POST SoZO Prayer Suggestion
By Bethel Church Sozo, Redding ca
Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4-5). ...And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people (Ephesians 1:13-14). For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago (Ephesians 2:10).
This is who you are in Christ and what your position is. God has awesome plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Pretty exciting, isn’t it?
Freedom in Christ is God’s love gift to you at the cost of the lifeblood of His beloved Son. It needs to be guarded carefully and worked out diligently in daily living.
The ministry of freedom is the working of the grace of God in your life by the Holy Spirit.
From now on, He relies on your active cooperation:
• To recover full use of functions the devil has restricted.
• To exercise the lordship of Christ in areas previously used by the evil one for his purposes.
• To help you reach fulfillment where before you experienced frustration and disappointment.
• To return you to victories you once knew or to lift you to new levels of spiritual understanding and usefulness for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Just as the step of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation led to a commitment of discipleship, so the ministry of freedom must be followed by commitment to a plan of spiritual rehabilitation. Works must always follow true faith.
Freedom is a daily walk. The following steps are suggested for daily use to help you “work out your salvation” (Philippians 2:12, 13):
SIXTEEN PRINCIPLES FOR FREEDOM IN CHRIST
1. Confess the general areas in which you have received freedom positively and gratefully in prayer. Don’t allow one negative thought germinating space.
Principle: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9, 10).
2. Meet each new day trusting in God’s power to help you make right choices. Don’t let your feelings deceive you.
Principle: “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”
(Galatians 3:3).
3. Expect continuous and increasing freedom where satan has previously bound you or used you for his purposes. Move forward by faith without even a glance over your shoulder at what is now past.
Principle: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13, 14)
4. Remember, anything the devil whispers in your ear is a lie. That’s his profession, and he’s very good at it. John 8:44 says, “When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” If he tries to convince you that your freedom didn’t really happen but was just in your mind or was emotional, use your faith shield against him and tell what God does to liars. He will soon give up.
Principle: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7, 8).
5. Don’t hesitate to use the name of Jesus, the blood of the Lamb, and your confession of faith against all satan’s temptations and condemnation. All condemnation comes from satan. Never believe him. You have been blood cleansed and are blood protected.
Principle: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).
6. Avoid deliberate sin – like the plague.
Principle: “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him” (1 John 5:18). Should you unavoidably sin, confess it immediately and receive forgiveness and cleansing. This will stop satan from weighing you down with guilt, one of his favorite habits.
Principle: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
7. Rely upon the Holy Spirit to control your life, your emotions, your desires, and your imagination, together with your will, by deliberately giving Christ lordship over them each day.
Principle: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1, 1). “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18). “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:5).
8. Take time or make time to read, learn, mediate on God’s Word every day. If time is limited, carry Scripture verse cards with you for your free times.
Principle: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).
9. Wear the armor of spiritual warfare every day. Put on each piece thoughtfully and prayerfully and be protected at all times. Don’t forget the seventh piece is “prayer.”
Principle: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:10-18).
10. Keep your eyes and ears open for all the sneaky traps the devil will leave around for you. Then “holler for help” to your heavenly Father, and He will immediately answer and give you the victory.
Principle: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7, 8).
11. Concentrate your thoughts and plans on what glorifies Christ, and you will have victories all the time.
Principle: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3).
12. Beware of thinking you can make it alone. You never will make it alone in life because God never intended you to. Be smart: admit you can’t do it all by yourself, and then do things with His help.
Principle: “ I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).
13. Break wrong friendships and choose positive, clean-living friends who put Jesus first.
Principle: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). Break former habits that led to sin. Avoid magazines, movies, and television programs that you should not see.
Principle: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things”
(Philippians 4:8).
14. Never let up on warring against the list of no-no’s. Criticism, negativity, grieving over the past, over-sensitivity, doubt, selfishness, putting feelings before faith, and prayerlessness are all on the list. Be an outgoing person and help others.
Principle: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:19-21, 26).
15. Be a praising, thankful person, always giving thanks to God for His continuous goodness.
Principle: “The LORD executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed” (Psalm 103:6).
16. Finally, breathe in by faith any of your nine personality needs supplied liberally by the Spirit of God from the glory and Jesus Christ at the right hand of His Father, who is also your Father.
Principle: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, 23). “So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’” (John 20:21).
Submission to the lordship of Christ and obedience to His will through His Word are essential to maintain freedom.
Then it will be as though I had sprinkled clean water on you, for you will be clean – your filthiness will be washed away, your idol worship gone. And I will give you a new heart – I will give you new and right desires – and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony heart and sin and give you new hearts of love. And I will put my spirit within you so that you will obey my laws and do whatever I command. (Ezek. 36:25-27), TLB
1 New Living Translation of the Bible.
2 Wagner, Doris M. How to Cast Out Demons. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2000.
This is who you are in Christ and what your position is. God has awesome plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). Pretty exciting, isn’t it?
