BINDING AND LOOSING

In Matthew 18:18 Jesus said, "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

In an article on "Binding and loosing," by Christian Research Institute, founded by Dr. Walter Martin the power to bind or loose was reduced to the hiring or firing of people. The article argued that Mt. 18:18 was limited only to the subject of church discipline and that Christians are in no way authorized anywhere in Scripture to bind demons. The article claims that we as Christians can only resist the devil in our own personal lives.

I see major problems with that concept of spiritual warfare. Any Christian that is active in anyway with intercessory prayer for the loosing of loved ones from the grip of Satan will understand my position. We do not merely resist the devil, we overcome him. Revelation 12:11 proclaims, "And they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Not only did they resist the devil in their own lives, but they aggressively overcame him for the lives of others.

The CRI article made heavy reference to ‘context - context – context’ claiming the context of Mt 18:18 deals with binding or loosing people, not demons. A careful examination of the verse will reveal that Jesus said whatsoever, not whosoever - "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Mark 3:27 "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." In context, the strong man is Satan. There are several verses in Mathew 12 and Mark chapter three where Jesus himself teaches on binding and casting out Satan.

We must put everything to the test of Holy Scripture. Do as the Bereans in Acts 17:11, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Don’t believe any person or even an angel of light that tries telling you that you have no power over the devil. Jude 1:3 "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

I exhort you in the Lord to be mighty through God, 2 Corinthians 10:4 "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds."

In Luke 10, Jesus gave the disciples power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and in Mark 16 he gave that same power to all who believe.

Luke 10:19 "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."

Mark 16:17 "And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues."

Notice, ‘in my name’. That is the key to understanding Jude 1:9 when Michael the archangel was contending with the devil. He did not rebuke the devil by his own power, but said," The Lord rebuke thee." It is only by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony that we can also say, ‘The Lord rebuke thee Satan’. Always keep in mind that the battle belongs to the Lord, apart from Him we can do nothing. It is in His name that we bind the work of the enemy.

Philippians 4:13 promises, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Pastor Tilson Shumate