Jesus said:
“ .. “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
John 8:12 NKJV
Jesus is the light of God to those who are following Him in this world. Without His light shining in their pathway, they cannot walk and live in God’s Kingdom on this earth.
When an unbeliever receives Jesus Christ into his heart as Lord and Savior, he steps away from the spiritual darkness of this world into the glorious light of God. In the glorious light of God is an abundance of everything that cannot be measured, but which are meant for him.
The abundant life of His glorious light is eternal. The darkness of this world on the other hand is temporary. It will eventually disappear, but the only thing that will remain for ever is God’s glorious light.
Jesus is the One who gives the light line that shines through the darkness of this world, in helping the sinner to step away from the dark into the glorious light of the Father. His light line separates the darkness of this world from the glorious light of God.
He said:
“While I am with you, it is daytime and we must do the works of God who sent me while the light shines. For there is coming a dark night when no one will be able to work. As long as I am with you my life is the light that pierces the world’s darkness.”
John 9:4-5 TPT
It is the life of Jesus Christ in us that gives light to the darkness of this world. His light pierces through the darkness in bringing it to destruction. No power of darkness can ever cross Christ’s light line into the presence of God, the Father.
The pathway had been blocked for them eternally, and the only thing that awaits them is the judgment of hell. The devil and the principalities of this world, including the powers of darkness are doomed to face hell. And they do know it.
That’s why they are going after many people on the earth today, so as to ensnare them with darkness, in the attempt to prevent them from getting near the light line of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said:
“ .. A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.”
John 12:35-36 NKJV
The secret of preventing the children of God from being ensnared with the darkness of this world, is for them to keep walking in the light. As long as His light is shining in the pathway of God’s people, it’s impossible for them to deliberately stray away into the darkness of this world.
Jesus said again:
“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
John 3:19-21 NKJV
Everyone who has been ensnared by the devil has been deceived into hating the light. The devil will make sure that there is no return for such a person back into the light.
That’s why the ministry of the intercessor is crucial for their salvation and deliverance from the destruction of the enemy.
The devil is full of deception and lies. He had been using them since Eve was deceived by him, into believing that she could become like God. When Eve ate of the fruit which was in the midst of the garden of Eden, she stepped away from the glorious light of God into the darkness of this world (Genesis 3:1-7).
That was the beginning of the troubles of all men and women on the earth today. The pathway to the glorious light of God was blocked, until Jesus finally came with His light line to save us and give us eternal life.
Those who do believe in Jesus can partake of the glorious light of God. However whenever anyone crosses over from the glorious light with the aim of habitually walking in the darkness, it is often because that person has been ensnared by the devil.
Just as Adam and Eve were deceived and all men consequently sinned, there are Christians today who are being ensnared through the deception of the devil, to abandon the glorious light of God for the darkness of this world.
The devil can ensnare anybody
No child of God will ever desire to walk in darkness. It’s the devil who tricks Christians into it. Jesus told the twelve disciples about the betrayal of Judas Iscariot:
“ .. “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.”
John 6:70-71 NKJV
Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, before He even called Him to follow Him. He knew that he would be ensnared by the devil. He however needed him to be with Him, in fulfillment of the promise of the Father for the salvation of the world. That was why he was numbered among the disciples of Jesus Christ.
If the devil had knew that Judas had to fulfill the will of God, he would not had ensnared him. But by doing so he had unknowingly helped the Father in fulfilling His plan for the salvation of the world.
The devil needed someone who could be used in betraying Jesus, so as to get Him crucified. Judas Iscariot was deceived into receiving a bribe from the religious leaders to betray Jesus.
The Lord God never tempts anyone with evil. He however may allow the devil to tempt anyone, who is walking in His plan and purpose on the earth. This is meant to prune His chosen vessel, so that His chosen vessel may be used for His glory on the earth, after passing through and overcoming the temptation.
It was for this purpose that Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Whenever the Lord God allows this to take place, He will also give His chosen vessel the grace to overcome it.
Jesus having been tempted Himself, had taught the disciples to pray in this manner to the Father:
“And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
Matthew 6:13 NKJV
Jesus taught us to pray that the Father will not lead anyone of us into temptation. Yet, it was the Spirit of God that led Him to the place where He was tempted in the wilderness. Why did He ask us to pray in this manner?
