40 Day Stand - Week 5

Stand in Power & Authority

Day 29-35 (Sunday June 20 to Saturday June 26)

Kingdom Reflection

We are entering our fifth week of fasting and prayer which will focus on standing in power and authority. These words are often misunderstood and so let’s begin by simplifying them. Authority is the “right to rule” and power is “the might to rule.” The difference between them may have been seen in a police officer pulling over a speeding car. The officer has the authority to ticket the driver, but may not have the power to stop the vehicle if the driver refuses to pull over. It’s the one thing to have a “right” but “might” is needed as well.

We could consider what authority from God looks like in the believers life, but let’s focus more on the purpose of power and authority. God’s desire is to bring His Kingdom to bear upon the kingdoms of this world. We see Jesus teaching us in the Lord’s prayer to declare that the Kingdom of God will come on the earth in the same way that it is in heaven. Our mandate is to declare that God’s rule and good intentions would manifest in individuals, the church, and ultimately the world.

In the book of Genesis, we see God’s purpose in creating people. We were created with incredible identity. We are image bearers of God, made to abide in life-giving relationship with Him and to fulfil His purposes in the world. We were made for His glory and for the good of others. Of course, we know that sin interrupted God’s plan. Humanity’s image became marred, relationships were fractured, and purposes were quickly misguided. But then God invested in His people with power and authority and He commissioned them to restore His purposes in the world.

Now to clarify, that directive is not meant to be forceful. We don’t use the “right” and “might” given to us twist others into submission. Quite the contrary, the power and authority restored to us is not “over others” but “over ourselves” for the sake of others. Christian power and authority is highly relational. It comes to us as we abide in relationship with Jesus and then it spills over into relationship with others. In Matthew 28, verses 18 to 20, Jesus came to His followers and said “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”

We have been given power and authority to live as disciples and to invite others onto the same journey with God. Ultimately, we endeavour to see broken lives restored to the image of God, to see people discover life-changing relationship with God and to begin to live for His glorious purposes

This week, spend time praying for God's power and authority to manifest in the church and to greatly influence the world. Pray for the various gifts of the Holy Spirit to fill believers and for the presence and power of God to be poured out in the world. Pray for a greater manifestation of his Kingdom on the earth.
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Scriptures for Meditation & Prayer

After reading each scripture, practice praying its primary theme and focus. Suggestions are included after each one.

Revelation 12:10-17 NIV

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short"

The Kingdom of God has come to this earth, but the full manifestation of Christ's reign is still coming. As we await the fullness of the Kingdom, we live as overcomers in this world by trusting in Christ's finished work on our behalf. We also die to ourselves for the sake and service of others. Pray that we would rest in the powerful arms of our victorious Savior even as the devil rages around us. Pray that we would live as overcomers, especially that we celebrate the victory of our God and Savior. Pray that we will have courage to share the triumph of our King with those who still need to come into a life altering relationship with Him.


Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The goal of the church is not to make great churches (i.e. production and programs) but to make great disciples (people who love and follow Jesus), Pray for the church to use its power and authority to help people be set free and to be restored into the image of God.

Pray for a greater measure of obedience to be expressed by followers of Christ in living for the glory of God and the good of the world.
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John 13:3-5 NIV

3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Jesus had all power and authority, yet He lived as a servant of all. Pray that we will understand that we have been delegated power and authority by God for the good and service of others. Pray that we will be humble and vulnerable as we focus on taking authority over ourselves.
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Romans 1:16 NIV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew then to the Gentile.

Pray for the church to rise up in a greater confidence as they share the gospel in this world.
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2 Chronicles 20:6-9 NIV

6 "LORD, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 "If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.

Zechariah 4:6 NIV

"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty.

Pray for the church to understand that strength, power, and authority come as we rest and trust in God.

Take time to celebrate and rejoice in the might and majesty of our God!
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Isaiah 11:1-5 TPT

1 The cut-off stump of Jesse will sprout, and a fruitful Branch will grow from his roots: 2 the Spirit of Yahweh will rest upon him, the Spirit of Extraordinary Wisdom, the Spirit of Perfect Understanding, the Spirit of Wise Strategy, the Spirit of Mighty Power, the Spirit of Revelation, and the Spirit of the Fear of Yahweh. 3 He will find his delight in living by the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord. He will neither judge by appearances nor make his decisions based on rumors. 4 With righteousness he will uphold justice for the poor and defend the lowly of the earth. His words will be like a scepter of power that conquers the world, and with his breath he will slay the lawless one. 5 Righteousness will be his warrior's sash and faithfulness his belt.

The same Spirit that was upon Jesus is now upon the church. Pray through this list of attributes of the Holy Spirit. Pray that they would be manifest in your church and the entire body of Christ

Notice the purpose of the gifts is to uphold justice for the poor and defend the powerless of the earth. Pray for the church to represent the Kingdom of God and bring His justice and love to this earth
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1 Corinthians 12:4-14 NIV

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body-whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Pray for a greater manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit within the church. Pray for the hearts of believers to live in the service of others and this world though the gifts God has placed in them.

Is there any particular gift that you feel led to pray about? For example, God may lead you to pray for healing for someone who is sick
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Acts 1:8 NIV

8 But will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth

Pray for boldness and authority to rest upon the church as we live as His witnesses in this world.
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Ephesians 5: 15-20 NIV

15 Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray for the church to make the most of every opportunity.

Pray for that we would be drawn continually into the Lord's presence that we might be filled by His Spirit.
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Additional Scriptures & Personal Prayer

Read Ephesians 4:11-16 and Romans 12:6-8 to further study the gifts God has for the Church.

In closing, pray anything else that is on your heart. If you choose, you can record your reflections from the Word and the Holy Spirit in a prayer journal.

Consider inviting others to pray with you in online formats such as zoom.

Share this prayer and fasting initiative with other believers so they join you in taking a stand. Encourage them to go to staalliance.org/stand40