The Spirit is emphasizing our need to decree and “command” things to be removed, changed, gone, and brought to life in this season. 

There is a fresh emphasis on this currently as God is breaking His people into new territories, greater purposes, expansion into new spiritual landscapes and blessings in this Jewish new year.   It is not only prayer that we need.  We also need to be commanding things into existence and things out of existence.   Like Jesus, we are called to walk in the fullness of His power and authority – not to be seduced by a religious spirit or mindset.  As Jesus walked in power and authority so we are as well.

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Matthew 21:20-21)

Mark 11:22-24

Jesus poses the question, “When the Son of Man comes back will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) This seems to indicate that faith will be rare to find when He returns.  Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) Faith is a commodity we can afford to lose.  For us to demonstrate the fullness of Who Jesus is we need our faith to be fully active and engaged on this earthly plain. 

The purpose of the Son of God manifested was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)  With this being our assignment as well our authority is not negotiable.  Faith is expressed through out actions – what we say and do. 

In our lives we encounter obstacles, challenges, trials, and tests. (James 1:2) Within every trial is a test as well to see how we will respond and walk it out.  James tells us not to think it is strange when we encounter various trials.  This is normal – giving us the opportunity to shine through overcoming and winning.  Many times, the things that seem to get in the way are simply what God uses to grow us, to help us be all that He has made us to be. 

When you encounter something difficult are you going to just sit back, be passive and let it happen or are you going to confront it?  Jesus uses the picture of a mountain as something we should speak to – as we command it to be removed.  He is encouraging us to use our God-given authority to shift things, to get things out of the way that are hindering us.  When we “say” to the mountain, “be removed and cast into the sea.” It will obey us.  The spirit of religion strips us of all authority leaving us with empty, powerless prayers of form and formality. 

Jesus wants us to know that prayer has life changing effects. Prayers are where we communicate with God from the earthly plain to the heavenly plain of God’s realm. He continues to encourage prayer but then also is shining light on the reality of speaking INTO the earthly plain of where the hindrance is coming from. It is not enough to just pray. We also need to speak commands as Jesus did.

Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

Mark 11:20-21

This conversation began with Jesus’ disciples asking Him how the fig tree withered so quickly.  It was a divine set-up where Jesus created an opportunity to inform His disciples on the realm of authority, they should walk in.  He was essentially saying to them, “Walk as I walk, do as I do, pray as I pray and walk in authority as I walk in authority.” 

Some Examples of Jesus’ Authoritative Command:

• Spoke to the Storm (Mark 4:39)
• Commanded Lazarus (John 11:43)
• Taught with Authority (Matthew 7:29)
• Take Up Your Mat (Mark 2:9)
• Speak the Word & servant healed (Matthew 8:8)
• Little Girl Arise (Luke 8:54)

The people noticed that Jesus was not like the religious leaders because He taught “as One with authority.” That was a clear distinguishing difference about Jesus. He knew the Father and walked in power and authority – which was an outflow of His depth of relationship with God.

For us it is no different as we are called to abide in Christ and His words abide in us – we can ask and it shall be given, also speaking with authority to those things to be removed that are hindrances to God’s Kingdom and purposes.

It is also worth noting that Jesus said:

Matthew 18:18
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Not only do we have authority to remove obstacles, but to bind or tie up things that are against the will of God and also loose heaven and all associated resources on earth. Bind means to “fasten with chains”. It is the same word that is used in regards to the woman Satan had “bound” for the length of her life – an oppressive physical condition that Jesus healed in the synagogue.

The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

Luke 13:15-17

We see a direct correlation here of Jesus using “binding” and “loosing” of someone bound by oppression. What we can draw from this is that our authority should be used most liberally in setting people from from the chains of darkness, as well as loosing them into the fullness of liberty in Christ. As well, anything that is opposition to the Kingdom of God is subject to the authority that we have been given in regards to every aspect of life, both personally and for others.

It begins with us personally experiencing the fullness of freedom that Jesus paid for, then it is to overflow into the lives of others as we live as conduits of His glory, as we exercise our authority in Christ. This is what Jesus died for. Not for people to have a ticket to heaven but that they would live in the fullness of freedom obtained through His sacrifice – free from every oppressive thing and filled with the glory of heaven through His Spirit.