Many of the battles we are facing today, both personal and corporate, are the result of a limitation of Holy Spirit’s presence and power. The politically correct spirit is the world’s version of a religious spirit, and it seeks to kill any authentic Spirit-directed initiative or agenda.
It uses threats, accusations and twisted truths to try to disqualify any work of God-ordained reformation or supernatural transformation on the earth.
The religious spirit in the church seeks to discredit anyone or anything that has the mark of supernatural intervention or inspired revelation. It too uses manipulation of ideas and distorted realities to confuse people and rob them of true spiritual power. If we can see past the smokescreen and understand heaven’s purposes, we can stand strong in the face of seeming defeat and remain steadfast when things get tough.
1 Corinthians 2:14 states that the flesh cannot access the things of the Spirit because they are foolishness to the natural man. Apart from the Spirit of God, nothing that originates from His kingdom will make sense. The enemy knows that if we access the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, he will be exposed for what he is—a fraud, a liar and a charlatan.
If he can get us to focus on what we see and hear in the natural, he can stir up doubt, unbelief and even cynicism against the things of God. If he can keep us from operating and walking in the power of Holy Spirit, he can continue his assault on heaven’s agenda and limit our influence and authority.
I believe our greatest strategy in overcoming this attack against the work of Holy Spirit is to pray in the Spirit. This is the best way to bypass our human reasoning and any demonic interference and go directly to the throne with God’s will.
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit always with all kinds of prayer and supplication. To that end be alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Eph. 6:17-18).
We are being told that the sword is of the Spirit; therefore, we must pray in the Spirit when we hold it. The Word of God is not of the flesh. It was born of the Spirit. Therefore, we must put on our spiritual armor and pray in the Spirit in order to disable the demonic assault on the King’s advance.
Notice, too, the goal of our prayers—one another. Rather than warring against the devil, we are supposed to be praying for each other to stand strong and not give up. Rather than getting distracted by all the brush fires he keeps starting, we are supposed to lift one another up to the throne of grace to receive strength, courage and the boldness needed to not retreat.
I am being personally tested in this like never before. My oldest son just recently “came out,” declaring he no longer believes in God. My son, who had a visitation from Holy Spirit when he was 7, has preached, prophesied and led worship, gone to ministry school for three years and was raised as a preacher’s kid in the church.
Why? Because the religious spirit has warred against his soul, convincing him not to trust the Spirit within. Yes, it breaks my heart. But God’s not done!
I believe I am like many other parent warring for their children and many other believers warring for this nation. The enemy is hitting below the belt and stirring up a zeal within the house of the Lord.
Rather than giving in to hearsay and deceptive reports, I choose to stay in the Spirit and not yield him any ground. I’m not going to yell because he’s not worth my energy. But I will raise my voice to heaven and speak the language of the Spirit so that the presence and power of the King will be felt! This is my watch, and I will not let this low-level demon rob me of my inheritance or cheat me out of my legacy. I will not back down!
Perhaps things are intense because the enemy is on his last leg. Perhaps it gets the darkest before the morning light. All I know is that we have no other choice but to stand, not give in and yield continually to the Spirit of God. We must contend for those who are lost. We must be steadfast in our prayers for this nation. We must not give up when the forecast looks cloudy. We must encourage one another and stir one another’s faith for greater things. And we must pursue the presence and power of the Holy Spirit as if our very lives depended on it.
Stand strong on the promises of God. Take hold of any prophetic word spoken over you, your family and this nation, and don’t back down. Worship and build up your spirit so that your spirit-man remains immovable in the face of adversity.
Nothing is impossible with God. His Kingdom will never end, and it will be established. The enemy may think he is taking ground through his threats and manipulating schemes, but little does he realize how it is stirring up a zeal of the Lord within the saints to secure our inheritance and take the victor’s spoils.
It’s time to evict the devil from our homes, our communities and this nation and claim ownership for the King’s domain. Regardless of how he came in, he is trespassing, and it’s up to us to throw him out the door.
Wanda Alger is a field correspondent with Intercessors for America. She ministers with her husband in Winchester, Virginia. Follow her blog at wandaalger.me.
Bunni Pounds 
Marilyn Hickey Ministries 
Brian Barcelona 
