we are seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). We must faithfully work with the Lord to bring consistent change to society. God is teaching us to reign. He is teaching us to walk as kings on earth. We must accept this call. We are bringing heaven to earth through our prayers and our lives.

Dear Lord, I choose to reign with You. Help me to wield my authority as I abide in You (John 15:7-8). Help me not to relax my vigilence in prayer but to stand my ground when evil comes (Ephesians 6:10-13). Teach me to fight for Your Kingdom in prayer. I choose to stand on Your promises for my family, neighborhood, city, and nation. Teach me to pray Your Word and focus on You during times of warfare. I choose to worship every day. I want to be like that submarine and rest in Your perfect peace even during warfare. I want to access heaven as I live here on earth. Teach me to walk as a King on earth as I exercise my authority in prayer. Thank You for raising me up and seating me with You in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6). In Jesus’ name, amen.”  

“Having been born of God, we are called to walk as kings on the earth. However, the Bible says that many are called but few are chosen (see Matthew 20:16). If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (see James 4:8). We enter into our inheritance by choosing to accept God’s call. We activate and grow in our authority on the earth through intimacy with God and living our lives filled with the Holy Spirit. By being filled and walking in the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we are bridging heaven and earth and hastening the day of Christ’s return to rule and reign over the earth!” Angie Weaver

 By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Exercising Our Authority in Prayer

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11295609_965501846846256_8820776121841191577_n“Many in the church today are being held captive spiritually, not because of the enemy’s power, but because we do not clearly understand our authority and calling in Christ… As we begin to understand the hope of His calling, we will begin to walk in an abundant life of freedom and power.” Angie Weaver

Most Christians do not realize, or even attempt to exercise, the tremendous authority they have in Christ. God has called us to make a difference on earth. He can enforce His will, but He limits His dealings on earth by working through His people. God does not want us to passively stand by and watch the earth fall into decay (Psalm 8:4-6, 115:16). But if we were to evaluate the situation, isn’t this what many Christians are doing? How many of us exercise our authority? This needs to change.

God has given us authority on earth to rule. It may not feel like it, but it’s true. God does nothing on earth unless he does it through a person. He always intended to rule the earth through His delegated authority in mankind (Genesis 1:26). We were to carry out the government of the earth, but man (through Adam and Eve) gave it away through disobedience. You know the story. Adam transferred authority over the earth to Satan (Luke 4:4, 2 Corinthians 4:4). All of mankind was then under his dominion. God did not give Satan authority over the earth, Adam did.

We needed someone to stand between us, and Satan, in order to break that dominion. Jesus was the only one who could. He came as a man completely fulfilling God’s will and became our intercessor – the one who could join us to God again and break Satan’s headship over us (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus, the intercessor, joined us to God. He purchased us with his blood (Rev. 5:9, 1 Timothy 2:5). He not only restored us to God, He became the way that God could again have dominion over the earth (1 Corinthians 15, Matthew 28:19-20). Jesus could now rule in the affairs of earth.

He has given us authority to rule, and through prayer we exercise our authority in Christ.

We are called to pray and seek justice on the earth on behalf of others. The world lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19). Look around and you see this everywhere. Jesus has authority in heaven and on earth but since He is no longer on the earth, He rules through his Church. He changes things on earth through us! As we use our authority, we can actually subdue powers and principalities (Ephesians 3:10).

We must learn to exercise our authority right in the middle of Satan’s territory. We read in Psalm 144:1: “Praise be to the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” Exodus 15:3 says, “The Lord is a mighty warrior; the Lord is his name.” Satan wants us to think that He is winning and that we are defeated. He comes in like a flood, trying to fill us with doubt and discourage-ment.  But our God always has victory when we trust in Him. We must be clad in His armor and understand the seriousness of war.

How can we walk in victory in the midst of personal, and sometimes unrelenting, spiritual warfare and maintain our authority in prayer? We must choose to reign with Christ now.  

Choosing to Reign with Christ

“We now walk in authority by faith, but when Christ returns, our authority and position will be evident to all. It is easy to become passive and lax in our present lives, because there seems to be no real accountability or certainty of our authority. That is, unless we choose to be accountable and to live with conviction.” Angie Weaver

We must not only understand the authority we have in Christ, but we must choose to walk in it. One day we will judge the whole earth! We are heirs with Christ and are called to rule the earth with Him (Revelation 1:6). We can declare God’s rule over the earth now. We must activate our authority and inheritance in Christ through prayer. We can bring the message of restoration to mankind and break the dominion of Satan over society. Are we willing to choose to take up our call?

God will not do our work for us. He has provided everything we need. He is not the one that is allowing the evil to continue on earth. We are when we do not recognize and use the authority He has given us. We are not to passively wait but to take action in prayer. He is waiting (Hebrews 10:12-13). We have to enforce his victory on earth (Romans 16:20, Colossians 2:13-15). We must fight the battle for our inheritance – the nations (Psalm 2:7).