The answer is simple. It was a serious, horrible and very intense temptation. Jesus does not want any of His followers to ever go through it. But that does not necessarily means that it will not come.
If such an immense temptation comes, especially through and in the darkness of this world, a child of God needs the Father to deliver Him. He needs the special grace of God for deliverance from the hand of the devil. That was why Jesus also taught us to pray, that the Father may deliver us from the evil one.
Wherever God’s grace is available in the midst of a temptation or tribulation, He will always deliver His people. The Apostle Paul had enough grace to sustain him in the time of a severe sickness, that nearly took his life (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
Job came out of the trial of his faith in a far better way. God never allowed the devil to have the last say concerning him. The Lord God had initially given the permission to Satan, who had afflicted him (Job 2:1-6).
And whenever a child of God goes through an immense and intense form of darkness, with the temptation from the devil, there is an avalanche of the goodness of the Father, that comes at the end of it into the life of such a Christian.
Satan is the one who normally ensnares a child of God into rebellion against God. No follower of Jesus Christ can willingly betray Him, without the scheme of the enemy being in the background of the rebellion.
But at the end of it, God will always come to the rescue of His children. He will always deliver them from the destruction of the devil. There are many Christians who are in disobedience to God today, because Satan has caught them in his scheme.
This was exactly what he had done to Judas Iscariot. The scripture says:
“Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.”
Luke 22:3 NKJV
It was Satan who initiated the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. But since this was in accordance with God’s will, Judas could had been restored back into his position as an Apostle, after the betrayal had taken place. If he had repented and sought the face of Jesus, he would had been restored as an Apostle.
But Satan intended to take his life. We can see how vicious and full of hatred the evil one is, towards those who are being ensnared in the Body of Christ today, with the ending of Judas Iscariot’s life. It takes our desire and ability to pray in delivering them.
It’s important that Christians become aware of this type of situation in other believers. We are never to ignore those who have been ensnared by the devil. It’s our Christian duty to help them, and deliver them from the trap of the enemy.
As the Apostle Jude said in his letter:
“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.”
Jude 1:22-23 NKJV
We do have a Christian duty to rescue those who have been ensnared by the devil. This can only be done through prayer and intercession on their behalf. Don’t ever allow the enemy to have the soul of a fellow believer like you, who has been caught in the trap of the devil. Pray for them until they are delivered.
It’s however important for us to understand that, we as Christians can only intercede for those who are no more in fellowship with God; while supplication can be made for those who are still in fellowship with Him. Intercession and supplication are two different types of prayer. And this basically is the major difference between both of them.
It’s therefore better for Christians to be praying for their fellow Christians, instead of being involved in silly conversations about them behind their backs. By engaging yourself in such conversations, you are empowering the enemy to afflict your fellow believer, instead of carrying out your Christian duty to pray for them.
A Christian who is praying for others is saving souls for God’s Kingdom. He is delivering those who have been held captive from the hand of the devil.
For example Satan had wanted to sift the faith of Peter. But Jesus had to intervene on behalf of Peter through the prayer of supplication, to stop this satanic ploy. He later told Simon Peter:
“ .. Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
Luke 22:31-32 NKJV
The prayer of Jesus before the Father on behalf of Peter, led to the downgrading of the plan by the devil to sift his faith. Instead of sifting him like wheat, he ended up denying that he knew Jesus thrice during His trial before Pilate.
Peter was prevented from going in the same direction like Judas Iscariot, because Jesus had prayed on his behalf before the Father.
By praying for Peter, Jesus was able to save the early Church from the plan of the devil, to destroy and scatter the early believers in His Name. Satan’s original plan was to scatter the believers, before they could be empowered by the infilling of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost.
And as a result of the prayer by Jesus for Peter, the devil failed in his plan. The Church was later able to come out into the limelight, while spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to the end of the earth, with Peter as a strong leader in the Church.
Peter ended up fulfilling the call of God for his life, because Jesus had prayed for him. There are many Christians around the world today, who are in the same situation that Peter was in. They do need our prayerful support in coming out of the trap of the devil.
If Jesus could pray to save Peter from the hand of the enemy, He expects us to be doing the same thing for our fellow believers around the world.
