“Although Satan’s work is not yet finished and his doom still in the future, God has put a leash on him. He can go only so far and no further. There is the mystery of why God permits Satan to continue for as much as another hour, or why he fits into the cosmic plan of salvation. Nevertheless, God assures his people that he is for them and greater than the one who is against them, that Satan’s doom is sure, that he is to be resisted by the people of God (see James 4:7), and that for them there is victory over the wicked one.”
Harold Lindsell, The World, the Flesh, and the Devil (Canon Press, 1973)

God has put this restraining leash in the hands of the Church, and he means for us to use it. The inevitable question is how in the world do we do it?

Jesus said we can’t rob a strong man’s house without first binding up the strong man (see Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27). “Whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven” (Matthew16:19 AB).

How do we know what has already been bound and loosed in heaven? Well, we have some strong scriptural clues. At Jesus’ ascension “he led captivity captive—he led a train of vanquished foes—and he bestowed gifts on men” (Ephesians 4:8 AB). Matthew Henry’s commentary on this verse is, “He conquered those who had conquered us.”

Then, to add insult to Satan’s injury, Jesus shares with us weak, fallible mortals who believe in him the benefits of his victory over the powers of darkness by giving us the authority to bind them on earth as they have already been bound in heaven.

The Church is an occupation army, an alien ruling agency within a nation, enforcing the will of our absent King and restraining the opposition. We do this through intercessory warfare prayer. We bind the enemy by declaration, made by faith in Jesus’ victory.

Part of Jesus’ messianic call was to release the prisoners—those who are bound by Satan—from the dungeon (see Isaiah 42:7). We loose the prisoners of sin through the gospel. Where there is enemy oppression, we can invoke the presence of the Lord and his liberating authority, for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV).

Oh God, Most High, Almighty King!
The Champion of Heaven, Lord of everything!
You’ve fought, you’ve won, Death’s lost its sting,
And standing in your victory we sing:

(Chorus)
You have broken the chains that held our captive souls
You have broken the chains and used them on your foes
All your enemies are bound, they tremble at the sound of your name!
Jesus, you have broken the chains!

The power of hell has been undone
Captivity held captive by the Risen One!
And in the name of God’s great Son
We claim the mighty victory you’ve won!

(Repeat chorus)

You Have Broken the Chains
Jamie Owens Collins ©1984 by Fairhill Music.

Written by : Jimmy & Carol Owens

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