“That authority is invested in Jesus Christ, an we initially access it through the simplest, weakest way that man could ever imagine – prayer. We sit with God, and sitting in His Son, we ask God to move by His Spirit. Whatever we ask, while abiding in God, He will do for us (John 15:7-8)… Prayer is not the only work, but it is the first work of the church. Until we have prayed, there is nothing more we can do. After we have prayed and our intercession is accomplished, we must move forth into obedience, doing what God has shown us to do.” Steve Thompson

We wield our authority as we abide in Christ. We have the keys of the Kingdom of heaven. We need to begin to exercise a sense of ownership for our cities. We are called to bring into subjection demonic powers and disciple the nations. We are called to subdue the earth spiritually, affecting change through Christ’s authority. God is waiting for us to use our authority.

There was a submarine that was being tested and had to remain submerged, deep underwater for many hours through the night. A ferocious storm hit the area during the night. The next day the submarine resurfaced and returned to harbor. A man asked the captain, “How did the terrible storm last night affect you?” The officer looked at him with surprise on his face and exclaimed, “Storm? We didn’t realize there was a storm!”

The submarine was so far below the surface of the water that the storm wasn’t even felt by those down below. To sailors, this area is known as the “cushion of the sea.” The ocean had huge waves and high winds on the surface, but the water deep below was very still. The Christian life should be like that submarine. We should be so close to God, so deep in seeking and knowing Him and His Word, that even the storms of everyday life on earth won’t shake our confidence, authority, and trust in Him. We can rest completely in His care even in the midst of spiritual warfare and the turbulent days we live in.

We must aggressively take our stand against the enemy. The enemy is intent on stopping us as we move forward in taking our authority in prayer. We are here to fight, and we must persevere.  Nothing good happens without perseverance.  We are living in enemy territory.  We are called to destroy the works of the devil.  To take our stand against him means that we refuse to give him ground and that we will not retreat.  James 4:7-8 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and He will come near to you.” We are not going to retreat or depart because of enemy pressure, but we are going to go on from glory to glory to victory!  God’s grace is sufficient.  We resist the enemy, stand firm in the Lord, and do not give way.  We worship and praise God right in the middle of the difficulty.

We are taking ground in heavenly places when we pray, even if we do not see it.  We must not relax our vigilance.  It doesn’t mean that we are frantic, nervous and anxious.  No, we are like that submarine. We walk in that supernatural perfect peace that is possible as we abide in Christ.  This is the amazing truth of the Christian life.  We are living a life that is not of our own strength. We are depending on God and loving Him, as we stand firmly on His Word, pray fervently, and walk in His peace. Jesus already won the battle at the cross and we are here to enforce it. We read in 1 John 3:8, “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Let’s summarize how we can exercise our authority in prayer. As the army of God arises all throughout the nations, what are some ways to stand strong in our authority?

Ways to Stand Strong in Your Authority in Prayer

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:10-13).

  • Abide in Christ – As you abide, you are able to pray the things on God’s heart.
  • Practice fasting on a regular basis – Fasting gives you spiritual power and strength to stand against the enemy.
  • Be ready for battle and steadfast in prayer – Know that you are in enemy territory, and you are here to fight for God’s Kingdom. Watch for those fiery darts. Hold up your shield of faith and do not waver in prayer.
  • Stand upon the promises of God – Standing on God’s promises and do not listen to the enemy. Speak God’s promises over your family, neighborhood, city, and nation.
  • Know and pray God’s Word – Try using Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:3-19 in prayer. The Bible is filled with Scripture you can pray. Declarative prayer is a key way to exercise your authority in prayer.
  • Focus on God during times of warfare – The enemy will try to discourage you as to your authority. Focus on God instead of the things you see happening in the world. Remember, you have authority in Christ.
  • Mix praise and prayer together – Worship is the atmosphere where truth dwells.       There is power released in worship warfare. God is greater than all enemy attacks.
  • Let God’s peace rule in your heart – Come in the opposite spirit of the world system. An attitude of peace and joy in the midst of darkness is powerful (Colossians 3:15).

We must choose to reign with Christ. This is our God-given responsibility. We must help one another to stand strong in authority. We must learn to abide, praise, worship, and stand on the promises of God. We are in enemy territory.

We just got new internet access because of our constant work on our computers. A man came and installed it outside. While we were at church one Sunday, someone cut the wires. We were unable to communicate with anyone! We knew that it was an unreasonable next-door neighbor who had done all kinds of bad things to us in the past. We have learned to walk in God’s peace and authority regarding this next-door neighbor and learned to take our authority in prayer by practicing these points.

Perhaps you can identify with some form of warfare where you live or work. Practice taking your authority in prayer, look to Jesus, and realize that God has called you to live on earth for such a time as this. This will be our finest hour if we learn to wield the weapons of warfare and stand in our God-give authority.

The perseverance is all part of the testing time.  We are being stretched.  We must hold our ground in battle. It’s part of the package of how God plans to train and work through us, bringing maturity and victory. God is teaching us to exercise our authority. He is teaching us to walk as kings on earth. We must accept this call. We are bringing heaven to earth through our prayers.

“Having been born of God, we are called to walk as kings on the earth. However, the Bible says that many are called but few are chosen (see Matthew 20:16). If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (see James 4:8). We enter into our inheritance by choosing to accept God’s call. We activate and grow in our authority on the earth through intimacy with God and living our lives filled with the Holy Spirit. By being filled and walking in the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we are bridging heaven and earth and hastening the day of Christ’s return to rule and reign over the earth!” Angie Weaver

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC