This is  strong meat.   So if it doesn’t make sense, no worries, move on.  If it is needful for you, the Lord will bring it back to you.   It is something you will very likely have to chew on and meditate on directly from God’s Word.    It is a helpful tool/key of knowledge to have if you regularly intercede for the sick or those held captive to sins.

Key Point:   Scripture or at very least parts of scripture have another name “The Law”.      Since the Word says that we can put ourselves back under “the Law” even as New Testament believers, it is still important for us to understand at least some elements of it. There may well be times when we minister to others that we will need to have understanding of how to legally loose a lawful captive.     Please don’t hesitate to skip this post altogether and if you do read it, just let what sticks sticks and what doesn’t doesn’t and move on.   The goal is simply to bring awareness that this aspect of God’s Word exists.   If you are in the Word regularly, He will explain all that you need to know about this.     Formulas will always fall short, at the end of the day, to effectively minister, the main thing is to learn to hear from and follow the Lord through His Word and through a vibrant relationship established in prayer.

I hadn’t thought about that much until I was praying this year for someone  and I heard the words “courts of heaven”.   In truth, I had heard of the presently trending courts of heaven books a few years ago already but had not felt in any way called to read them.   I would say I was even hardened against this feeling leery of another formula type way of approaching God and healing.    Life and death was hanging in the balance though so I followed through and this word of knowledge ended up being part of the answer to this dear one being healed and delivered from a sure death sentence on her life.  Praise God.   Needless to say, I am now very motivated to understand the courts of heaven for myself through the study of scripture.

Honestly, my knowledge of this is insufficient to do it justice.  My goal is not to answer anything in full but simply to hopefully springboard those who are called to it, into a deeper study and understanding of this scriptural reality.  I do feel that in at least some cases of intercession, understanding these things this will play a powerful and even essential role.  As always, ask for eyes to see and ears to hear and the ability to understand, and that any error in our understanding, any veils or scales or other spiritual blocks would fall away so that we can receive all that God has for us on this topic, in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I should say, I think that a lot of people do things already and just use different terms to express what they do.

I will focus on scripture here, but will share that the only books that I have on this topic presently are written by Jeannette Strauss.  I have only just started to read them though.   Her testimony is on youtube for anyone who would like to hear it.   There are no doubt gems of wisdom to be gleaned there.

The essential question:   What is in the Word?   There are many many legal terms and references all through the Word.   Let’s explore some.

Isaiah 49:24-25 King James Version (KJV) “24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?  25 But thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.”

or in the NIV …

Isaiah 49:24-25  “24 Can plunder be taken from warriors,  or captives be rescued from the fierce[a]?  25 But this is what the Lord says:  “Yes, captives will be taken from warriors,  and plunder retrieved from the fierce;  I will contend with those who contend with you,  and your children I will save.”

Key points:  a person can be in legal captivity and Satan considers those in captivity as His plunder.

• God is willing to contend with those who content with us.    God enters into the battles that we engage in.  When we are interceding for someone else, we are entering the battle and can very powerfully bring God into the picture for someone who would otherwise not be benefitting from having God contending for them
• If someone can be a lawful captive, that means there is a law in place that is governing such things and it is to our advantage to understand the systems of that law so that we can navigate through effectively and victoriously

1 Corinthians 15:56 King James Version (KJV) “56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.”

Key point:  sin gets it’s strength from the good Law of God.  If there were no rules and no consequences in God’s good law, then sin would have no power.    The authority that enforces the Law is God.  Sin and Satan are legally enforcing the consequences spelled out in the Law but can also therefore be legally bound by those with knowlegdge and understanding of the Law.

Proverbs 26:2 King James Version (KJV) “2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.”

Key Point:  No curse can come upon a righteous man.   The story of Job illustrates this powerfully.  This is a snapshot of what it looks like in the court of heaven when Satan is accusing the godly.   But before I go there, I will share a few additional verses about this powerful promise of God, that we can actually live in a place of total protection.    Whenever this comes up, the natural thing is to have a number of people we admire pop to mind who are sick, were sick and have died etc.    I get how hard it is to believe this especially.    Here are several other verses expressing equally amazing things.

Psalm 91 tells us that “no plague will come near the dwelling place” of those who abide in the “secret place, in the shadow of the Most High”.    If you work through this line by line, you will find promises that are beyond our wildest imaginations including that we cannot even trip on a stone if we are dwelling with the Lord in this way.

 

Luke 10:19 King James Version (KJV) “19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Exodus 15:26 King James Version (KJV)  “26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

Exodus 23:25-27 English Standard Version (ESV) “25 You shall serve the Lord your God, and he[a] will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. 26 None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27 I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.”

Job 1 KJV “And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?  ⁹ Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?¹⁰ Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.  ¹¹ But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.  ¹² And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.”

