Prayer and confession of the Word of God are two of the most powerful weapons believers have. Together they can help to bring victory over any demonic opposition. You will see a great release of God’s power when these two are combined.
I began writing Scripture-based prayers as I studied the Word of God. The Holy Spirit illuminated many scriptures to me that needed to be released through prayer. I began to see clearly the plan of God for believers and how the enemy wanted to stop that plan. The Lord taught me the importance of praying the Word to overcome spiritual resistance to the plan of God for my life.
The prayers were forged over a period of many years and were birthed out of warfare and deliverance. They came from years of experience in ministering to individuals and nations. As I was gaining this experience, the Holy Spirit helped me understand many scriptures and how to use them in prayer. You can find the prayers I wrote, which are based on the Word of God, in my book Prayers That Rout Demons.
Prayer is one of the ways we release the will of God upon the earth. We must study the Word of God in order to know the will of God. This is why prayer and the Word must be combined. Daniel was able to pray effectively because he knew the Word of God concerning God’s people (Dan. 9:2–3).
We should pray with understanding (1 Cor. 14:15). Understanding the will of God will help us pray correctly. The Word of God is the will of God. We are not to be unwise, but under- standing of what the will of the Lord is (Eph. 5:17). Prayer also helps us walk perfectly and completely in all the will of God (Col. 4:12).
Praying and Confessing the Word
Life and death are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21). Right words are forcible (Job 6:25). The words we speak are spirit and life (John 6:63). We can be snared by the words of our mouth. We need to articulate the thoughts of God by praying and confessing His Word (Isa. 55:8). God’s Word released through our tongues will cause His power to manifest in our lives.
Words are used to convey our thoughts. The words of God are the thoughts of God. We are releasing the mind of God when we pray and confess His Word. The thoughts of God are peace and prosperity (Jer. 29:11). They are designed to bring us to an expected end.
Jesus taught us that our faith is released through our words (Mark 11:23). Our faith-filled words can move mountains. There is nothing impossible to those who believe. Our faith is a key to seeing miracles and breakthrough on a consistent basis. Whatever we ask in prayer, believing, we will receive (Matt. 21:22).
The Word is near us (Rom. 10:8). The Word is in our mouth and heart. This is the Word of faith. The mouth and the heart are connected. We speak from the abundance of the heart. The Word of God in our heart will come through our mouth. Faith in the heart will be released through our mouth. God watches over His Word to perform it (Jer. 1:12).
God Hears and Answers Our Prayers
We are encouraged to call upon the Lord. He has promised to show us great and mighty things (Jer. 33:3). The Lord delights in our prayers. He delights in answering our prayers. Before we call, He will answer (Isa. 65:24). The Lord’s ears are open unto the prayers of the righteous (1 Pet. 3:12). The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). We are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).
Our God hears prayer. All flesh should come to Him in prayer (Ps. 65:2). All believers have similar challenges and must overcome them. God is no respecter of persons. He is near to all who call upon Him (Ps. 145:18). The Lord will hear your supplication and will receive your prayer (Ps. 6:9).
Calling upon the Lord will bring salvation and deliverance from your enemies (Ps. 18:3). This has always been a key to deliverance. You can pray yourself out of any adverse situation. The Lord is your helper. God will not turn away your prayer (Ps. 66:20). God will not despise your prayer (Ps. 102:17). The prayer of the upright is God’s delight (Prov. 15:8).
Prayers Bring Victory Over the Enemy
We have been given the keys of the kingdom (Matt. 16:19). This gives us the authority to bind and loose. To bind means to restrict, stop, hinder, fetter, check, hold back, arrest, or put a stop to. To loose means to untie, unbind, unlock, liberate, release, forgive, or free. Keys represent the authority to lock (bind) or unlock (loose). Prayer and confession are two of the ways we use this authority. We can bind the works of darkness, which include sickness, disease, hurt, witchcraft, poverty, death, destruction, confusion, defeat, and discouragement. We can loose ourselves and others from the works of darkness. This will result in greater liberty and prosperity.
Binding and loosing will help us in the area of deliverance. We can loose ourselves from many things by using our authority. We can loose others by praying these prayers. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He came that we might have life in abundance.
Believers must know and operate in authority. Jesus gave His disciples power and authority over all devils (Matt. 10:1). We are seated with Christ in heavenly places far above all principalities and powers (Eph. 1:20, 2:6). Believers can use this authority through prayer and confession. We have authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19). Jesus promised that nothing would hurt us. Many believers suffer unnecessarily because they fail to exercise their authority.
Scripture-based prayers are for believers who have a hatred for the works of darkness (Ps. 139:21). Do you hate every false way (Ps. 119:104)? Do you want to see changes in your city, region, and nation? You are a king, and you have the power to change geographic regions (Eccles. 8:4). The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (Prov. 8:13).
Prayers based on the Word are designed to demolish strongholds. God’s Word is like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces (Jer. 23:29). We need powerful prayers to demolish these strongholds. These prayers are for those who want to see breakthroughs in their personal lives as well as in their cities, regions, and nations.
Satan has been defeated through the cross. Principalities and powers have been spoiled (Col. 2:15). We are enforcing this victory through our prayers. We are executing the judgments written. This honor is given to all His saints. The saints have possessed the kingdom (Dan. 7:18). This means we have authority with the King to advance the reign of Christ over the nations.
David was a king who understood the place of prayer in victory. He had many victories over his enemies. He saw mighty deliverance through prayer. He prayed for the defeat of his enemies and God answered him. We will have the same results over our spiritual enemies. We are not wrestling against flesh and blood. We must overcome principalities and powers with the armor of God. We must take the sword of the Spirit and pray with all prayer (Eph. 6:12–18).
The prayers of David ended with Psalm 72:20. In the previous verse of this psalm, he prayed that the whole earth would be filled with God’s glory (v. 19). This is the end of prayer. We believe that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord 
as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14). This is our goal. We will continue to pray toward the fulfillment of this promise. We will see the growth of God’s kingdom and the destruction of the powers of darkness through our prayers. Revival and glory are increasing, and our prayers are adding fuel to the revival fire. {eoa}
The preceding is an excerpt from John Eckhardt’s book Prayers That Rout Demons (Charisma House, 2010). To order a copy of the book, please visit mycharismashop.com.
John Eckhardt is overseer of Crusaders Ministries, located in Chicago, Illinois. Gifted with a strong apostolic call, he has ministered throughout the United States and overseas in more than eighty nations. He is a sought-after international conference speaker, produces a weekly television program called Perfecting the Saints, and has authored more than 20 books.
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