Jesus Christ has Planted His Flag of Deliverance

Recently I felt I heard the Lord say, "Get the deliverance teams trained". I was surprised at the urgency in His words and so I began to pray, communicate with others, and prepare as a result of this directive. Since that time, I have seen deliverance ministries springing up and coming forward in many places. God is doing a new thing and deliverance is a key part of it! Deliverance itself isn't a new thing and has been available since Jesus defeated satan by his death, burial and resurrection. But now, a new revelatory understanding of our authority and a fresh grace to administer deliverance is being released to the sons and daughters of God. We are about to see the raw power of God displayed unlike anything we have seen before.

As I spent time with the Lord, I saw a picture of a hill, and there, a battle raging over whose flag would occupy and fly. Planting a flag is an ancient custom that is carried on to this day. When a flag is planted on a particular land it is a sign or representation of a declaration that this land is claimed by the one planting the flag. Jesus Christ has already planted His flag of deliverance securely and eternally claiming those who rightfully belong to His Father.

However, I saw the enemy attempting to raise "false flags" over individuals. I then saw the enemy offering "enticements" to people. As they succumbed to the enticements, it soon became evident that these enticements were a trap. The enticements had lured them into his traps, and now satan had legal ground to steal, kill, and destroy in their lives. I saw the enemy raising a flag called "Entrapment" over these individuals.

Entrapment defined is "the illegal act of tricking someone into committing a crime so that the person you have tricked can be arrested."

James describes the process this way,"but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:14-15

The enticements had baited individuals into entrapments that turned into prisons of affliction, oppression, and captivity.

The DELIVERER is Here!

But, thanks be to God, Jesus Christ, our DELIVERER, is here to rescue and save those who have languished in the enemy's traps. When Jesus entered the synagogue in Nazareth, he astonished all who were there as he unrolled the scroll to read from Isaiah's words:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19

Jesus rolled up the scroll and sat down after reading this and all eyes were on Him. He then further astonished the crowd with these words, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:21b)

Jesus revealed that He was the very fulfillment of Isaiah 61, and was here on a mission, and that was to bring freedom and deliverance to all those who had been enslaved and held captive by the enemy.

"....The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil."

I John 3:8

A Call to Step Into His Authority

I hear God issuing a clarion call to the Body of Christ right now. He is urging us to take up our authority so that we can continue the job of setting captives free and releasing the prisoners from their dungeons of darkness. Jesus has already accomplished everything needed through his death, burial, and resurrection so that every chain would break and every prison door be thrown wide open.

"He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." Colossians 2:13b-15.

God is calling the Body of Christ to prepare the troops for advancement. We are to leave our defensive mindsets behind and take up our offensive mindsets. It is time to take back the stolen plunder from the enemy's camp. It is time to command the squatters to leave our rightful land and inheritance. It is time to see lives and families redeemed and restored and bodies healed. Jesus said that He would build His Ekklesia, His legislative ruling body, and the gates of Hades would not prevail against it. (from Matt. 16:18) It is time for the Ekklesia to decree and legislate the freedom that has been purchased.

Jesus Christ has already planted His flag of DELIVERANCE. Now let's go in and take the land!