Key point:   By living in fear of the Lord and obedience to God’s statutes, Job lived as a righteouss man and therefore God maintained an impenetrable hedge around his life, his family and his affairs…  So so so encouraging.  For a season, God gave Satan permission to test Job’s resolve and faith.   Take careful note that God gave specific permissions and prohibitions, but he did not approve Satan’s specific plan to tempt/test Job and that Satan had no option to touch Job beyond the permissions specifically obtained by God.  He had to go back and ask God permission to touch his physical health as this was originally approved.    Note also that at the end of the sifting time, Satan was once again barred from testing Job in this way and Job ended His days doubly blessed.

Ok so I can hear the question.. yes, but that was Old Testament, what has that got to do with today.  The New Testament echoes this reality plainly in these verses.

Luke 22:30-32 King James Version (KJV) “30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

Revelation 12:10 King James Version (KJV)  “10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

Strong’s tells us Satan in Hebrew means:

Satan !
Σατανᾶ (Satana)
Noun – Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong’s Greek 4567: An adversary, Satan. Of Chaldee origin corresponding to ma’bad; the accuser, i.e. The devil.

and the Greek

Σατανᾶς Satanâs, sat-an-as’; of Chaldee origin corresponding to H4566 (with the definite affix); the accuser, i.e. the devil:—Satan.

From  http://www.blbclassic.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4567&t=KJV

So the name Satan = the Accuser/ the Adversary

Mark 3:26-28 “²⁶ And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.  ²⁷ No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.  ²⁸ Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:   ^“

Key Point:  Until we bind Satan (by removing his legal right to the lawful captive by repenting and seeking forgiveness on their behalf, and asking for a legal stay against the further enforcement of their deserved punishment) we are powerless to plunder his goods and set the captive free.   Most of us have said the words “be bound in the name of Jesus”.  Is it possible that binding Satan is actually more about taking the correct legal steps as described above ?   We cannot believe unto salvation for anyone, nor can we stay their judgement forever.    God is slow to anger, giving us time to repent from our sins..   But legally He cannot be a perfectly just judge and remove the curse that is deserved indefinitely or permanently.  God wants them to come into repentance.  He has assigned to us the work of being ministers of reconciliation.  He wants to reveal His goodness to all as His goodness brings men to repentance (see below Romans 2:4).   He wants us to receive the propitiation for our sins now so that we can be spared wrath later. 

2 Peter 3:9 English Standard Version (ESV) “9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Roman 2:3-5 BSB “3So when you, O man, pass judgment on others, yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? 5But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

Thank God we also have a heavenly advocate in Jesus Christ.

1 John 2 King James Version (KJV)  “2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

And we are also blessed to present our situations “cases” before a righteous judge.

Luke 18:1-10 King James Version (KJV)
18 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;  2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:  3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.  4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;  5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.  6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.  7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?  8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

Also from Strongs and blueletterbible the definition of judge.   Actually, there are several words used so you do have to look it up each time you see it in the English as the Greek is far more specific.   For example.  The first is more like the administrative office that we think of when we think of judge.   The second is more defined by judge simply meaning one who judges another but not necessarily as an appointed judge with authority.

Acts 10:42 King James Version (KJV)  “42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. ”

Key point:  Jesus is the only Judge of the quick and the dead.  But it is more complicated than that.  There is the White Throne Judgement but there are also ongoing accusations being levelled at us day and night by the accuser of the brethren and ongoing need for us to seek the righteous Lord with petitions and for forgiveness as we go through our days and our lives.

κριτής kritḗs, kree-tace’; from G2919; a judge (genitive case or specially):—judge.

δικαστής dikastḗs, dik-as-tace’; from a derivative of G1349; a judger:—judge.

Matthew 5:25 KJV “²⁵ Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.”

in the TPT “It is always better to come to terms with the one who wants to sue you before you go to trial, or you may be found guilty by the judge, and he will hand you over to the officers, who will throw you into prison.”

Key Point:  How do we settle the case out of court?  So that we will not go to trial and get thrown into prison..  We plead guilty and pay the penalty.   As redeemed brothers and sisters, we take responsibility by agreeing, repenting (changing out thinking and actions to line up with the Word) and accepting Jesus as our payment in full for all of our sins and pleading His blood (our payment in full) over the case so it is stamped, PAID IN FULL.   REDEEMED.  We see this echoed in 1 Corinthians…

1 Corinthians 11: 25 “²⁵ After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.  ²⁶ For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.  ²⁷ Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  ²⁸ But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  ²⁹ For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.  ³⁰ For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.  ³¹ For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.  ³² But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.  ³³ Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.”

What does this have to do with praying for other people?   Sometimes when we are praying for others, perhaps even often, they are actually experiencing a lawful sentence/curse on their lives for choices and sin in their lives that are in rebellion against God and His Word.   They are therefore lawful captives and Satan is lawfully enforcing the fruit of their sin.  In such a case, the lawful cause must be removed so that the curse can be lawfully removed or stayed for a season so that they can come into repentance.

Practically Speaking:

1. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the different scriptures that instruct us on how and when and what our lawful position is when we approach the Lord as Judge regarding the case of a potentially lawful captive.
2. Take the time to ask God to examine you and be quick to agree with any accusations that come against you and repent for any known sins, especially bitterness before praying for another.
3.  Get equipped with the Word through regular study so that when you present such a situation you can use the Sword (the short sword of the Word) with surgical precision as Jesus modelled for us in the wilderness) to cut off the Adversary’s case lawfully.
4. Know, I mean really KNOW, your identity in Christ so that if the Accuser turns on you, you are equipped to disarm Him with that same sword, knowing per 2 Corinthians (see below) that you have being called to be an ambassador of reconciliation and are approaching the Lord lawfully to grant forgiveness to the one who has sinned (temporarily as if they sin again, another forgiveness is required, possibly why we are called to bring things to God persistenly day and night, see above the parable of the persistent widow and Revelations 12:10, the Accuser is active day and night)
5. Romans 14:22-23 Amplified Bible (AMP)  “22 The faith which you have [that gives you freedom of choice], have as your own conviction before God [just keep it between yourself and God, seeking His will]. Happy is he who has no reason to condemn himself for what he approves. 23 But he who is uncertain [about eating a particular thing] is condemned if he eats, because he is not acting from faith. Whatever is not from faith is sin [whatever is done with doubt is sin.]
6. John 3:18 King James Version (KJV)  ” 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.nful].”
7. A couple of Word Studies to consider.  Unworthily is only used twice in the whole NT.   Per the blueletterbible.com Strong’s Concordance, it means unworthily / irreverently.   That irreverently is a whole different meaning.   From http://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/irreverent.
   

   Irreverent

   IRREV’ERENT, adjective

   1. Wanting in reverence and veneration; not entertaining or manifesting due regard to the Supreme Being.

   2. Proceeding from irreverence; expressive of a want of veneration; as an irreverent thought, word or phrase.

   3. Wanting in respect to superiors.

James 5:15 King James Version (KJV)  “15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Key Point:  Right here in James, it points to the fact that the prayer of the righteous man avails much.  The confess your sins one to another is directed to those who are ministering…  Over and over again we see the call to live blamelessly, and holy before the Lord and that confessing our shortfalls and sins should a continual and consistent experience for those who walk after the Spirit.  Do consider the lives of those who interceded powerfully for others scripturally and I think you will notice some trends in their lives and level of godliness, transparency and sincerity with God.  Think of Jonah, Moses, Abraham etc.

Matthew 6:13-15 King James Version (KJV)  “13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.  14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Key point:  Be especially mindful that holding bitterness against others keeps God from forgiving you of your trespasses, so be especially mindful of purging your life of all bitterness and asking to be forgiven.

Never lose track that we are approaching Our Holy LORD.

Habakkuk 1:13 International Standard Version (ISV) “13 Your eyes are too pure to gaze upon evil;  and you cannot tolerate wickedness.  So why do you tolerate the treacherous?
And why do you stay silent  while the wicked devour those who are more righteous than they are?”

I was deeply convicted when I read the verse below.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 King James Version (KJV)  “16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

Key Point:  We are now the dwelling place, the home of the Holy Spirit.   We are called to live accordingly.   To knowingly sin is to defile God’s dwelling place.   PAUSE AND CHEW ON THIS.   Honestly, there is nothing to inspire working out your own salvation with fear and trembling then to have this particular truth sink in.      Repentance and asking for forginess for our shortfall is simply us cleaning house and maintaining the habitation, house of God in an appropriate state for His presence.    Remember, Habbakuk says that He is Holy and cannot tolerate that which is wicked and perverse.  We are called to ABIDE in His presence continually..  This requires putting ourselves humbly on the shortest leash humanly possible and running to the Lord quickly every time we knowingly miss the mark to restore and cleanse the temple.

In an earlier post I shared the verse about the need for us to die to ourselves, crucify our flesh and follow Jesus.    I know it is far easier to live in the place of believing that we are powerless to overcome our flesh and sin but scripture tells us that we truly can do all things with Christ,(Matthew 19:26) that He who is in us is greater than He who is in the world  (1 John 4:4) and that we are more than conquerors in Christ(Romans 8:37).   We talked a lot this week about the temptation in the wilderness that Jesus faced for 40 days and how He never sinned and resisted/bound the enemy effectively by using the Word of God with power and precision(Luke 4).  We talked about how we do the things He did and greater things several times now. (see John 14:12).     This means that we have the potential to be tempted as Jesus was and resist as effectively as He did.   We have so much more potential than we have presently tapped into.  In the meantime, we can instantly be washed clean as snow with a simple confession of our shortfall.  Praise God, He is truly Wondrous.

 

2 Corinthians 2:10-12 English Standard Version (ESV)  “10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”

2 Corinthians 5:18 King James Version (KJV) “18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”