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A PRAYER THE BINDS EVIL
AND RELEASES HOLY ANGELS
Many people are aware of positive and negative spiritual forces. We feel the power of love sweeping through our lives and relationships. We experience negative powers: greed, hatred, selfishness, and other dark spiritual forces moving through our hearts and in our world. What can we do when dark forces attack? When we feel weak?
During Jesus' earthly ministry he delivered people from the powers of evil and filled them with the power of God. Jesus commanded spiritual forces with a profound authority. Some people misunderstood, accusing him of working through the power of evil. Jesus explained that he worked in the opposite way. He BOUND "the strong man" (spiritual evil) and removed what was in his house (Mt. 12:25-37). Jesus set people free from the power of darkness, and brought them into his kingdom of light.
Jesus gives his authority to his followers. His disciples long ago, and still today, have Christ's authority to free and to bless. The following prayer offers a model for us.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
and by the power of His Blood and His Cross
I bind all spirits in the air and the fire,
in the water and the ground,
in the underground and in the netherworld.
I bind all satanic forces in nature.
I bind all curses, hexes and spells,
witchcraft and occult activity.
I bind the interaction and interplay of all spirits.
I claim the protection of the shed Blood of Jesus Christ over... (name persons or places)
I now call Michael the Archangel
and his army of angels to surround, fill and protect this place... (name any locations where there is need)
I praise God for all of His heavenly angels.
I call them forth now and release them
to surround and fill us
with Go d's power and blessings,
in the name of the Father, and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Why is this prayer so powerful?
First, we claim our authority in the Name of Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, "and for this God raised him high, and gave him the name which is above all other names, so that all beings in the heavens, on earth, and in the underworld should bend the knee at the name of Jesus..." (2:9-10). In the name of Jesus we are given authority over the evil one and all of his agents.
Next, we call on the power of Christ's cross and blood. On the cross Jesus let evil attack him and do its worst, and then Jesus rose in victory! The cross of Christ is the great reminder to us and to evil that the power of Christ has won the victory over the worst that sin and death can do. By our trust in Christ's cross we claim again that victory.
Further, the shed blood of Jesus Christ has sealed an everlasting covenant with all who love him. Christ's shed blood pays for all of the punishment we rightly deserve. Jesus' blood protects us from all evil and seals us as Go d's own children.
By the power of Jesus' name, his cross, and his blood we bind every evil spirit in every dimension of the spiritual and physical world, the earth, air, water... We bind all negative spiritual forces such as curses or occult activity. We also bind all spirits from working together as a team. "And is Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?" (Lk. 11:18) Like a strong person who may attack us, we tie up Satan and all evil forces.
At the same time we will not stop with our focus on darkness, even if binding it. We turn our hearts and minds to the light and call forth the spiritual army of heaven. We call forth Michael the archangel and his army to protect us and to empower us. We ask for all the spiritual powers of God to minister among us. We release the angels to surround us and fill us with Go d's blessings and powers. Amen!
Two other prayers can be immensely helpful to claim Go d's protection and to renew our strength. Separate booklets: "Put on the Whole Armor of God" and "A Healing Prayer of Light" are available free from our church and I commend them to you for your prayer.
The prayer is an adaptation of a traditional Christian prayer.
The commentary is by the Rev. Marsh Hudson-Knapp, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Fair Haven UCC,
Fair Haven, VT 05743. Tel. 802-265-8864 or 265-8605
Email: hkfamily@sover.net.
revised 1/29/97
Find your own path or Next!