On another occasion Jesus had taken Peter, James and John along with Him to the garden of Gethsemane for prayer. He was practically teaching them how to pray for themselves and others.
Jesus knew that the devil was not finished with the Body of believers in His name. And of course, the devil will never stop going after anyone who has the calling of God over his life.
Jesus had told the three disciples to be praying in the garden of Gethsemane, while He went ahead to pray alone, for the grace that He needed on the cross of crucifixion.
The scripture says:
“When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Luke 22:40 NKJV
Three times He had to encourage them to pray, because He knew that the plot by the devil was getting thicker and thicker against them.
The tempter has no intention of ceasing to go after those who are committed to God and His word. He sees them as the ones who are really advancing the Kingdom of God on the earth. They are dangerous to him and his plan to destroy the earth.
His glorious light leads us to pray
Prayer and intercession is essential for the advancement of God’s work on the earth. A Christian who doesn’t pray will never inherit the promises of the Lord.
That’s why the Apostle Jude advised us:
“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Jude 1:20-21 NKJV
It’s a high calling of God to be pulling other Christians out of the fire of affliction by the devil. This is only possible as we are praying for them in the spirit and by the Spirit.
But it’s impossible to be effective in prayer for others, if we are not constantly building up our holy faith on a daily basis. This is very important in order for us to be able to see clearly, in the darkness of this world and into the glorious light of God.
Prayer positions us in two spiritual worlds at the same time. We are able to see through the darkness of the world. We are also able to see into the glorious light of God, so as to be declaring the purposes of God to the darkness of this world.
It’s only with the eye of faith that we are able to see what other Christians are going through, so that we can be effective in praying for them, in accordance with the will of God. You will be able to see through into the end result with the eye of faith, in spite of what the enemy is doing right now in the life of such a believer.
Praying in other tongues positions us to do this effectively. It enables us to see into the realm of the spirit, so that we will know what we’re supposed to be praying for others about.
David said:
“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.”
Psalms 46:4 NKJV
Jesus also said:
.. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 7:37b-38 NKJV
The streams of joy that flows from the holy place of God’s tabernacle, becomes the rivers of living water in the heart of the believer in Christ Jesus.
The rivers of living water leads us into prayer for ourselves and others. We are able to pull others from the fire of the enemy in this way, for as long as we are yielding to the leading of the Holy Ghost, to be praying in this manner.
The Prophet Ezekiel said about the vision that the angel of the Lord had showed him:
“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.”
Ezekiel 47:1 NKJV
It’s interesting how David and Ezekiel could be referring to the same thing, that Jesus mentioned about in the above scripture texts. Ezekiel said later about the water that was flowing from the threshold of the temple:
“Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.”
Ezekiel 47:5 NKJV
The water became too deep for him to be swimming in it. This is a picture of where the Holy Ghost takes hold of us in our prayers. It’s the place of the abundance that is available for us in the realm of the spirit, as we are praying and interceding in the spirit.
A river that is impossible to cross is the glorious light of God’s abundance. It’s the place of prayer where we need God’s Spirit to be praying along with us. Without the Holy Ghost praying along with us, we will find ourselves lost in the spirit.
Paul said:
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
Romans 8:26-27 NKJV
The Holy Ghost is always there to help us to pray, when we are weak in the spirit and physically to be praying and interceding. It’s like the river which Ezekiel said that he could not swim in, because of its depth:
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”
Romans 11:33 NKJV
There are certain things that we will never be able to pray about without the help of the Holy Ghost. When it comes to pulling others out of the fire, prayer and intercession can become necessary in this way.
We are praying about things that we cannot understand with the mind. But we are able to see what we are praying about in the spirit. The Holy Ghost helps us to pray along in accordance with the will of God in this type of situation.
We will find ourselves lost in the abundance of His glorious light, because it is not us praying, but the Holy Ghost is the One praying through us in establishing the will of the Father.
The Holy Ghost sees you as a willing vessel for God’s glory. That’s why He will pour Himself through you in bringing the will of the Father to come to pass on the earth.
Are you willing to save others from the fire of hell?
God is looking for vessels of honor, who are available for Him to use in bringing others to glory with Him. Are you that vessel?