Freedom in Christ is God’s love gift to you at the cost of the lifeblood of His beloved Son. It needs to be guarded carefully and worked out diligently in daily living.
The ministry of freedom is the working of the grace of God in your life by the Holy Spirit.
From now on, He relies on your active cooperation:
• To recover full use of functions the devil has restricted.
• To exercise the lordship of Christ in areas previously used by the evil one for his purposes.
• To help you reach fulfillment where before you experienced frustration and disappointment.
• To return you to victories you once knew or to lift you to new levels of spiritual understanding and usefulness for the glory of Jesus Christ.
Just as the step of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation led to a commitment of discipleship, so the ministry of freedom must be followed by commitment to a plan of spiritual rehabilitation. Works must always follow true faith.
Freedom is a daily walk. The following steps are suggested for daily use to help you “work out your salvation” (Philippians 2:12, 13):
SIXTEEN PRINCIPLES FOR FREEDOM IN CHRIST
1. Confess the general areas in which you have received freedom positively and gratefully in prayer. Don’t allow one negative thought germinating space.
Principle: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9, 10).
2. Meet each new day trusting in God’s power to help you make right choices. Don’t let your feelings deceive you.
Principle: “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”
(Galatians 3:3).
3. Expect continuous and increasing freedom where satan has previously bound you or used you for his purposes. Move forward by faith without even a glance over your shoulder at what is now past.
Principle: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13, 14)
4. Remember, anything the devil whispers in your ear is a lie. That’s his profession, and he’s very good at it. John 8:44 says, “When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” If he tries to convince you that your freedom didn’t really happen but was just in your mind or was emotional, use your faith shield against him and tell what God does to liars. He will soon give up.
Principle: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7, 8).
5. Don’t hesitate to use the name of Jesus, the blood of the Lamb, and your confession of faith against all satan’s temptations and condemnation. All condemnation comes from satan. Never believe him. You have been blood cleansed and are blood protected.
Principle: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1).
6. Avoid deliberate sin – like the plague.
Principle: “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him” (1 John 5:18). Should you unavoidably sin, confess it immediately and receive forgiveness and cleansing. This will stop satan from weighing you down with guilt, one of his favorite habits.
Principle: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
7. Rely upon the Holy Spirit to control your life, your emotions, your desires, and your imagination, together with your will, by deliberately giving Christ lordship over them each day.
Principle: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1, 1). “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18). “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:5).
8. Take time or make time to read, learn, mediate on God’s Word every day. If time is limited, carry Scripture verse cards with you for your free times.
Principle: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).
9. Wear the armor of spiritual warfare every day. Put on each piece thoughtfully and prayerfully and be protected at all times. Don’t forget the seventh piece is “prayer.”
Principle: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:10-18).
10. Keep your eyes and ears open for all the sneaky traps the devil will leave around for you. Then “holler for help” to your heavenly Father, and He will immediately answer and give you the victory.
Principle: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:7, 8).
11. Concentrate your thoughts and plans on what glorifies Christ, and you will have victories all the time.
Principle: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3).
12. Beware of thinking you can make it alone. You never will make it alone in life because God never intended you to. Be smart: admit you can’t do it all by yourself, and then do things with His help.
Principle: “ I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).
13. Break wrong friendships and choose positive, clean-living friends who put Jesus first.
Principle: “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). Break former habits that led to sin. Avoid magazines, movies, and television programs that you should not see.
Principle: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things”
(Philippians 4:8).
14. Never let up on warring against the list of no-no’s. Criticism, negativity, grieving over the past, over-sensitivity, doubt, selfishness, putting feelings before faith, and prayerlessness are all on the list. Be an outgoing person and help others.
Principle: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:19-21, 26).
15. Be a praising, thankful person, always giving thanks to God for His continuous goodness.
Principle: “The LORD executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed” (Psalm 103:6).
16. Finally, breathe in by faith any of your nine personality needs supplied liberally by the Spirit of God from the glory and Jesus Christ at the right hand of His Father, who is also your Father.
Principle: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, 23). “So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’” (John 20:21).
Submission to the lordship of Christ and obedience to His will through His Word are essential to maintain freedom.
Then it will be as though I had sprinkled clean water on you, for you will be clean – your filthiness will be washed away, your idol worship gone. And I will give you a new heart – I will give you new and right desires – and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony heart and sin and give you new hearts of love. And I will put my spirit within you so that you will obey my laws and do whatever I command. (Ezek. 36:25-27), TLB
1 New Living Translation of the Bible.
2 Wagner, Doris M. How to Cast Out Demons. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2000.